Newbie to Hand tools

[Scrums]

Hi all,

Obviously not to hand tools per se.... but to this particular part of the forums.

Up till now I've regarded most things that didn't have at least a 3 pin plug attached to the end of them with suspicion, OK - the occasional block plane to clean up end grain and a chisel to square hinge cut-outs, but that was about it.

Then I bought a box of bits....and I suppose started on the slippery slope. I actually started using one of the wood moulding planes in the box - a small reed moulding, no way to do it with a powered router really.

Then came a Stanley USA bullnose off ebay and a Record 050 from same source.

Anyway, what I'd like to know is this: anyone got any info on what is in the following picture?

They're from a variety of makers - Ward, Mathieson, Sorby etc - two styles, one with a plain 'shank' similar to a moulding plane iron, the others with a hook at the end. The latter are all numbered, but the numbers don't seem to bear any relation to 1/16ths 1/8ths etc.

My best guess is that they're from an adjustable wooden plough plane - or maybe from a lot of long gone individual plough planes.

Chris.

 

[Philly]

Chris
You got it! They (all but one) are plough plane irons. The curve at the top is called a sneck, you tap it to remove the iron from the plane without banging the body. You notice they all have a very similar width shank, with the cutting edge reduced to the width required. This allows you to use them in most plough planes - very handy!
Oh, and the curved iron is from a hollow moulding plane.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[Alf]

Oh, and the curved iron is from a hollow moulding plane.

Or possibly a round... :wink:

Glad to see a table saw being used for its proper purpose.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Wiley Horne]

Chris,

Just to add a bit more....If you will look down near the cutting end of the blades, just above the bevel, you will likely see a groove on each blade. This groove matches a corresponding tongue on the metal 'skate' of the plough. This is part of the mechanism for holding the blade in alignment under cutting pressure. People with blades have varying luck trying to find planes to match their blades, and vice versa.

Wiley

 

[Anonymous]

Dunno about the rusty bits of iron, but shouldn't that table saw have a riving knife and guard on it?

It's a good job Scrit never ventures on to the Hand Tools section. He'd have your plums on a skewer!

Virgil

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Dunno about the rusty bits of iron, but shouldn't that table saw have a riving knife and guard on it?

It's a good job Scrit never ventures on to the Hand Tools section. He'd have your plums on a skewer!

Virgil

But it's for photographic reasons :lol:

 

[Scrums]

Uh oh..........should have realised that someone would pick up on that !

Well, ahem....riving knives - hate'em, nuisance, I use push sticks, never stand in direct line of the blade and I get on OK - just my preference, not advocating it as a way of doing things.

Guarding - essential....what you can't actually see is that hovering in the air above the blade is a crown guard with extraction on a cantilever that pulls down to completely enclose the blade on whatever depth it's cutting at.

Just my way of doing things.....

Chris.

 

[Scrit]

It's a good job Scrit never ventures on to the Hand Tools section. He'd have your plums on a skewer!

Don't be so sure! Sheesh kebab, anyone? :roll:

Scrit

 

[Scrums]

Ok then, back to the plane Irons......anyone know what the numbers stamped on them mean, or do they just refer to #1 being smallest and #8 being biggest ?

....and errm yes....I seem to be getting hooked - just bought a wooden plough plane, with some blades, hope mine will fit it!!

Chris.