Thread: Old hand plane found - anyone recognise it?

That is a very nice plane. Seems to be craftsman made.
Looks like a mitre plane for shooting. The interesting thing is that it's left handed. I would struggle to use it.

Wow that's some plane. Bet you'll find it's worth a bit of money too.

Can I have it?

It's mine !

edit - just read the post....um, nevermind.

Now that is a beautiful, but extremely odd plane.
If it is a mitre plane, or a side rebate plane, then the escapement is through the bottom of the plane - I can't see that working too well.
If it is a rebate plane then the escapement is up against the side of the rebate.
I am puzzled - I just don't get how this can work.
SG

That's a fine point SG. Could the escapement be through the bottom of the plane. Maybe it's for use on some sort of board or frame when shooting edges that allows the shavings to fall out the bottom. Maybe. Jeez I'm not explaining myself well. Back to work..

That sure is a nice looking plane. It reminds me of some piano maker's tools I saw pics of once. Maybe Peter McB's? I don't remember.
It makes me think shooting plane but the shavings would not eject because the mouth would be covered wouldn't it?
Maybe a side rabbet plane?

Some sort of mitre-plane, perhaps picture frames? And I'm not sure it's left-handed.......but it is very nice and in great condition.

Edge trimer,the new versions have a shoulder they ride on ie LN

Originally Posted by *Kev

My Dad came across this old plane 30 or more years ago. He was never sure of its origin or use and it has therefore sat in its green felt pouch unused for all that time.

It has the name "A W Thomas" on the front but no other markings. I don't know if that's the owner's or the manufacturer's name.

Any ideas?

Kev,
looks to like it would be a difficult plane to use.
I made a little shoulder plane with a skew blade
skew shoulder plane
and it throws the shaving out the obtuse angle side, like that one would. I just tried to use it back to front, and once I get 1mm in the thing jambs up with shavings.
It couldn't cut a rebate much deeper than 1 or 2mm before the shavings would foul on the shoulder of the work.
So it could cut a rebate as wide as the blade and 2mm deep.
End grain is much more crumbly, but I doubt it was meant to slide on the wooden side, as it would need to be in a miter planing operation.
I can see why it is still in pristine condition.
It might be an attempt to make a spill plane...they usually have a more skewed blade, but I think it might work at that ok. The shaving wouldn't foul on the side as it isn't in a rebate.
Spill Planes

Regards,
Peter

Spill plane picture

It looks like a patternmaker's plane. Used as a smoother with side ejection. Must have been made for a specific purpose. Most unusual.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Mmmm... interesting.

My first thought was, like a few have suggested, it is used on a shooting board but I would expect the handles to be placed in a more comfortable location. And yeah it does look like it is left-handed.

Mark it does have a similarity to the Lee Valley edge plane but without the shoulder it would be a mongrel to use.

I'll have a close look at it to see if I can see signs of wear etc.

I've seen something like this once before and am struggling to dredge up where it was. I've got a feeling the other was made from ebony. Might it be for trimming the ivory veneers on piano keys?

The piano key itself might be held in a jig of some description and the metal part of the blane would run over the top in a slot of some type.

I had another close look at the plane today - the only tell-tale signs of how it works are, as you would expect, a slight polish along the metal face in line with the blade, and a very faint scuff mark along the bottom about halfway between the metal edge and the side.

So ..... it's still a mystery.

Kev

Have you tried using it? That may tell you more.

Regards from Perth

Derek