Help identify a chisel

[John C Cox]

Any ideas on the most likely maker for this chisel
I got it as part of a grab bag lot. First impression is that it's made in the UK... Marples maybe?
It was originally printed (or maybe very lightly etched like an Ashley Iles)
the handle is burled boxwood - shame it cracked like it did..
The only markings I can make out is a shadow of 19mm on the back.

If you need another pic to try to identify - please tell me what you want to see....

386911
386912

[John C Cox]

100 views and nobody has seen one like this?

[Jim Koepke]

100 views and nobody has seen one like this?

Or seen so many others looking like yours.

jtk

[Bruce Haugen]

Looks like a Marples to me.

[Jim Koepke]

The stamped size made me wonder, could it be an Aldi from the 1980s?

Worth a ton on ebay?

jtk

[ken hatch]

100 views and nobody has seen one like this?

John,

I expect you are correct that it is UK made. There are several likely makers Marples being one of them. If Marples, it was most likely made post WWII. While it is a little rough it may make a good user chisel, the only way to know is to clean up the handle, sharpen and give it a go.

ken

[John C Cox]

Lol. Aldi from the 1980's.... Now you are just being hateful ;) ;).

[James Pallas]

You may as well send it to me. It's got taper you'll never get it sharp. I can use my special jig (the two fingered thumb one) to make it work. It looks Marples except for the sharp break at the top of the flat side.
Jim

[Sanford Imhoff]

Marples would be my guess as well. Go to the auction site and paste in:

10 VINTAGE ENGLISH BOXWOOD HANDLE CHISELS BY MARPLES

and see if it looks like one of those.

[John C Cox]

Marples would be my guess as well. Go to the auction site and paste in:

10 VINTAGE ENGLISH BOXWOOD HANDLE CHISELS BY MARPLES

and see if it looks like one of those.



Ding!!!

The scruffed off remainder of a label on the handle of these appears to be a match to those as well as the shape of the neck, bolster, and blade...

Any idea what vintage?

[ken hatch]

Ding!!!

The scruffed off remainder of a label on the handle of these appears to be a match to those as well as the shape of the neck, bolster, and blade...

Any idea what vintage?

John,

If Marples it is post 1933 or there about.

ken

[John C Cox]

:p :p. 1933....

Some more digging.
Metric markings came in 1971 and cone shaped necks came in 1985... That blade style was available on both "Rocket lolly" plastic handles and boxwood....

[John C Cox]

So the plot thickens on this.

My current working suspicion is that this blade was originally mounted in a plastic handle and somebody put it into this wood handle. I suppose it could have been in a different wood handle originally and it broke.. Certainly this is not the original handle and nobody took the care to fit it properly... Groan...

I pulled the chisel back out of the handle, glued all the cracks shut - and re-installed the blade in the handle... And it split again... First clue was that it didn't insert back in properly - it stopped about 3/4" from home.... Typical old chisels will go back into their handles and stop about 1/8" from home. A few taps and they are good.

[Frederick Skelly]

The stamped size made me wonder, could it be an Aldi from the 1980s?

Worth a ton on ebay?

jtk

Sputter! Choke! Akkkkkk! Spit!
(Coffee all over the monitor again. Good one Jim!)

[John C Cox]

The stamped size made me wonder, could it be an Aldi from the 1980s?

Worth a ton on ebay?

jtk

So I got the handle sorted out, sharpened it up, and worked with the chisel a bit....

And Jim - I think you called it (unfortunately) - except for the part about "worth a ton on Ebay.."

So far with my test cuts - I think I like the handle and blade shape over Aldi - it's not as thick and clunky... Cutting performance is on par with an Aldi... Current production Marples cuts better....