Auburn Tool Company

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I have a wooden plane, with a stamp from the Auburn Tool Company. It is sort of a rabbet plane,with a 1 inch wide sole, with a skewed blade. Anybody know anything about the maker? I plan to use it unless it is an irreplaceable piece of history. Thanks for any insight.

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[Jim Koepke]

Not rare to my knowledge. It is safe to go ahead and use.

jtk

[don wilwol]

I agree with Jim, they are fairly common and using it won't hurt it. Look inside the Ohio Tool history and you'll find some information, http://www.timetestedtools.com/ohio-tools-planes.html

[Dave Anderson NH]

Auburn Tool company was a large and prolific producer of wooden hand planes in the 19th century. They were in Auburn NY and were noted for using a lot of prison labor to produce their tools since there was a state prison located nearby.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Thank you all for the information. Don, that is a great site, with a lot of good information. Thank you all again.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I have cleaned the blade up a little, and it appears to be laminated. There is a line down the middle of it, and the steel on the bottom is a different color than the top. I have read about laminated steel with japanese tools, but I had not realized American makers did that. Does anyone have information about how they were made?

[Jim Koepke]

I have cleaned the blade up a little, and it appears to be laminated. There is a line down the middle of it, and the steel on the bottom is a different color than the top. I have read about laminated steel with japanese tools, but I had not realized American makers did that. Does anyone have information about how they were made?

Someone else will have to answer the how it was done question. I have old chisels and many older plane blades that are laminated. Even Stanley blades from the early 20th century were laminated.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Looks like what I'm using as a shoulder plane...
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I'd have to go down and look at the Model number on the front, blade is 1.25" wide. Sits at a skew, too. I think it is an Ohio Tool Co. of Auburn NY plane.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

It looks exactly like mine, at one and a quarter it must be the big brother. I looked for a model number, and can't make one out.

How do you like it as a shoulder plane? There was a large nick in the blade that I have mostly worked out, but it needs some more time on the stones before it will be ready to go.

[steven c newman]

It is a bit fussy to set just right. As long as there is something to guide it along, it work just fine. Light cuts, thin shavings. Either standing up, or laying down on the job. 9-1/2" long. Near as I can read the Model Number...No. 31??? I guess I read the "size" wrong..it is an "Inch 1/2" wide.