Steve Barksdale
01-08-2013, 11:33 PM
I have an old, no idea how old, wooden plane. The only marking is on the iron where someone stamped, “Hancock Tools Extra Steel.” The body is all wood with no markings of any kind, just under 25” long and 3 1’2” wide. It has the typical handsaw type handle in back with a large knob up front. The front is twice as tall as the back so it’s really well balanced. Everything is in pretty good condition. The iron still has a decent, but not award winning edge. The wedge appears original. The sole has a few nicks and gouges but is still as true as can be, for a chunk of wood.
It doesn’t have much monetary value. I gave a junk, I mean antique dealer 30 bucks for it 15 years ago and it’s sat on my bookcase ever since so there’s no family history or anything like that attached. It’s just a basic tool some obscure guy a hundred years ago used to make a living. But it survived. And it has character. The only damage is from use.
I’m in the, “Do No Harm,” camp with antiques. No sanding, no filling no refinishing, nor paint. A little mild soap and water concoction to take away the years of grime and that’s it. As an example, Mr. Obscure Carpenter a long time ago zinged, cross grain on the top of his plane with his back saw. I can see it plain as day. A battle scar and it stays no matter what. That’s my opinion.
So here’s the dilemma I’d like some help with: I have this sudden urge to use the doggone thing, should I?
I’d have to put a new edge on it, a direct violation of, “Do No Harm”. If it’s out there on my workbench I’ll zing it myself, guaranteed, another violation. And am I kidding myself thinking I can go down to the local big box DIY store, buy scraps on the cheap, and teach myself how to use this thing?
The fate of this obscure plane is in your hands.
BTW, new to the forum and love the posts.
It doesn’t have much monetary value. I gave a junk, I mean antique dealer 30 bucks for it 15 years ago and it’s sat on my bookcase ever since so there’s no family history or anything like that attached. It’s just a basic tool some obscure guy a hundred years ago used to make a living. But it survived. And it has character. The only damage is from use.
I’m in the, “Do No Harm,” camp with antiques. No sanding, no filling no refinishing, nor paint. A little mild soap and water concoction to take away the years of grime and that’s it. As an example, Mr. Obscure Carpenter a long time ago zinged, cross grain on the top of his plane with his back saw. I can see it plain as day. A battle scar and it stays no matter what. That’s my opinion.
So here’s the dilemma I’d like some help with: I have this sudden urge to use the doggone thing, should I?
I’d have to put a new edge on it, a direct violation of, “Do No Harm”. If it’s out there on my workbench I’ll zing it myself, guaranteed, another violation. And am I kidding myself thinking I can go down to the local big box DIY store, buy scraps on the cheap, and teach myself how to use this thing?
The fate of this obscure plane is in your hands.
BTW, new to the forum and love the posts.