# Lot of old tools I recently acquired; play the what the hell is it game!



## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Going to start posting some pictures here in a minute. Here is the back story:

I was at an estate sale on Saturday and they had a large carpenters toolbox upstairs claiming to be Civil War era and selling for $1500. Way way….WAY to rich for my blood and they only wanted to sell as a whole lot no pick and choose. That being the case I decided to show up the last day and hour (Sunday afternoon) and see if I could talk them out of a piece or two if they hadn't sold the group.

When I showed up a guy and his partner where trying to figure out what to pay because they loved the tool chest. We got to talking and they had no interest in the tools at all…they were just gonna throw them away if they got the box. That being the case I made a deal that I would go in on the box and help negotiate if I got all the contents of the box. We managed to talk them down to $400 and my share was $100 to get the contents. Wasn't really keen on spending the money but couldn't bear to see some of the history get dropped in a dumpster!

Any help identifying some of the pieces is very welcome


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Here is an overhead view of all the bits and pieces that came out of the box. 23 hand planes, 4 levels, 4 saws bunch of marking gauges, carving tools and oddball stuff. More pics to come


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

A couple of saw sets. I figured out how the lever type Stillman one works but not 100 sure on the other one. Most of the ones I have seen have a wheel you dial in but this just has an anvil and adjusting face. The ruler being used for scale came with the group as well. Very cool but oddly the numbers always start with 1" on the RIGHT side


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

A couple of braces. I think the one with the wignut and screw is German


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Not sure exactly what these are called but I believe for making wooden screws. Stamped "Hilger & Sons"


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

25ft Linen and Brass tape measure. No markings I can find


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Ok not sure what the maker is on this yet…I think it is for putting in the brace and making tenons though


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Saw vise!


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

The handles are not in great shape but the Brass on the spine is HEAVY


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Ohio Tool Co. Plow plane. It actually has 7 irons that are still with it..actually every plane in the group has the original iron


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

No idea WTF this is….it looks like it is for removing fingers. No markings that I can find.


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Handle for….something? Another WTF is it


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## Handtooler (Jul 24, 2012)

I believe the folding rule is a very early "Righty"' which would be held in the left hand so the user would be right handed and scribe or mark with his/her right hand and measure form right to left for the mark or cut. What say ye, LJ's?


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Gouges and carving tools stamped "S.J. Addis London"


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## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

Thread things = thread box

tenon thing = Hollow tenon auger

Me = green with envy!

BTW I woulda smacked those two guys for even hinting at throwing those treasures out.


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

These are WTF's….the silver thing that looks like a divider has rough diamonds in the hinge end that are almost like a rasp or file


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Tiny!


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

These bits are short and odd shaped…I am not sure if they are stand along or if they are part of….the tenon cutter end or…


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Ok so there are two things that look like spurs and then this thing that is stamped "The Boss"...my first thought was some sort of climbing gear for telephone line work but that just doesn't fit what else I have seen


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Another pic of the things that are like spurs


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Interested in selling any of those goodies?


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

And the last bit of what I think is maybe all together. That buckle is hand made and real stout


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Last two items are for "husking" ear of corn…
Spoon bit
Center punch
Countersinks

"center" bits….old versions of spade bits..



> These are WTF s….the silver thing that looks like a divider has rough diamonds in the hinge end that are almost like a rasp or file
> 
> - darnes


Spanner wrenches, and a shot mold?


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## Wally331 (Nov 8, 2012)

Incredible haul for $100. Not even sure where to star in identifying everything, but I can tell you that you have some nice stuff in there. If these all came from the same carpenter then he must've done some high end work.


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

> I believe the folding rule is a very early "Righty" which would be held in the left hand so the user would be right handed and scribe or mark with his/her right hand and measure form right to left for the mark or cut. What say ye, LJ s?
> 
> - Handtooler


I can see a "No. 68" on it which makes me think Stanley but it is otherwise unmarked. Usually Stanley marks the hell out of everything.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Might be a Luftkin?


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

> No idea WTF this is….it looks like it is for removing fingers. No markings that I can find.
> 
> - darnes


I'm no expert, but this reminds me of a treadle powered table saw. A family friend has a large antique tool collection and he had such a saw. it had a small blade like yours.


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## Galootinator (Oct 2, 2017)

> I believe the folding rule is a very early "Righty" which would be held in the left hand so the user would be right handed and scribe or mark with his/her right hand and measure form right to left for the mark or cut. What say ye, LJ s?
> 
> - Handtooler
> 
> ...


C.S. Co made a number 68 folding rule…the brand strike is often very light and difficult to see on some rules. Stanley's strike is usually easy to read. The no. 68 was Stanley's economy rule, often used in high school shop classes. I'm jealous btw…what a haul for $100. I love the chuck on the top brace in your pic…one of my favorite style chucks


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

> No idea WTF this is….it looks like it is for removing fingers. No markings that I can find.
> 
> - darnes
> 
> ...


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

To me that device looks like part of a bech top grinder like mount; belt on the pulley side and grinding wheel or buffing wheel on the other!

By the way I think you made out like a bandit, a smart bandit!


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

> No idea WTF this is….it looks like it is for removing fingers. No markings that I can find.
> 
> - darnes


A quick search I found small blades like what is on this tool on an old key cutting machine. Also similar blades on a metal cutting lathe. 
http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-1994760/antique-yale--towne-key-cutter-maker-tool-lathe-vtg-belt-driven-lock-padlock.html

All those hand planes are most likely early routers. I have seen collections where every plane has a different profile like the router bits we use today. Very cool. 
I am not sure, maybe the better name is profile plane.

http://www.planemaker.com/products.html


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## jdh122 (Sep 8, 2010)

Very nice find. 
Usually the hollow auger also comes with a spoke pointer, which works basically like a large pencil sharpener (you need to point the wood first before you can cut the tenon).


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## OleGrump (Jun 16, 2017)

Don't know about the "divider looking thing", but the iron horseshoe/spur looking device is a BENCHDOG. It is sitting upside down in the photo. One actually drives the points on the curved part into a temporary wooden work surface and buts the wood being worked against the projection. These are shown in "The Workbench Book" by Scott Landis. GREAT haul for $100 !!! Now to figure out why the pair of corn huskers were in the carpenter's tool box….... LOL


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## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

Wow! You got a hell of a deal for $100, the molding planes alone are worth probably 3-4 times that alone. Super jealous of you right now, and I agree with Kevin I would have slapped them for even thinking about tossing the tools. That's about 150+ years of history in what appears to be excellent condition on most of them.


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Oh! Good info there on the benchdog! Never would have found that on my own 


> Don t know about the "divider looking thing", but the iron horseshoe/spur looking device is a BENCHDOG. It is sitting upside down in the photo. One actually drives the points on the curved part into a temporary wooden work surface and buts the wood being worked against the projection. These are shown in "The Workbench Book" by Scott Landis. GREAT haul for $100 !!! Now to figure out why the pair of corn huskers were in the carpenter s tool box….... LOL
> 
> - OleGrump


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Fantastic find congrats


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

> Ok not sure what the maker is on this yet…I think it is for putting in the brace and making tenons though
> 
> - darnes


Hollow Auger. You have the purpose correct.


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Oh wow didn't even know what a husking peg was…and my grandparents had a farm in Iowa I worked on as a kid for years! I had done detassling but never seen husking.



> Last two items are for "husking" ear of corn…
> Spoon bit
> Center punch
> Countersinks
> ...


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## LostRiverWoodcrafts (Sep 29, 2017)

Very interesting!


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Wait, what? I'm post number 39 and NOBODY has said it yet???

*You only paid a hundred bucks for all that? YOU SUCK !!*


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## darnes (Aug 23, 2017)

Jeez finally I can get a good nights sleep. Thanks man 



> Wait, what? I m post number 39 and NOBODY has said it yet???
> 
> *You only paid a hundred bucks for all that? YOU SUCK !!*
> 
> - JoeinGa


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## Tim457 (Jan 11, 2013)

Wow, great haul, that plow plane alone is worth more than you paid. You're missing one of the standard 8 blades they came with.

I've seen what that handle thing is before, but I can't recall.


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## OleGrump (Jun 16, 2017)

Glad to be of help with the bench dog. Funny the weird information that gets filed in the back of your head, isn't it….??? Haven't seen this yet, so I'll add it in the thread. Your tenon cutter is probably a STEARN'S ". They made several types of tenon cutters, and marketed this one as "adjustable". Some have a rotating tenon sizing plate on the bottom. Using the adjustable model, I find it best to place it on a round piece of wood that is the size I want and tighten the base once the diameter is set. Also, check to make sure the cutting edge is positioned with the slight taper facing TOWARD the cutting area and the wider end toward the outside. You may have to adjust the blade back or forth to get the smoothest cut. One last thing. Can't see it in the photos, but there may well be a depth stop riding on one of the legs of the tenon cutter. If not, look inside and see if there isn't a screw device hanging down from the center. This is also a depth stop. Once you get the hang of it, these are pretty nice tools to have in the shop, whatever the main type of work you do.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I'm fortunate enough to have the tennon cutter as well as the correct spoke pointer. They do work well when used with a brace.
Bill


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