A real good friend o-mine came across some handplanes, 4 of them. A #4 and a #5 Stanley/Record, a no-name block plane, and one in question. Tim had been looking to buy a #5 or #6 plane to “enhance his skills”. Although his woodworking skills are top notch as they are. All I could do was to recommend a WoodRiver #6 (v3). I think it would have worked, but he got a better deal.
He’s already cleaned up the #5 & #4 and brought them by to show me and to sharpen the blades. Turns out the blade on the #4 was cupped. We’ll be checking on replacements for that one. The #5 cleaned up real nice. He did a very neat job on the cleanup. He used some sandpaper over granite for some of it. The block planes have not been touched as of yet.
This brings me to my point. We(all of us at the shop) were intrigued as to what this one was, how old it was, and what it was worth. If you care to provide some input to these three questions, feel free. Any information would be appreciated.
Following is the plane disassembled. Rod piped up and said ”What’s that for?”. Being the plane expert that I am, I quickly said ”Its for planing.”. Actually, as it is in the first picture above, it could also be considered a puzzle.
You see, the blade goes in here like this: Of course you’d want to clean it up first.
Now I’ve been around a lot of old tools and I quickly saw that slot in the opposite end. I quickly surmised to the others “Oh, and that there other end is if you want to use it like the Japaneese do. Ya see, they pull it towards themselves rather than push it away like we all do. Sort of a Pushmi-Pullyu.”. They all kinda chuckled beneath their breath. And oh what breath they all had. I wish I had a box of breath mints for the whole lot of them.
Seeing that there was some obvious questioning of my theory going on, I added “And when it is time to sharpen the blade, you simply flip the blade over, bevel side down, lock it in place, and you can run it over some sandpaper and get a “Scary Sharp” blade in nothing flat.” (puns always intended) “Not to mention that it also flattens the sole at the same time.”.
After more moaning and just rude laughing out loud, Rod offers his thought that the other end was used as a Bull Nose plane. Well, I’ve seen a lot of bull in my lifetime, I even shot some, and I fer darned sure ain’t no never seen any ferrier use one of those on no bull’s nose. I seen my dad use a rasp after he cut the horns off a bull, but surely no hand planes was ever used. Rod’s always tryin to make me look dumb. I keep tellin him I don’t need nobody to make me anything, I can do it on my own.
Well, back to the story... As you can see here, it will take a little cleaning up. I suggested some chemical method be used rather than his sanding method. Although his sanding did pretty good on the #4 & #5.
After all the snickering died down a little, they straightened up there faces and tried to see any names on the thing. One a them saw some faint markings. Tim said “Here, le me have it.”. He spit on the blade and proceeded to rub some of the grunge off. They passed it around amongst the three of them and speculated on what the markings were. One of um spouted off something about a wagon wheel. I said “Here, give that blade to me.”. I sure didn’t see no wagon wheel. In fact, I couldn’t see any markings at all. Someone else said “Look closer.”. This time I pulled my Walmart spectacles outta my pocket and took another look: Wow, would ya look at that. There actually were some markings on it. But how they got a wagon wheel outta what I saw is beside me. I know the others have a pretty vivid imagination at times, but this one was a doozy. Take a look yoursef: Do you see a wagon wheel? Well, me neither. But I thought some of yous would enjoy the pictures at least. That’s what I did this Saturday afternoon. At least that’s how I saw it all ‘go down’.
And if you have any insight as to the questions at hand, feel free to pontificate. 1) What manufacturer? 2) What age? 3) What’s its value?
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
I havent the slightest clue Rance, but i do think its cool as hell. FWIW, i dont see a wagon wheel either, you sure it was breath mints ya gave the boys? A ships wheel maybe. Ill be real interested when the gurus show up.
You got some way of tellin a story bud .. i almost choked on my snack pack.
-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty
Chris, maybe thats what they said… They prolly said “Ship’s Wheel” and I heard “Ship Swheel”. I never heard a ship swheel so I kinda blew that one off to old age(theirs, not mine). I spent 2hrs at HD one time looking for some ‘shore line’. “Shore line”, “Ship Swheel”... sounds like the same ole song & dance to me. I don’t trust Rod as far as I can thorw him. An he’s a big guy so I can’t throw him far.
Joe, I’m not sure electrolosis would help. Maybe some Lassic, but electrolosis… I’m not so sure. I’ll try lookin again after my appointment on Wednesday though.
David, thanks for the ID. I’ll let Tim know.
Jim, I heard o naval jelly one time but never used it. I used naval lint one time. Is naval jelly what you git right after yer monthly bath?
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
Rance you funny! I vote you last to die. Soak that little guy in some Evaporust. I got a gallon at Harbor for $20, a 24 hour soak a brass brush and a rinse and you are golden. However a word of caution: This stuff (I think) caused the skin on my fingertips to dry out and crack. I am just healing up now.
-- Made in America, with American made tools....Shopsmith
toss this over to the jocks @ handplane of your dreams. Some are actually handplane historians. several makers made dbl ended blocks. I don’t know the “ship”s wheel” TM
Well, I feel a little froggy this morning, so, let’s cut to the chase and smooth out the plane truth. I thought the “wagon wheel” was a ship’s wheel. It’s a little blurred in the center of the picture, but as Tim cleaned it up, inside the ship’s wheel were the words “PILOT USA” encircling the center. And Tim was able to read Consolidated Tool Co. as well.
“The blade stamp indicates it is probably an original iron for the plane. According to Roger Smith’s book on metallic planes, the Pilot Brand was made by The Consolidated Tool Co. of (296 Broadway) New York City circa 1925.”
Possibly …. “an imitation made after the Stanley patents expired.”
I’m with Joe, shock that bastard and see what he has to say;) I have not idea who manufactured it, but I don’t think you’ll be in the dark too long. It looks a lot like a Stanley 130 but the stamp is unfamiliar. Awesome plane with an awesome story.
-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog
Jack, I plan on living till 100… so far so good. Thanks for the HF lead and the caution.
Ed, Could be. Maybe Shipwright would know about that.
Slim, I’ll do that. I dipped my toe in there one time and about drowned though. Came out coughing up shavins.
Rod, A little froggy? I figured you to have some lame comeback. ‘Pilot USA’ huh? Well maybe this is an AIR plane rather than a WOOD plane. I’m in the wrong forum. I’ll check with my flyin buddies. Oh, that would be Tim. Interesting links you dredged up there. Looks like History to me, and you know how much I hate history class.
Al, I’ll get right on that. I’ll get my cattle prod out and sneak up behind him and… Oh, your’re talking about the plane? I was referrin to Rod.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
David – Bull nose plane—that’s what I told them from the start cuz the frog works both ways – - but with the way Rance goes on, he shoulda had that bull part down pat. I tried to tell him that early on before we even got to workin’ on the writin’ I showed ‘em . They finally got to workin’ on it with some sandpaper. But Rance was the usual double mineded, bull headed, block head, too. So he shoulda had that plane figur’d out before I got my hands on it.
Joe – He could use some electro-lights. He ain’t to bright right now. There’s a lota times I’d like to light’em up.
Oh, Rance – come on over, I have that elbow grease you ordered for the grease pot you made…....
-- Rod ~ There's never enough time to finish a project, but there's always time to start another one.
Rod, Great! :) I thought that grease would never get here. Must have come from China. Thanks. Its gotta work much better than the Ant feces I been using. That stuff is crap. Meet me up at the shop in 30 minutes.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
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