'u Chianuzzu

[Rob Matarazzo]

So my cousin, who was a cabinetmaker in Sicily, gave me this plane several decades ago. I always wondered what it was. Can anybody identify it? There's no brand name anywhere. It just says Made in USA on the body. It appears to be a low end model. There's a bottle-cap wheel on it and I think you adjust the iron by banging on it. Chianuzzu is the Sicilian word for plane, in case you were wondering.

[Bill Houghton]

If there's a name on it anywhere, it'll be at the top of the cutting iron. Sometimes they're kind of faint; a little vigorous cleanup with 220 or so sandpaper will tell you if there's a name there.

Looks similar but not identical to a Stanley 110 block plane; the knob on a Stanley has a little cup in the top to accept your index finger, which this one does not.

Ideally, you adjust the iron by getting the lever cap almost nearly tight and then wiggling the iron around with your fingers until it's right, then snugging up the lever cap.

They're considered very low end tools, but, if you got the iron sharp, no reason it couldn't do good work.

[Jim Koepke]

+1 on what Bill said about it looking similar to a Stanley 110.

The blade can also be set with a light hammer or mallet. This post shows some images and mentions how this is done:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?148076-Getting-Started-With-Hand-Planes&p=1513682#post1513682

The hump at the back of the casting is for tapping to withdraw the blade if it is set too deep. This is done with the locking wheel slightly loose. With a little care tapping and a sharp blade, these can be set to take fine shavings.

jtk

[Jim Foster]

I have that same plane, my friend got it from Sears around 1990 for $5-$10.

[Rob Matarazzo]

Thanks for the answers so far and especially the link in post #3. Very helpful.

[Dan Carroll]

"Stanley Handyman", lower price line. The name was on a decal and they are often missing in action.

[Kees Heiden]

Nothing to add to this thread, sorry. But I really like the word Chianuzzu.
Any idea where it comes from? It doesn't sound like French or Italian.

[Chris Griggs]

Kees asked....


Nothing to add to this thread, sorry. But I really like the word Chianuzzu.
Any idea where it comes from? It doesn't sound like French or Italian.

The original post stated...


Chianuzzu is the Sicilian word for plane, in case you were wondering.

:)

[Jeff Heath]

I have the same, or very similar, plane. Mine was purchased back in the 70's at the hardware store, and mine says "Red Star" on it.

It was my first plane.

[steven c newman]

I've had a few of these little planes254205 handyman is the one with the red cap iron, the other is a Stanley #110.

[Rob Matarazzo]

If there's a name on it anywhere, it'll be at the top of the cutting iron. Sometimes they're kind of faint; a little vigorous cleanup with 220 or so sandpaper will tell you if there's a name there.
....


Well, the sandpaper revealed "No. H1247" on the iron. Also, on the plane body it says "C32" and "U3" (vertically).

[Kees Heiden]

Yes I saw that but was wondering where the Sicilians got that word. Maybe some arabic influence?

Kees asked....



The original post stated...



:)

[John Coloccia]

Yes I saw that but was wondering where the Sicilians got that word. Maybe some arabic influence?

Everyone refers to the language as the Sicilian "dialect", but that would be like calling French a dialect of Latin. That said, chianuzzu fits right in with the more common dialects and Sicilian as well, so who knows where it came from. I guess it's difficult to recognize as Italian if you didn't grow up with it and develop an ear for recognizing it. I wonder if non-English speakers hear words that stand out to them...like all the Yiddish words: bagel, klutz, blintz, tush, glitch, etc. I'm sure it's difficult for foreigners to recognize that Southerners, New Englanders, Scottish, and Australians are all basically speaking English. There's a bigger difference between mainland Italian and Sicilian than there is between Australian English and Scottish English.

BTW, if I were to guess I would say that chianuzzu is straight from the Neopolitan dialect that I grew up speaking, not Sicilian. It's all mashed up in my head at this point, just like I can't ever remember if I'm supposed to ask for sprinkles or jimmies on my ice cream up here (or maybe jimmies is down south?)....in NY, it was always sprinkles :)

[Kees Heiden]

All my latin language skills are very poor, so I can't say anything halfway witty about this. But it sure is a nice word.

[Chris Griggs]

Yes I saw that but was wondering where the Sicilians got that word. Maybe some arabic influence?

I see. Origins of words are interesting. I don't know jack about language so I'll be of no help. John's thoughts are interesting to hear.

[Rob Matarazzo]

No, chianuzzu is pure Sicilian, in which "male" nouns typically end in the letter "u". An example of Sicilian dialect is the song "C'e la luna mezzo mare", which contains a rather interesting application of the hand plane.

http://lyricstranslate.com/en/c039e-la-luna-mezz039o-mare-theres-moon-middle-sea.html

[Kees Heiden]

That's funny!