Thread: Jack Plane

Picked up a Jack plane today, from the local Rotary market, for $10. It's a Mathieson & Son, with the star and crescent trade mark (best quality). All the parts are stamped the same, so it's all original. The sole is flat, the sides are perfectly square to the sole, and the wood only has a few shallow scratches. The blade and chipbreaker has a light surface rust, but that will come off with steel wool. Other than that, the blade is like a razor, with not a nick in it. Not a single crack anywhere in the timber. The mouth seems a little wide, at 8.5mm, but it stills planes nicely.

I'll give it a very gentle cleanup, and it will become a working plane again. I've been intending to make up a couple of shooting boards for a while, and the jack will probably get used on these.

I realise these things are fairly common, but I'm facinated that a wooden tool can get through so many years, and can still be in damm near pristine condition.

Did a bit of of research on the internet, and the story goes something like this. Mathieson was a respected plane maker, with his own company in Glasgow. In 1854, his first son joined him in the business, and the company was renamed 'A Mathieson & son'. In 1873, son number 2 joined them, and the company was renamed 'A Mathieson & Sons'.

This dates the plane as being somewhere between 1854 and 1873, which means it's at least 133 years old.

It's old, it feels nice in the hands, it's lighter than a metal plane, and imparts a warm tactile feeling.

Jeeze it's a real pleasure.