# Help identify this manufacturer on plane Iron



## Tim21BO3 (Nov 19, 2011)

I recently picked up this plane at an estate sale. It is unmarked except for "No 5 1/2 " on toe and an H superimposed over a T with C and O superinposed over the "feet" of the H on the iron. The iron itself is heavily tapered, at the tail end it is the thickness of a run of the mill stanley blade but the cutting end looks to be about 3/16" thick. Otherwise, it looks and feels for all purposes, to be a Stanley 5 1/2 but the tole and handle are not rosewood (but of similiar shape and feel) and the screws on the posts holding the wood in place are steel and not brass. I have been searching here and other places but can only find one other picture of one and they do not list a manufacturer. I was able to get a good copy of the logo though. Thanks for any help! Tim


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## ITnerd (Apr 14, 2011)

I beleive one other lumberjock popped up with a plane with the same marking a while back, althought I can't find the link. I think it is a stamped used by Bemis & Call Hardware & Tool Company, out of springfield mass. A quick web search didn't find much, and it didn't particularly specify hand tools as patents they held.

That said, they could have been one of the many tool dealers to stock a rebranded stanley line. Although this would be the first I know of that replaced the stock blades with a tapered one. Please let us know if you find any more details in your hunting. I'd also be interested in seeing pics of the plane, if you have the time.


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## Tim21BO3 (Nov 19, 2011)

Chris, thanks for the info. Here are a few quick pictures I snapped with my phone. Its in pretty rough shape with lots of surface rust and I havent had the heart to remove the tape on the tote yet.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

Man, I've never seen that logo before! I bet Don or Smitty would know. I'll ask them. It's a very handsome logo.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

My infill has a cutter mfg'd by 'Howarth' of England… the only 'H' I know of…


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Looks like something from Ohio Tools Co., maybe one of the Hardware Companies they supplied irons to.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Most Ohio tools stuff had a zero in front of the numbers, so a #5 was a #05. They also had a rise in the tote where the front screw goes. The lat adjuster and flat top blade is similar to Ohio tools, but Keen Kutter had some similar designs and they were made by Stanley and Sargent I believe.

If I had to bet, I'd say it was made by Sargent. Either way iot should clean up and be a great plane. One of use will stumble over the logo again.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Here is another one.

http://www.goantiques.com/h-t-co-1598843

I think its Hartford Tool co. I can't find much information, but I think they are fairly rare.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

T H …. witherby maybe???


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

*Don W: * you never cease to amaze me, man!


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## ITnerd (Apr 14, 2011)

Nice Find Don! Interesting that the other plane also has the tapered blade. A whole new species of plane to covet.


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## Tim21BO3 (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the replies. Don, that one you link to is the only other one I was able to find. On a whim I googled Hartford tool earler thinking it was a logical choice since so many makers of that time were centered in the Northeast. Found very little on it. Now that begs the age old question- clean her up and use her like I do with the Stanley's I find or leave as-is? Japanning is actually in fairly good shape under the crud, just the bare metal parts are crusted in surface rust.


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## SamuelP (Feb 26, 2011)

Stanley use to buy up smaller companies that they wanted to eat up or they had a patent they wanted or were threatened by. You can see this easily in old Siegley planes. You will find the ones with the screw "lever cap" then all of the sudden they look like a Stanley. This is because after Stanley bought the company they would still produce the plane with a Siegley name, but it would be a stanley plane, lever cap and all. Usually the blade would have the distinction. Back in these days loyalty for ones area was huge so one would prefer to buy a plane with Siegley on it if they were made down the street over a Stanley. They would keep the name for a few years until they just stopped.

I would think this would fall into that definition. Stanley bought out Hartford Tool Co and kept producing these planes with the HT CO iron. That is distinctly a Stanley base.

Good find and enjoy.


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## bent (May 9, 2008)

i've been really intrigued by this plane. i found some planes that are branded as "hudson tool company" that are listed as being made by ohio tool company. i could only find a few pictures online, but none of them looked to have that same iron logo.


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## bent (May 9, 2008)

here's another one:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?191486-Anyone-seen-one-of-these


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/pratt-whitney-112051/

So according to this web site, Hartford tool co was bought out by Pratt Whitney. You learn something every day.

I'd clean it up and use it, but I'd keep it as original if you want to retain its value.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Really interesting stuff about pratt and the hartford tool company. My FIL is a mechanic over at Pratt & Whitney and might have some access to more info on that logo, if youre interested let me know and i can inquire.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Really interesting stuff about pratt and the hartford tool company. My FIL is a mechanic over at Pratt & Whitney and might have some access to more info on that logo, if youre interested let me know and i can inquire.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Always interested in hand plane history, especially in the NE.


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## Tim21BO3 (Nov 19, 2011)

Guys, thanks so much for the info so far. I was able to disassemble it tonight but had to go to work before I could get some photos. The lateral is of the twisted design and there is a 2 1/2 or 2 1/4 (cant recall which) stamped into the bottom of the frog. I'll get some pictures taken later and post them up if anyone is interested. I would also be interested in the P&W info if you are able to get ahold of some. Thanks again.

Tim


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## Tim21BO3 (Nov 19, 2011)

Here are a few more pics i was able to take real quick tonight. 

















Though hard to see, there is a number stamped into the rear of the base where the tote sits. I believe it is 840


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Tim, ill email him a pic of the logo and see if it rings a bell. Hes been wrenching on machines for 30 years there so hopefully hes seen the logo before.


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