| Project by YorkshireStewart | posted 1138 days ago | 2269 views | 8 times favorited | 14 comments |  |
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In the 1950s, W. L. Goodman, author of the 1964 book: ‘The History of Woodworking Tools’ did a conjectural reconstruction of a Saxon plane from around 600 A.D. The original had a body made of horn, set in a bronze soleplate. Here is my attempt at a similar re-construction. It’s made from beech with a sheet brass sole-plate & an iron cut from a ¾” chisel. I’m delighted with how it feels and cuts. This plane will go to a private collector in West Yorkshire, but I’m thinking I’ll do one for me! Here, here, and here are my other plane replicas.
I quote from his book to give the full story: “Surviving woodworkers’ tools from the Dark Ages are so rare that it was hardly surprising that the small object found in Sarre grave No. 26, when first published in Archaeologia Cantiana, VI, p. 161, was described as an “iron lock, with bronze plate containing a hole for its bolt”, and later in George Payne’s Catalogue of the Kent Archaeological Society’s Collections, p. 19, No. 775, as “lock-plate, bronze, attached to wood”. Closer examination has since revealed that this is indeed a small plane, with features relating it to roughly contemporary Frisian examples, and to their similar, but somewhat larger, Roman predecessors. It may be dated to about A.D. 600.
The body is of horn, 53/8 in. long, 1¼ in. wide and 1¼ in. high, with a bronze sole 1/8 in. thick projecting at both ends to make the total length exactly 6 in. The turn-up at the front appears to have been cast, while that at the back has clearly been folded to shape, probably to accommodate it to the piece of horn used for the stock. The sole is fixed with three iron rivets passing through the stock and fastened at the top to small bronze plates, of which the middle one, immediately behind the iron, has disappeared.
The plate at the back is roughly heart-shaped, while the front one is square with rounded corners. A finger grip is hollowed out behind the iron, which was probably about ¾ in. wide, with a slope of 43 degrees. With the help of detailed drawings (Fig. 1) made by Mr. L. R. A. Grove, Curator of the Maidstone Museum, the writer has made a suggested reconstruction, in wood and brass, of the original tool (Plate 1). The rivet across the mouth is the only conjectural feature, but is well-vouched for by the Frisian and Roman examples previously referred to.
This little plane is remarkably easy to use, and although the setting of the iron is rather tricky, it takes off quite a respectable shaving. The nearest modern equivalent would be the so-called “thumb planes” used by coachbuilders, or the small “violin planes” still listed in the specialised catalogues. This has prompted the suggestion that some such tool as this may have formed part of the kit of the craftsman who made the famous Sutton Hoo harp.”
-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems
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14 comments so far
Bob A in NJ
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1095 posts in 2168 days
#1 posted 1138 days ago
Wow, cool little project, well done!
-- Bob A in NJ
SnowyRiver
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#2 posted 1138 days ago
Great project. Nice work.
-- Wayne - Plymouth MN
Dennisgrosen
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#3 posted 1138 days ago
very niice little plane you have made
thank´s for telling some history from
the planes developing thrugh the
earlyer centuries
I didn´t new they used metal soles
Dennis
jm82435
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1217 posts in 1911 days
#4 posted 1138 days ago
That is a cute little plane.
I am sure it just a matter of time before a post like this gets me fired up and make my first one. do you have build pictures? The box is a nice touch too. Good to see what you have created. Thanks for the post.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
rwyoung
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369 posts in 1640 days
#5 posted 1138 days ago
That is pretty darn neat! Glad you included the picture of your (?) hand for scale.
-- Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
stefang
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#6 posted 1138 days ago
Very interesting and well done reproduction. It demonstrates how advanced woodworking really was so long ago.
-- Mike, American in Norway
bigike
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4023 posts in 1457 days
#7 posted 1138 days ago
another great looken plane!
-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com
Kent Shepherd
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#8 posted 1138 days ago
I absolutely love your work. I have been fascinated bt your planes and really appreciate you sharing them with us.
Thanks
-- She thought I hung the moon--now she just thinks I did it wrong
alanealane
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359 posts in 2059 days
#9 posted 1138 days ago
I think if I wanted a plane like this, I’d either have to learn how to make my own or get a better paying job!! If you ever want to send me one of these out of the goodness of your heart, let me know!!!
Great work!
-- Lane Custom Guitars and Basses
donjoe
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1349 posts in 1200 days
#10 posted 1138 days ago
A lovely plane indeed, down to the nice box to store it in.
-- Donnie-- listen to the wood.
Cantputjamontoast
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306 posts in 1601 days
#11 posted 1136 days ago
Thank you for posting that.
Pleasure to see.
Nice job
-- "Not skilled enough to wipe jam on toast!"
aurora
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201 posts in 1421 days
#12 posted 1122 days ago
Gorgeous job Yorkie !!! All your plane projects are works of art, we appreciate the your “schooling” us on the historical context of your work.
YorkshireStewart
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1097 posts in 2070 days
#13 posted 1108 days ago
Thanks very much one and all for your comments. I get the feeling that the so-called Dark Ages were far from ‘dark’. Those people knew what they were doing!
-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems
dubsaloon
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619 posts in 962 days
#14 posted 874 days ago
Well done plane. It has a small blade but would get the job done. Thanks for sharing
-- The works of evil people are not the problem. It is the "Good" people standing by and watching not speaking up. Dubsaloon
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