Mystery blade? Savage #6 plane

[steven c newman]

Just recieved a #6 plane this morning. During tear-down prep to cleaning, found something "different"..241800That hole is down near the cutting edge. There is a stamp at the other end... "SAVAGE" is all that is on it. Thinking this MIGHT be a Union made plane for a customer. Looking at the frog..241801241802241803Right hand threads, too boot. Even the knob "bolt" looks like a Union style..241804Iron is 2-1/4" wide, with a slight taper. Base is 17-1/2" long. Any clues out there??:confused:

[Sam Takeuchi]

That's not a #6 size. It's more like 5-1/2. I know Stanley used to produce 2-1/4" wide blade 5-1/2 prior to something like 1938, but not sure what was going on with this size of planes for other companies, blade size wise.

P.S. Try to take clearer pictures. It's often difficult enough to assess an item without having it on hand, blurry pictures aren't going to make it easier.

[David Weaver]

5 1/2s are 15 inches long or thereabouts. It could be an undersized 6 or one where a chipped end was cut off and reshaped.

[steven c newman]

Maybe like the earlier #5S? Seems they were 1/2" shorter as well. At some point, they moved up that 1/2' to whole numbers? I have had a jack plane that was 13-1/2" long, without any sign of being cut done. The hole in the iron MAY be an Ohio Tool sort of thing.

Sam: Re: Them Blurry Photos: Haven't had my Mountain Dew yet this morning, got TWO planes in the mail, both need some work. Will get better photos, just for yoy, later today, after the trip to the Hospital's Lab. Have some lung issues to solve, as well as no-name planes..

[Sam Takeuchi]

5 1/2s are 15 inches long or thereabouts. It could be an undersized 6 or one where a chipped end was cut off and reshaped.

Right-o. I got too caught up with the blade width. I don't know any #6 with 2-1/4" blade though. It could be just a replacement for a regular 2-3/8" blade, but I don't know.

[steven c newman]

Lever cap is 2-3/8" wide, but has no markings. Iron and chip breaker are 2-1/4" wide. I have a Stanley chip breaker, came from a SW #6 iron. It is almost an inch longer, but the same width as this chipbreaker, 2-1/4". lateral is the twisted end type, again, no markings. Seems to be an early union style, with a small step, and short screws. Washer on the lateral is below the pivot point. Plane is a smooth bottom.


Seems I had a DE6 awhile back. It too had a narrow iron onboard, a 2-1/4" wide SW one at that. This might be fun! I also got a no-name block plane in the mail this morning, along with the #6. Red handled, with a fancy turned knob. Bottle cap adjuster. Cap iron has a step, where a bolt comes up through. Iron has a slotted hole, and part way along the slot, there is a round hole for the head of the bolt to come through. Almost a Keyhole...

[george wilson]

Seems like a LOT of trouble to make the 5 sided hole,which serves no purpose functionally,or decoratively than a round hole. If I wanted to expend more work on a plane,I'd do it elsewhere to "pretty it up."

[steven c newman]

The two planes that arrived this morning..241817Plane's base measures 17-1/2" long, by 2-3/4" wide. No sign of it being shortened down. Handle bolts are oval headed one piece bolts. The Block plane is another matter, altogether. Not too bad a morning, will know more about that, after the trip to the Hospital is over with. Have some Lung issues going on...

[steven c newman]

For Sam T. Re: Photo Fuzzies... I hope these are a little better photos, maybe I'll hear from Sam about it. First up:241831241832241833Front and reae decks of this 17.5" base. Next..241834Two chip breakers, Stanley on the right, "Savage" on the left. The savage bolt will not fit the Stanley, bolt is a hair too big. And finally, for this plane, a lever cap241835241836and an old iron. There is also the iron off the block plane that came today..241837 Strange hole on this one too? Deck for this block plane has "Made in USA" engraved, not cast into the rear deck. Be back later tonight with a few more ( non-Fuzzies) photos to show what little I got done today.

CT Scan of chest, with contrast is NO FUN. Rather do planes....

[Sam Takeuchi]

Check this out (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?111161-Help-request-from-UNION-plane-owners). That one looks to be pretty similar to yours.

As far as Savage, what I can gather is that there was a company called Savage Manufacturing Company out of MD that produced some planes, including some patented design. But other than that, I can't find anything about the company as far as their plane models and production goes. I don't know if your blade is from this Savage Mfc Co. or some other, so far that's the only lead I've found.

P.S. Pictures are good now.

[steven c newman]

As for PIP of these two planes..241852241853241854and a cleaned up rear deck on the Block plane241858 well, it's a start, anyway... japanning is just about gone on the big plane, almost all there on the block plane. Cap on the block plane has been cleaned off, Japanning was just flaking off of it. Now, should I repaint it black? Or, leave it shiny, bare steel? Edges are now square to the sides, so much so that you can cut a finger if you run it along the edge. Maybe come back a soften the edges?

[george wilson]

I just had a CAT scan. No cancer found,at least. I had reason to suspect it. Not as bad as MRI,really. Like the iodine injection?

[steven c newman]

The so-called Contrast? Oh, not my cup of tea. Even made the ears feel HOT! "Feel a little warm" they said......yeah, right. Ever since that spider bite went MRSA on me back in Mayof this year, I have had a lot of trouble breathing. Don't even ask about going up stairs. Bathroom is upstairs in the house, Moider, I say, Moider!

Seems there was a tool company called Savage? Hmmm. This could be fun, at least it is better than a CT Scan, with Contrast. Hey, you know what? I am "hot" for a couple weeks, will set off a Geiger Counter when I walk by.

[Greg Wease]

Ohio Tool made irons with the hexagonal hole near the end--this shape appears in their 1915 catalog. Stanley patented moving the round hole from the top to the bottom in 1892. Maybe Ohio used that odd shape to get around Stanley's patent? Ohio Tool did sell under other names such as Scioto but I've never heard of Savage.

[steven c newman]

Cleaning is done...241887241888Not sure IF Sargent made that little block plane? Savage#6's handles have a coat of BLO on them. Working on the irons will be next on the agenda..

[steven c newman]

And some money shots..241900241901241902I think they might be of some use, even though they don't have any LN, or LV numbers on them. The can of BLO cost almost as much as these two planes did.

Made for/by Seth Savage of Middleton( sp) CT. Not sure about the block plane, seems to be a Sargent style, with that bolted on knob.

[steven c newman]

For some reason, I LIKE this size of a #6. Seems almost half the weight when I hold it. Handles are compfy. Almost like a cross between a #5-1/2 and a #6. Just 2-1/2" longer than a #5-1/2.


The block plane is about 7-3/16" long. It has a plain 1-5/8" wide iron. Fancy red knob on the front, Sargent maybe? I have seen a cap iron like that, just can't remember what "number" planes had them. Seems to be about the same size as a Stanley #110. Instead of raised letters for the "MADE IN USA", these were engraved/stamped into the metal. More gosemmer shavings floating around in the back yard.....

[steven c newman]

A new knob & tote out of black Walnut are now installed.242165 Mr. Seth Savage, your plane is done. It is almost the same length as my other two #6s242166242167Front to rear: Union 5A, Savage #6, DE6c ( rebuilt) and a Stanley smooth bottomed #6. behind them is a shortened KK7, and a Bailey #8c. Second photo shows the difference in length, less than 1/2". Width is the same as the other two #6s.