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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Default Mathieson & Son Toothing Plane

    I'm posting this just for anyone's interest because I find these old tools fascinating.

    I acquired this plane recently (it came with a box of planes I purchased sight unseen). I've never seen a plane like it. It has a very upright blade (80° maybe) but more importantly the blade is serrated. So I went searching for information on the internet and found a good description of the plane and its use.

    DSC_2963 (Large).jpg DSC_2964 (Large).jpg DSC_2965 (Large).jpg DSC_2967 (Large).jpg DSC_2968 (Large).jpg DSC_2969 (Large).jpg DSC_2966 (Large).jpg

    This is taken from the website of Anthony Hay's, Cabinetmaker:

    "A toothing plane is simply a very high angle block plane equipped with a blade that has a serrated edge. The pitch angle of the blade noticeably varies from tool to tool, anywhere from 65 to 90 degrees. The coarseness of the teeth can vary as well, but we have seen a trend where the higher the pitch angle, the finer the teeth.

    So the plane does not shave like an ordinary one, but scratches the surface of the wood. You take off strings rather than full shavings.

    The surface is left textured with fine grooves.

    A sharp card scraper can smooth out the scratches to a finished surface.
    Why go to all this trouble? Easy answer. The toothed edge ignores grain direction and figure in any board. It allows for working a surface in any direction, either with the grain, against it or across it. The teeth won’t dig under contrary grain and tear it out, as would the full blade width cut of an ordinary plane. So while the surface is scratched up, it remains intact. And yes, it is slower than a conventional plane, but keeping a untorn surface makes it worth the effort, and these planes can be set to cut rather aggressively, if necessary."

    Hope you find that as interesting as I did!

    Tony

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    blue mountains
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    Default

    It's also a good conversion from a smoother that was perhaps getting past it's best. Clever use of very basic materials. I just love those big nails used as pins. It would have a story to tell.
    Regards
    John

  4. #3
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    Mar 2009
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    Default

    Correction. My eyesight isn't as good as I thought. Its not a Mathieson & Son, it's a Moseley & Son on closer inspection.

    It's also a good conversion from a smoother that was perhaps getting past it's best. Clever use of very basic materials. I just love those big nails used as pins. It would have a story to tell.
    You could very well be right looking at that hardwood insert, and the timber doesn't match the rest of the body. If that's the case then it was an expert tradesman that did the job. I can't detect even the smallest of gaps between the two timbers.

    As for the nails? I haven't seen heads on nails like that since I was a child, and I'm now 67

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    blue mountains
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    Default

    Should be a clue when the conversion was done. You sometimes see toothing planes on Ebay but usually very expensive.
    That one of yours is a one of a kind and very well done. The guy knew what he was doing.
    Regards
    John

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