# Dating Marples Chisels?



## custard (13 Feb 2019)

Any thoughts on dating Marples chisels, the ones with the split proof handles? These are what I'm talking about,






I was doing a site job recently and quite a few guys on the job had the exact same chisels. Except they weren't _exactly_ the same. Some were branded "Marples" with no logo, 





Others were branded "Marples" but with a shamrock style logo,





And yet others were branded "Record Marples".


----------



## Trevanion (13 Feb 2019)

I think there are several generations of those particular chisels, The shape of the steel changed a couple of times as well as the handles having changed logos and sizes. I'm pretty sure I've seen some that were Marples Ridgway as well.

As far as dating goes I couldn't help you with that. I'm as bad with chisels as I am with women


----------



## sammy.se (13 Feb 2019)

boom boom!


----------



## AndyT (13 Feb 2019)

I'm pretty sure that the shamrock ones would be oldest, the plain Marples next, and the Record Marples most recent, though probably still old enough to have been made in Sheffield.
I'll see if I can confirm that soon.


----------



## Phil Pascoe (13 Feb 2019)

I think the ones with the shamrock (like the older again "Hibernia") are probably the oldest, followed by the plain Marples, then the Record Marples. The newer again have the much larger bolster. I don't know when they were first sold, but I had set for Xmas in about 1968 and I think they were common enough then.


----------



## AndyT (13 Feb 2019)

I can't find much for definite.

A 1958 retail pamphlet available online shows the no 603 "Extra Heavy" chisels with a plain Marples name in an oval on a handle as shown in Custard's photo. 

A similar booklet from 1961 which I have shows the similar 373 bevel edge / 313 plain firmer (ie not as heavy as the 603) with the same oval plastic handle and the same Marples name. The same handles appear in the 1971-2 Buck and Hickman catalogue.

The Record Marples branding ended in 1982 according to this urbex site https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/r ... 014.89091/.


----------



## MikeG. (13 Feb 2019)

custard":12l65aer said:


> .....I was doing a site job recently



Really? I didn't think that was your thing.


I have one like this, recovered from a skip (it's brilliant), so I'm interested in the answer too.


----------



## Lons (13 Feb 2019)

I have at least 10 of those splitproof so watching with interest as well, I'll be out checking what's on the handles tomorrow.


----------



## Phil Pascoe (13 Feb 2019)

DigitalM might be along with a photo - he must have quite a collection by now.


----------



## Bod (13 Feb 2019)

Has anyone claimed on the split proof guarantee yet?

Bod


----------



## Lons (13 Feb 2019)

Bod":1q3rmrxt said:


> Has anyone claimed on the split proof guarantee yet?
> 
> Bod


I should have, my ham fisted brother broke one of mine a few years ago, used a club hammer on it! :roll:


----------



## Cheshirechappie (14 Feb 2019)

Another little data point; RCF Tools catalogue, summer 1976, illustrates the Marples M373 b/e firmer chisels. They have the word 'Marples' in capitals, formed into the handle in a sunken section (as second photo in OPs post), round section neck with defined round bolster as the OPs first photo (not the more modern coned section neck and bolster), and 'Marples' on the top face of the blade at the tang end, with 'Made in' above it and 'England' below it. The Marples Shamrock logo is also there, just to the right of the 'Marples' on the blade. The description also states that the handles have the red and amber finish.


----------



## Phil Pascoe (14 Feb 2019)

AndyT":2bab83hz said:


> The Record Marples branding ended in 1982 according to this urbex site https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/r ... 014.89091/.


It amuses me when I see Record Marples planes on evilbay listed as vintage - I still think of them as quite new.


----------



## AndyT (15 Feb 2019)

This is from a site which I bookmarked a while back and then forgot about. It's a labour of love by a long time Marples tools user and collector, Roger P. Ball. 

This page is devoted to chisels. 
http://www.williammarplesandsons.com/ch ... ouges.html

Scroll down to the end and you will see all the variants noted above, and more besides. I don't think anyone is going to come up with anything more detailed or definitive!


----------



## Lons (15 Feb 2019)

Thanks for the link Andy, had a quick shufty and realised I have some scruffy old blue Marples as well plus of course the obligatory wood handled ones, will be interesting finding out when they were made.


----------



## lurker (15 Feb 2019)

This made me smile

Don't they LOOK nice!
If this set is in your workshop, I feel sorry for you because there are so many good but older real MARPLES chisels available,if you would but look.


----------



## Lons (16 Feb 2019)

lurker":1pmymsno said:


> This made me smile
> 
> Don't they LOOK nice!
> If this set is in your workshop, I feel sorry for you because there are so many good but older real MARPLES chisels available,if you would but look.


 :lol: Mine were all picked up at boot sales for pennies Lurker and used out on site where it didn't matter that my ham fisted brother buggered them up, that's why I need to search them out as chucked in a box since I retired, certainly not my go to chisels.

Wood handled old steel is so much nicer to use.


----------



## Phil Pascoe (16 Feb 2019)

Iirc my most extortionately priced chisels were half a dozen Wards ............. They were £4 each. :shock:  
When I last had a clear out I sold on about 150 chisels, and besides the ones I use I've probably still got another sixty - I have been buying for while.


----------



## Lons (16 Feb 2019)

phil.p":33hanzm3 said:


> When I last had a clear out I sold on about 150 chisels, and besides the ones I use I've probably still got another sixty - I have been buying for while.



:lol: :lol:


----------



## MikeG. (16 Feb 2019)

phil.p":2gaz9hee said:


> Iirc my most extortionately priced chisels were half a dozen Wards ............. They were £4 each. :shock:
> When I last had a clear out I sold on about 150 chisels, and besides the ones I use I've probably still got another sixty - I have been buying for while.



You would die in my workshop, Phil. You'd faint and die. I have 9 chisels, I think, and only use 5 of them.


----------



## John15 (16 Feb 2019)

AndyT":2r2wgg91 said:


> This is from a site which I bookmarked a while back and then forgot about. It's a labour of love by a long time Marples tools user and collector, Roger P. Ball.
> 
> This page is devoted to chisels.
> http://www.williammarplesandsons.com/ch ... ouges.html
> ...



Many thanks Andy for this data. Most of my chisels are oldish Marples and I'm looking forward to checking out the info on them tomorrow.

John


----------



## triker64 (22 Oct 2020)

I have this one. Possibly 1970s one I think


----------



## Cabinetman (22 Oct 2020)

My chisels, as you can see have been picked up at various times ,the oldest on the left being boxwood of course and I think the ones on the right are ash? 
The one on the extreme left is a punch brand – Sorby I think


----------



## Phil Pascoe (23 Oct 2020)

As it says "Sorby" on it, you're probably correct.


----------

