What is this?

Looks like Ulmia

Jim Reed @Tallahassee

>I have a few and they look just like it. Most have a green cap instead of the stamping mark. The Ulmias are great planes. Here are my guesses:

It is a toothing plane.

It is used for roughing up surfaces prior to applying veneer.

The sole is probably hornbeam.

Probably would not make a good smoother.

Nice plane, good luck.

Re: Looks like Ulmia

HC Sakman

>Hi Jim,

Ulmia looks like many other European woodies. It's a very generic design that's 100's of years old.

Chico...

And a joy to use.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: What is this?

Marc in Luxembourg

>Rich,

There are two brands, that could correspond to your tool. Georg Ott indicates, the plane's from Ulmia, but it existed a Friedrich Ott & co too. So if you could get a closer picture of the stamp, I could perhaps help you.

Marc

Check out the sole

Jim Reed @Tallahassee

>Ulmia and Ott both made planes in the European horn tradition, but most Ulmias have a hornbeam sole like this plane. It is joined using cross hatch vee joints. Look at the picture closely.

The stamp

Rich Glisson

>Here's the stamp. It has the same church image as Ulmia uses.

Most important question...

Rich Glisson

>...is whether, since it has a 75 degree bed, the plane has potential for use as a scraper plane if a standard iron is installed bevel-up. I don't see myself doing enough veneer work to justify buying a toothed iron to bring the plane back to its (apparently) orignal configuration.

Yup...

Rich Glisson

>...it does have the zig-zag laminated sole, and it is in PERFECT condition. That is why I am curious whether I can use it as a (very) high-angle smoother or as a scraper plane with the iron bevel up.

Re: What is this?

Todd Hughes

>Tradtionaly these toothing planes were not just for venier work but were used on difficult woods where they would remove material rapidly with out lifting the grain [tear out] and the wood would be finished with a scraper.

Europeon horn planes, old ones as well as new ones, are not rare. I see lots of ones esp. the old ones all the time as they are being brought into the country now in large numbers with other eastern europeon "antiques". I bought more then a few new ones for cheap awhile back that were in with some other recent imports so just not the antiques are being brought in. I think the reason you don't hear to much about them is that they are in my personal opinion rather ugly and many are made kind of cheap. Of course different from what a plane "should" look like to I guess.....Todd

Re: The stamp *LINK*

Marc in Luxembourg

>Rich,

It is an Ulmia and this stamp was used obviously between 1909 and 1927. The website of Wolfgang Jordan is in german but you'll recognize the stamp at the bottom of the page.

Marc


Link to the Ulmia stamp

Wow, thanks Marc!!

Rich Glisson

>

Form following function

Bob Hackett

>They may look ugly(to some folk`s eyes)but they work"some good" and seem to fit my hands very well.

I picked up my first horned plane real cheap(as you said)and made a scrub plane out of it as I couldn`t find a western scrub that fit me properly and it was a whole lot less trouble than making one to fit my big mitts.

That first plane made a believer out of me.That horn up front may be ugly but it`s a whole lot easier for me to hang on to than a standard western knob.That fitted piece behind the iron that fits the web of your hand helps too.

Hey,they`re cheap,give one a try.

Mainely,Bob

Exactly!

Jim Reed @Tallahassee

>Use one of these planes and you will be hooked. They fit your hands well and glide across wood better than most iron planes.