Jim's 'ottie

[condeesteso]

I'm told you can find almost anything on the internet if you know where to look. Well, Jim found this... and I borrowed it:

It's quite nice but a bit second-hand. Seriously, you'd think the bloke would have washed his hands occasionally

This plane has been used for shooting (tell by the dried blood near the handle, butt, whatever)

So, it came from 242 Tottenham Ct Road... often a very good sign, owned by a foreign gent

It's very rare to find both irons in such good condition. The cap-iron is pristine though not in a restored/polished way. Blade back is really good too - no pitting, excellent. Note the cap screw, not mashed like they almost always are

A minor repair to top of tote, done nicely but not pretending to be invisible

Works just as it should. The edge needed a new minor primary (due to a deep nick) - just took the minimum possible off. An excellent woodie user indeed - reminds me yet again how very good the decent woodies are.

Just needs a good clean-up. A quick scrub-over with coarse steel wool and spirit (maybe caustic soda - quicker?), a lick over with the belt sander and 2 coats of poly. Maybe stain the wedge 'mahogany' to add a bit of class. I've got better things to do, but I owe it to Jim and I know he'd be pleased.

 

[AndyT]

Very nice and very useful!

Presumably one of the things you both already found on the Internet is that Max Ott was a cabinet maker and tool collector whose collection was recently sold by David Stanley's. I learnt that on the Internet, but not far away!

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/post717217.html#p717217

I've got one of his planes too! ;-)

As for your refinishing ideas, I think you are spot on. I am working my way through all my filthy old woodies in the same way and they come up a treat

 

[richarnold]

there's another woody that belonged to Max floating around somewhere, and I wished now I had bought it at the auction when I had the chance. It appears that Max had a wicked sense of humor. The plane in question was a 22" try plane with the mark of John Green of York, but in reality Max had very carefully grafted the mark into the plane from another example. What was amusing was the owners stamp that he also added to the plane. Apparently his name was a Mr. A Fake

 

[condeesteso]

I'm pleased he had a sense of humour Richard - won't mind me tarting it up a bit then.
Now Andy, on yours I think you used a disc sander (tell by the rotary pattern)... I was thinking the belt one so the grooves it leaves run along the grain. Quality through and through y'know.
It has a really good edge on it and will keep well I am sure, nice fat laminated blade. I can't make out the iron maker, Jim'll be along with info maybe.
This one's clearly had considerable use, at some stage fairly recently the sole has been re-dressed... flat and square though so fair enough. Oh, and as usual a mouth fit for a bus. I'd be very happy for it to be my only jack, a real day-to-day user. Still trying to decide on the colour.

p.s. Andy, yours says ER on it - the Queen then? Must be quite rare, that.

 

[Bod]

How old would that plane be?
Would the "Buck" name be early Buck & Hickman?
I ask because I have a saw with Buck stamped on the blade.

Bod

 

[AndyT]

How old would that plane be?
Would the "Buck" name be early Buck & Hickman?
I ask because I have a saw with Buck stamped on the blade.

Bod

There were several famous Bucks, all related, and some others, who may not have been.

According to BPM III, Matthew Buck, saw and file maker of Clerkenwell, had three children.
Joseph, b 1802, had children who formed Buck and Ryan in 1910. They were trading in London til quite recently but I think they have now closed.

The second son, George, b 1805, started trading in Tottenham Court Road in 1838 and would have been the seller of Jim's plane.

Matthew also had a daughter, Anne, who married John Hickman and started trading as Buck and Hickman around 1834. I think their range of planes is not what it used to be, but they do still sell some http://www.buckandhickman.com/find/...+Wood+Working+Tools/category-is-HT3304+Planes

 

[condeesteso]

I assumed this plane was sold by the shop in Tottenham Ct Road and was made for the shop by some maker not marked. It seems common to find excellent quality tools with only the Buck mark on (Norris infills for example).I assume George was a significant retailer with the power to have makers remove their name and replace with his. I believe Jim had some idea of maker but ... where actually is Jim? Up a tree looking skyward no doubt.

 

[bugbear]

I assume George was a significant retailer with the power to have makers remove their name and replace with his.

This was common, even for small retailers. IIRC Ashley Iles mentions a factory with a drawer full of retailers name punches...

I've even seen a coupla' saws marked for the small hardware store in my home town come through the town auction (and fetch good money, of course).

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

Yes - I have a couple of Frederick Wiley of Leeds saws that are really Tyzacks.
And a Ross & Alexander one who I think were tool dealers?
Rod

 

[AndyT]

Agreed - seller does not always equal maker.
I don't think - to take another example - that the present day Buck and Hickman are a vertically integrated company owning a factory where their "Roebuck" brand tools are made, any more than Rutlands are for their "Dakota" brand.

 

[jimi43]

There is a huge amount of discussion and confusion about the Buck family and their various companies and stamps.

This is hardly surprising given the many pages just of stamps and location details in BPM III

I will say that even Buck and Ryan say that they opened the original shop in 1824 on their website:

From this, I naturally assumed that they formed the partnership on or before that date and not the 1910 date as found elsewhere.

But I stand corrected if I'm wrong here. So much spin...even back then as you say Andy.

Jimi