Stanley socket chisel marked imperfect

[Chris sepielli]

image.jpgimage.jpgHello iam new to this site I go onimage.jpgimage.jpg other sites similar to this one. Love collecting and using antique hand tools, got a nice collection this is my first stanley chisel I have psw chisels old Sheffield eng. chisels. This stanley chisel is very nice 1/4 8 1/4 long it may be a 1750 looked in my Walters book closest I can tell. But no model number. I have searched and found a old thread about stanley chisels so I'll figure I'll post here. I would like to know what anyone thinks about how common are these imperfect chisels? Should I use it? Also have a T h witherby box maybe you can help me out with that. Tryin to get a rough age on the box thanku ok I got forum runner how do you use it post pics?

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Chris,

Welcome to the Creek. Your profile doesn't indicate a location. Where on this wide world do you call home?

Here is something Patrick Leach says about "IMPERFECT" appearing on planes:

Occasionally, the word "IMPERFECT" can be found stamped into the bottom casting, on one of its sides. This means that the plane didn't meet the quality specifications during its inspection. Usually, the imperfection is something trivial, like a flaw in the finish or a casting defect (a pockmark or two). I've only noticed this marking on the planes made during the mid-20th century. The earlier planes that had quality problems were likely trashed and never made it out to the adoring public.

Likely the same applies to any of their product line up.

If it were mine, it would either be used or sold. Currently my accumulation has two 1/4" chisels that are pretty much the same even though one is marked Defiance. My sort of plan is to try and find a third so I can make a skew & fishtail set out of them. No hurries and no worries.

Post some pics of the T H Witherby box. Someone might be able to help you with that.

Forum Runner is something beyond my sphere of knowledge. It really isn't all that big of sphere, more like a large marble.

jtk

[Chris sepielli]

Here's the witherby box came with 2 psw mortise chisels the stanley and 2 keen kutter chisels all in the same shape as the stanley. Around 1900 to 1927 image.jpg
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[Chris sepielli]

Sorry bout the multiple images haven a hard time with phone. Iam from south jersey. Get to my profile shortly. Tryin to make a London pattern handle for the mortise psw chisels would send pics of them but it hasn't workin to well

[Chris sepielli]

Thank you for the welcome, I goin to try make some dovetail chisels from a Cman set of chisels and some skew jammys to. I decided to make the mortise chisels London pattern and do it without a jig,the wood iam using is unknown it was grand pops wood so I'd like to use it has nice color it's a light weight wood but doesn't seen soft. It's looks like Purple Heart but not sure if it is that

[Chris sepielli]

Anyone have any info on the chisel or witherby box? This chisel is ok to sharpin and use? Can't be that collectible I don't think So age of the box?

[Jim Koepke]

It is my opinion that the chisel is likely a good user. It may have had a blemish or some other defect that didn't keep it from leaving the factory.

As to the Witherby box, Thomas H Witherby was one of the most mysterious makers of tools in the history of American tools. At least just about everything I have read about him starts of with such a caveat.

Here is one article on the Winstead Edge Tool Company:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS/edge_...ory-NM/p01.asp

It appears the T H Witherby name may not have been appeared on chisels and labels until the late 1880s.

jtk

[Chris sepielli]

Ok well thank you for all Your help just didn't know how scarce it is or the box I go on wk finetools but didn't see anything so thanx for link