More wooden moulding planes...info needed

[thick_mike]

Picked up some old tools from a bloke locally who does renovation of old buildings. Still working through them, but there are three old moulding planes that look interesting. Any information about the makers or what type of moulding they would be used for would be appreciated:

1) T.Okines

2) Madox (think there was a post about this maker recently, but would really like to know what it is used for)

3) Moseley and Sons

 

[Cheshirechappie]

From 'British Planemakers from 1700' by W.L.Goodman (2nd edition 1978),

Thomas Okines, Westminster, approx1740 to 1770.
William Madox, Peter St. Westminster, 1748 to 1775.
Moseley & Son, New St. Covent Garden London, 1832 to 1862.

The first two look like quite large architectural mouldings, the Moseley is a bead - and a large one. All three look like their bedding angle is about 45 degrees, which would fit for work in pine. Rather fine architectural joiner's planes.

Nice find!

 

[thick_mike]

From 'British Planemakers from 1700' by W.L.Goodman (2nd edition 1978),

Thomas Okines, Westminster, approx1740 to 1770.
William Madox, Peter St. Westminster, 1748 to 1775.
Moseley & Son, New St. Covent Garden London, 1832 to 1862.

The first two look like quite large architectural mouldings, the Moseley is a bead - and a large one. All three look like their bedding angle is about 45 degrees, which would fit for work in pine. Rather fine architectural joiner's planes.

Nice find!

Thanks CC, I thought they looked quite old (judging on what was said on the recent Madox thread). I gave one to my son to hold and told him it might be 200 years old. He was gobsmacked!

The blades don't look too bad either, I think I'll give them a go in some pine tomorrow if I can set them up properly.

By the way, when I said locally, meant Leighton Buzzard not Smethwick as stated in my profile. Smethwick's where I'm from, Leighton Buzzard's where I am.

Cheers, Mike

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Your son will be even more gobsmacked now that two of 'em are around 250 years old!

Just a thought. Benjamin Huntsman invented 'cast steel' in 1742, so if the irons on the Okines and the Madox are original, they may even pre-date our favourite cutter material. Might be interesting to see how they sharpen up and hold an edge.

 

[thick_mike]

the cutters feel reasonably sharp even now dragging across my thumb and I don't think the guy I got them from had ever used them. Will see if I can hone them tomorrow, but I can't get the wedges out at the moment

Anyone got any tips for removing moulding plane wedges? Already tried tapping the back of the plane, but no luck...don't want to damage the old dears!

Cheers, Mike

 

[AndyT]

the cutters feel reasonably sharp even now dragging across my thumb and I don't think the guy I got them from had ever used them. Will see if I can hone them tomorrow, but I can't get the wedges out at the moment

Anyone got any tips for removing moulding plane wedges? Already tried tapping the back of the plane, but no luck...don't want to damage the old dears!

Cheers, Mike

For a wedge that is firmly stuck, invert the plane, grip the wedge in your vice, and then knock the back end of the plane with a mallet.

 

[thick_mike]

Didn't get a chance to use the planes today my time was taken up with more mundane stuff, however I found this request on a genealogy site that was very interesting to me because I only live 7 miles from Ivinghoe...

"I am trying to find a link between Thomas OAKINS, baptised in Ivinghoe,
Bucks in 1717 and Thomas OKINES who married Sarah and baptised 5
children at Saint Mary, Newington between 1744 and 1758. There is also
another son baptised 1741 at Saint John Smith Square, Westminster.

There is a will on documentsonline dated 1771 of a "Thomas Okines
otherwise Oakins .... of the parish of Saint Mary Newington ....plane
maker". It would seem likely that this is the Thomas baptising children
above.

The Thomas Oakins baptised in Ivinghoe is mentioned in family wills of
1750 and 1767 as "Plane maker of London".

Can anyone suggest any records I could look at for the Newington area
that could help me find out more about Thomas Okines? For example, are
there any Land Tax Assessments available for this period? How likely is
it that Thomas Okines of Newington is Thomas Oakins from Ivinghoe? Is
Plane making a common trade?"

I've sent an email to the person doing the research to find out if they did establish that they were indeed the same person.