Mystery iron, stamped MONK, any info appreciated

[bugbear]

I was talking about the stamp used on the blade we're discussing, and how a metal worker might (very well) make it.

The techniques may not be widely known, but they're really quite simple, although hard to
do perfectly.

The video I linked to shows the process, although typesetting letters are much smaller and made to higher standards.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

I'm talking about the Monk + 3 stars mark. These weren't made with a stamp they were picked out bit by bit, in the same way that you'd make a primitive stamp, or as a stone mason might make a mark with just a simple chisel or two, and hammer.
this also explains why they are so deep - as compared to the faint original mark which is very shallow.

 

[Corneel]

So, back to the Monk stamp. The very regular row of letters suggests a four letter stamp. But when you look at the O and the K, they sure looke like they are hacked out in little pieces. The K looks like it has a miss struck line in the upper right corner. The vertical lines of the M and N are very neat and straight, if it was hacked with a chisel, then that guy was very good. Pitty he made such a mess of the O.

Anyway, if it was done with a stamp it must have been done when the iron was red hot, otherwise it doesn't go so deep, it would hardly scratch the surface at all. Done in little pieces I just don't know if you can get this depth on cold iron.

 

[bugbear]

So, back to the Monk stamp. The very regular row of letters suggests a four letter stamp. But when you look at the O and the K, they sure looke like they are hacked out in little pieces. The K looks like it has a miss struck line in the upper right corner. The vertical lines of the M and N are very neat and straight, if it was hacked with a chisel, then that guy was very good. Pitty he made such a mess of the O.

Agreed - the irregularity in the characters, but not the alignment of each row, is what leads to the conclusion that it's a self-made, positive, stamp (well, three of them actually).

The imperfect alignment between the rows is further evidence that each row was done with a separate stamp.

These stamps are made (principally) by filing from the outside where possible, so a single row of characters is normal - all the tops and bottoms are on the outside. On larger examples (especially brands used with either heat or paint) you can see the file strokes extending quite a long way down the block.

The counter punching for the inaccessible recesses and the angling of the file strokes on the various characters is fairly evident on this example;

Anyway, if it was done with a stamp it must have been done when the iron was red hot, otherwise it doesn't go so deep, it would hardly scratch the surface at all. Done in little pieces I just don't know if you can get this depth on cold iron.

Agreed again.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

I might have a go later - I've plenty of old plane irons and broken files!

If the O had been done with a single filed stamp I think the outside edge would have been much more regular as it would be very easy to file the outside (but not the inside). That , and all the other irregularities, is why I think it was done in joined up bits.

 

[bugbear]

There's something odd about BB's stamp.

Indeed.

Have you posted the photo in mirror image to see if anybody spotted it, BB?

I flipped it digitally; I originally uploaded it as part of a set of photographs;

The workshop contents of a rather fine craftsman came up for
sale at my local auction.

There were a few unfinished pieces of furniture, with barely a straight line on them; fancy,
swirly chaise longues, that sort of thing.

But there was also an enormous quantity (4 or 5 chests) of very nice tools; either early American
(including some rather rare Stanleys), or very good English (infills and Preston
were well represented).

What was even more interesting to me were the self made tools. To do all the
curved moulding work, he had an extensive number of special self-made planes,
with several part finished examples. There were 3 biscuit tins full of scratch
stock blades!

I took (and flipped...) the stamp to show his name, as a sort of signature for the set
of photographs, although it was stamped on most of the tools anyway...

BugBear