How old is this plow plane

6/25/04, 11:07 PM #1

Roy from Cincy
Guest

How old is this plow plane

Roy from Cincy

>Hi,

I got this nice plow plane pretty cheap. It has Union Factory H. Chapin, No. 241 stamped on it. I did a little internet research and I think it is pre-1860. It had no blades, so I picked up this set of blades. They have Dwights French & Co. stamped on them. Amazingly, they fit pretty well. They appear to be hand forged. They have some visible laminations. I've seen some references to Dwights French & Co. on the internet also.

I'd like a little help figuring out how old the plane and blades are. No matter what the age, it's a pretty good plow plane and I plan to use it.

TIA

Re: How old is this plow plane

6/26/04, 10:54 AM #2

Ed Mulligan
Guest

Re: How old is this plow plane

Ed Mulligan, Cape Cod

>Roy -

You're right, it dates before 1865 according to Pollack, American Wooden Planes and Their Makers.

I have a 1859 repro price list for Hermon Chapin. It shows 4 grades of plow planes, 4th rate through first rate. The 241 is second rate, i.e. one click down from the best. The list says a 241 would have boxwood screw arms which it appears yours does have. Also, the 241 may have been available in rosewood (not clear from the price list) and yours looks like it could be rosewood.

See Ken Roberts, Wooden Planes in 19th Century America Volume II, for encyclopedic info on Chapin and Union Factory.

Dwights French made plane irons and other tools from ca 1849 to ca 1900 according to the Directory of American Toolmakers.

Ed

Re: How old is this plow plane

6/26/04, 11:40 AM #3

Roy from Cincy
Guest

Re: How old is this plow plane

Roy from Cincy

>Thank you so much, Ed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your information.

Roy

Re: How old is this plow plane

6/26/04, 2:14 PM #4

Todd Hughes
Guest

Re: How old is this plow plane

Todd Hughes

>Has been my experance that the 19th cent. factory made blades you find most times will fit about any factory made English or American Plow planes. I would imagine if made during this time they were probably drop forged using dies and a trip hammer instead of being hand forged though I am sure they are laminated.....Todd

Re: How old is this plow plane

6/26/04, 3:06 PM #5

Roy from Cincy
Guest

Interchangeable bades

Roy from Cincy

>That's good to know that the blades are so interchangeable. I wish I had known that last week. I was sweating bullets since I bought both of them separately off E-B#Y.

Re: How old is this plow plane

6/26/04, 4:21 PM #6

Joel
Woodwright
Offline
984 posts

Registered: 2/5/03

Re: How old is this plow plane

joel

>I don't think English plow plane blades fit American Plows or is it the other way around. I remember last year or so trying to buy some plow plane blades for an American unhandled plow (Josiah King c 1960's) and The English plow plane blades would not fit.

Re: How old is this plow plane

6/27/04, 4:22 AM #7

Paul M. in San Diego
Guest

Re: How old is this plow plane

Paul M. in San Diego

>I bought a set of plough blades of varying widths. They also have varying tapers to the blades. Some of them seat better than others using the wedge that came with the plane. If the tapers are all similar, then you're fine.

How old is this plow plane

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