Thread: Brand new Titan plane iron!

33/6 was the price which translates to one pound thirteen shillings and sixpence because I can't figure out how to do a pounds sign on the keyboard.

Calling Doggie!

Thoroughly jealous. I agree, it's a hard call. I'd love to have one myself.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

... I think it may be too good to use!

I usually purposefully avoid anything labelled "mint in box" or similar because I want to use it; when I see something from yesteryear all shiny and new I instinctively think that it should remain so in a museum or collection that can be enjoyed by many. Because I know Stanley HSS irons aren't uncommon I wouldn't have an issue with tossing the packaging and getting stuck in
to one of those; but this may be a rare little bit of Aus history. At the very least I'm going to take some decent pictures of it and offer them gratis to the HTPAA and anyone else who wants them...

I would suffer the same dilemma. I suspect, in the end I'd put it aside and look for a used one .

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

...Would anyone be able to give me a reasonable date range for this? Is it 50's, 60's or even 70's manufacture? It has a couple of lines written in blue Bic: " 1x/-" and "33/6" which mean little to me; even if the second one is the price in pre-decimal coinage 33 shillings ans sixpence seems a LOT of money to spend on a plane iron; and is unusual anyway because it should read "1 Pound, 13 shillings and sixpence". Guesses, anyone?

Both those figures are pre-decimal prices. It was not uncommon to write £1 13s 6d as 33/6 - but that seems a little high for a plane blade back then. It seems like maybe 1x/- was the price (anything from 10 shillings to 19 shillings). And (for example) 12 shillings could be written as 12s 0d, 12/0, or the more common 12/-.

edit: I just had another look at the photos. It looks like 33/6 is the price - I don't know what the 1x/- is about . Maybe the retailer had sold 1 out of a box of several??

I believe you guys changed to decimal currency in 1966 (we're coming up to the 50th anniversary of our change on 10th July this year) so the iron must have been sold before then or the price would have overwritten or supplimented with a decimal price. From memory Stanley took over Titan's planes in 1964?

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

...because I can't figure out how to do a pounds sign on the keyboard.

I'm using an iMac. It doesn't have a "pounds" key, but everytime I hit the hash key I get ££££££... Maybe this computer was intended for the UK market? So I can't figure out how to do a hash sign .

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by hiroller

Calling Doggie!

Pfft! As if Mr Lynch would know anything about Titans!

Nice find by the way. Always wanted to try one.

So do I!

It's taken me about two years of looking for a HSS tipped iron to get this one. I've never seen a Titan one come up on any auction site or similar; only the later Stanley badged ones.

Hi,
very glad to see this thread about Titan plane blades.
I've got one I am thinking of using in my Stanley 7 jointer plane and I'm curious to know what their characteristics as a plane blade, as I have searched the Internet before and never found any information.
BTW, I have a Stanley HSS blade I use in a bench plane dedicated to a shooting board because it keeps its edge for a long time on end grain.
Thanks
Paul

Hi Paul;

To the best of my knowledge the Stanley HSS tipped irons are simply rebadged Titan irons; so any information found on Stanleys should refer equally to Titans.

I'm hoping someone can enlighten me further as to the history of Titan blades. My research has led me to the websites of Lightwood and Scribbly Gum, while the info contained within both is enough to give me a general view I'm sure there's a lot more knowledge available.

Chris
On a Windows computer , if you hold down the Alt key and enter 0163, you will get the £ character.

Michael

I have an assortment of these early Bailey type plane irons.
Ealiest probably the John Shaw from their Sydney saw works.
Stanley/Titan plus a few Stanley.
Interesting Berg for Turner.
Also Samuri for block plane.
I took a few Stanley with me on a trip to the U.S. and Canada in 1983, Swapped one for a hand adze in Fiji on the way. The other I swapped for a Hock with one of Krenovs students at Fort Bragg.
I had worked for Stanley Oz in 1981 and offered to chase up places like The Cutting Edge and similar shops to see if there was a market in the U.S. I was told not to bother as they didn't have the production facility's to meet demand.
Later Paul from Academy borrowed a few for research into their hardness so I have a preproduction one of his.
H.
I've tried to post this reply before but the pics wouldn't stick so I'm trying again except now as I'm in Canada for the next 4 months can't take any better shots.

I'd use it, a tool isn't a tool if it doesn't get used.

I'm not a collector so for me if it doesn't have a use it doesn't have a home, well, not with me anyway.

Despite being a confirmed athiest I am now convinced the gods of woodworking are smiling down upon me. Just won this on flea-bay for $48 including shipping!

Stanley HSS iron.jpg

Now my problem is solved; the Stanley is much more common and in a bit of a daggy state so I will have NO problems putting this one to good use and I can offer the Titan to a collector.