Orphaned mystery cap iron

[steven c newman]

While on a rust hunt at a yard sale, picked a few items up269005this base for a $1, and this cap iron for $0.50269006While I doubt the two go together, there wasn't any other block plane parts on the table. Question is: who made it? Cap iron has an inset for maybe a decal of sorts. On the underside269007 a bunch of stuff stamped: "X" and a "9" and a "G-331" Or a O with an x inside it with a -351? Smaller than a normal 220 style cap iron, too. Any ideas out there. Found a knuckle cap for that 18-1/4, still loking for the other parts. Don't really have a base for the mystery cap iron, doesn't quite fit the two Sargents I have on hand...

[Joe Ruden]

My guess is that is the cap iron for that plane. It looks like a Stanley 9 1/4 or 9 1/2.

[steven c newman]

Not quite, this is a 18-1/4 since they were the only ones with nickel-plated instead of brass, parts.
non adjustable mouth, too.
have the correct knucklecap for it

maybe the cap iron was
'Made in England"?

it is smaller in length than a 220 style cap iron....and by at least 1/2".

edit: tried to flatten to sole of that block plane base.....just faintly visable were seven grooves like those on a bench plane. the ones ahead of the mouth opening even match the others behind it. Not sure IF it was something the previous owner did, or was planing something they shouln't have been. There is even a space between the toe and the start of the grooves, like a bench plane...

By the time I get past the pits in the sole, groove may be gone. What have I got? Grooves do go right through the mouth opening, though. Nice and straight ones, too. Continue to flatten the sole? Big hollow area right behind the mouth area...

[Joe Ruden]

Not quite, this is a 18-1/4 since they were the only ones with nickel-plated instead of brass, parts.
non adjustable mouth, too.
have the correct knucklecap for it

maybe the cap iron was
'Made in England"?

it is smaller in length than a 220 style cap iron....and by at least 1/2".

edit: tried to flatten to sole of that block plane base.....just faintly visable were seven grooves like those on a bench plane. the ones ahead of the mouth opening even match the others behind it. Not sure IF it was something the previous owner did, or was planing something they shouln't have been. There is even a space between the toe and the start of the grooves, like a bench plane...

By the time I get past the pits in the sole, groove may be gone. What have I got? Grooves do go right through the mouth opening, though. Nice and straight ones, too. Continue to flatten the sole? Big hollow area right behind the mouth area...

I am saying the iron cap in your picture is for the 9 1/4 or 9 1/2 and will fit that body. The 9 1/4 and 18 1/4 are almost identical other than hardware finish and the 18 1/4 should be stamped with the model # below the indention on the left side.

[steven c newman]

More photos of the base casting269079Begining to think that before the garage sale, someone sandblasted this thing clean. This is the top view. As bought. Now, about them grooves269080this is before the Sharpie traced the grooves. While I am used to seeing scratches going all over a block plane's sole, I am not used to seeing seven straight ones, evenly spaced, starting just after the toe area. Now, for the sharpie tracing the grooves269081Traced them out as best as I could. As for the "mystery cap iron", it is about 1/2" too short for this plane.

[steven c newman]

cap iron has been id'ed. Seems that Craftsman sold a Stanley 220 version with that type of cap iron. Might have been where their Craftsman logo would go? I do know the cap iron is about 1/2" shorter than the Sargent 306/307 cap irons.