Old Tool Sites?

[Harbo]

I have been sorting through some old tools that I inherited from my father and wondered if there is some good web sites or books that might enable me to find out something more about them?

Using Google generally turns up a link selling the stuff but I would like to find out more about the history of the tool.
Tools that I can name are:
A Mathieson & Sons (Glasgow) - wooden plane
Rapier 400 smoothing plane by the Anglo Scottish Tool Co. Gateshead
J D Addis & Sons Sheffield - carving chisels
I Sorby Sheffield - wood turning chisels
Anvil Brand Chisels (some markings are missing - but remaining on logo is "W" on one side of anvil picture. "Worlds Best" and "Anvil Brand " "Sheffield")
I also have a Stanley 50 Combination plane and a much newer Record 50C combination plane - did Record take over the design?

Thanks for any help

Rod

 

[Pete W]

Hi Rod,

Thought you might have got some help from one of the experts by now... looks like you'll have to make do with me for the time being

There's a good history of Addis here:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/hawley/project/research/addis

Sorby have their own history here:
http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/company_info.htm

Mathiesons are a well-respected maker and well-known, but there seems to be very little information available on the company.

There are a number of books, but as far as I know they are all out of print and while copies are available from time to time, they're not cheap.

One is British Planemakers

I don't know anything about the Rapier and Anvil brands. Sorry.

And Record didn't 'take over' Stanley's designs (I don't think); rather, many manufacturers copied each other's designs as the patents expired, or improved upon original designs and took out their own patents. There are Record copies - or improved versions - of almost all of Stanley's planes.

Hopefully, Alf or Bugbear or anyone who knows more than me will be along shortly to help you further.

cheers,
Pete
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[wjordan]

Hi Rod,

the anvil brand belongs to Ward & Payne in Sheffield. Here's some info:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/hawley/project/research/addis/ward-and-payne.html

Here's more about Addis and their connection to Ward & Payne:

http://nika.frontier.iarc.uaf.edu/~cswingle/archive/get.phtml?message_id=157681

Wolfgang

 

[Alf]

Hey up, Rod.

I have been sorting through some old tools that I inherited from my father and wondered if there is some good web sites or books that might enable me to find out something more about them?

Often a search of the Old Tools List archive answers a lot of questions - try this Google search for it as it's a bit easier. You wouldn't happen to be photo-enabled I suppose...? Always nice to get an eyeball on old tools.

A Mathieson & Sons (Glasgow) - wooden plane

Very prolific Scottish maker - a bit of the history from British Planemakers here.

Rapier 400 smoothing plane by the Anglo Scottish Tool Co. Gateshead

You know about as much as anybody. Not terribly good quality, c.1950s/60s. A few contemporary adverts here. The one plane they made that's probably considered desirable is the #3 plough plane knock-off of the Record 043.

I Sorby Sheffield - wood turning chisels

Beware - I Sorby is not the same as R Sorby. Read all company history with appropriate caution in consequence. I Sorby used the Mr Punch mark, R Sorby the Kangaroo (or a cross).

Anvil Brand Chisels (some markings are missing - but remaining on logo is "W" on one side of anvil picture. "Worlds Best" and "Anvil Brand " "Sheffield")

Yep, Ward & Payne. Another very prolific company. Sounds potentially like they might be later with all that "World's Best" stuff - earlier it was enough to say "Sheffield" and you knew darn well they were the World's Best and no messing. :lol:

I also have a Stanley 50 Combination plane and a much newer Record 50C combination plane - did Record take over the design?

Not exactly. The Record 50C was a whole new modern redesign of the old plough/combination plane idea. Record did make the 050/050A which is very similar to the Stanley, but even then they made improvements. Take a look at my Combi Plane Central page which'll provide one or two links to info, manuals etc. Not so much on the 050s (yet).

Hope that helps a bit.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Harbo]

Thanks for all the information - here's some photos of some of the stuff:
Addis Wood carving gouges

Mathieson Plane - bits missing!

Wooden planes - no markings (for Tongue & Grooving?)

Wood turning chisels - one on left is a R Sorby Kangaroo the others are I Sorby
Anybody know what the triangular shaped ones were used for - seems to have gone out of fashion?

Wooden Spokeshaves - no markings

Rod

 

[Benchwayze]

The woodturning chisels with the diamondish shaped points are scrapers I think.

That's my limit of knowledge, as I can use a gouge and scrapers only. The skew scares me to death, and the parting tool makes me flinch a bit too.

Hence I stopped turning, because I had to finish off with sandpaper and I hate the stuff in my shop. Also my Grandfather, who was a real woodturner, would have 'turned' in his grave, if he'd known!

John

 

[Amateurrestorer]

The diamond shaped ones are parting tools I think. Sort the spokeshaves out the wood ones are beauties.