John Moseley & son London (Marples) Jack Plane

[Bod]

I've just been given a wooden plane, normal jack size, stamped John Mosley & son London, it has a Marples Hibernia iron fitted.
The blade has never been sharpened, indeed still has what looks like the factory grease preventing rust.
The body, tells the story, taken from the box and used, gouged sole, smeared black paint!? Someone must have been disappointed with the performance.
Used once then put away.
I know that Marples brought out Moseley in 1892, but when did Marples stop using the Moseley trade name on standard wooden jack planes?
I'm tempted to sharpen the blade, as I don't think the sole damage is terminal.

Bod

 

[AndyT]

I have a 1938 Marples catalogue (available to all as a pdf download from http://toolemera.com/Trade Catalogs/tradecatalogs193.html ) which makes it clear that any of their planes could be ordered marked Moseley if preferred, so they were still using the name as late as that.

Could you post a few pictures? I'd be interested to see an almost unused specimen.

Are you sure it's black paint? Could it be old protective grease? Tallow?

 

[bugbear]

Are you sure it's black paint? Could it be old protective grease? Tallow?

Perhaps that asphalt paint used on buildings - a wooden jack plane is a classic site tool.

Although anyone ignorant enough to use a plane with an un-sharpened blade is unlikely to be a working chippy, I suppose.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

BB, you've not met some of the chippys I have.

 

[Bod]

Some photos.

The colour is one coat of boiled linseed oil, over 45+ years of dirt.
The blade has chips that match the sole marks, but not thankfully as bad.
The sole I have Abraneted to remove the black paint(?) but exposed the gouges, can't call them scratches, there too deep!


Bod

 

[AndyT]

I meant pictures of the plane in the state you found it in!
Still, it looks like a useful tool. You could always plane the sole if you wanted. I agree that the iron looks unused - I'd expect to see some camber on a jack plane iron, and presumably that was left for the user to sort out to his taste.

 

[Bod]

Sorry I cleaned the sole to discover just how bad it was. It came in a box of spanners, all covered in thick grease, for long term storage. ( I have a good selection of whitworth spanners, no rust, if anyone...)
The colour was dark anyway, not the straw colour of fresh beech.
The blade jams on the sides of the throat, so a little work, and sharpen, I'll see how it works, just got to learn how to set a woodie!

Bod

 

[Bod]

Well I've sharpened it, and tried it.
As best I can, I set it, but I'm no expert on woodies, the best I got was very coarse shavings, or nothing!
The mouth is to my eye, very tight, more than a metal equivalent. Would this be normal on a high quality wooden plane, to allow the user to open as required?

Bod

 

[SteveB43]

Hi Bod
Have you checked the sole of the plane to see if it's flat? With my woodies, I got a slab of granite off cut, spray adhesive some 180 then 240 sandpaper to it, then ran the plane up and down until it was flat, I used pencil marks across the sole, much like flattening a water stone.
To adjust the iron, I use a small hammer, the mujifang ones sold by Matthew over at Workshop Heaven. It's great for just tap advancing the iron until you get the first contact. It is fiddly and one over tap can send you back to the starting point!
I'm also assuming the iron is square, and lateral adjustment is also using the hammer to tap the side of the iron...
Persevere, it's great when you get those first shavings
cheers,
Steve,

 

[bugbear]

Well I've sharpened it, and tried it.
As best I can, I set it, but I'm no expert on woodies, the best I got was very coarse shavings, or nothing!
The mouth is to my eye, very tight, more than a metal equivalent. Would this be normal on a high quality wooden plane, to allow the user to open as required?

Bod

You've either got a concave sole (possible) or (more likely) haven't go the hang of adjusting. You need very small taps
(imagine driving a panel pin into pin). I think Philly (of Philly planes) may have done a video.

EDITED; has a spare moment, so found it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbYEEJWmu4

And it's normal to use a fine mouth - as long as it's wide enough to pass your normal shaving, it's wide enough.

BugBear

 

[G S Haydon]

Bod, that's looks to be a lovely plane and unused. As mentioned above, try and give it some time. Woodies can be a little tricky the first time you use them. Because it's "new" the mouth is tight. I've found an open mouth makes no difference at all with surface finish but as long as the shaving feeds well then it's all good. I'm not sure my recent video will be any help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52pOLpz6BJs but it might offer something. I've popped a couple of links in the description to other videos that are good to watch and may also help. Happy planing!

 

[Bod]

Thank you all, I've followed the advice, flattened the sole, with a No.5 1/2, removing 98% of the gouges in front of the mouth, and leaving enough not to worry about after. It was a bit out!!
Changed to a smaller hammer to adjust with, and after several attempts, learnt why, the school woodwork master, made us lie the planes on their sides, not on the sole, when not in use!!
I've had good shavings from it on soft pine, not tried any thing hard yet.
For what would have been a professional tool, the handle is very short, Record/Stanley standard handles are fine for me, but this woodie is just not tall enough, for my middle size hand.
I doubt I'll use it much, if at all.

Bod