Anybody had a Gabriel Mitre plane stolen ?

[Mr_P]

Hi All,

Just bought a mitre plane very similar to this

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/csch ... miter1.asp

Colour here (slow load).
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/stor ... 0Developed

It smells very fishy, even took it to the police station.

The name on the bridge has been scratched out recently eeeekkkk.

If it's stolen I'd like to reunite it with it's rightful owner and get my money back from the seller ASAP.

 

[jimi43]

I am super jealous Carl...if that is a Gabriel it is very rare indeed...end of the 18th C and he is my favourite maker!

You scored big time there my friend although I think a new wedge of the correct profile is in the offing?

Does it have 309 somewhere under those recent scratches? I don't think there is anything untoward about the plane but ask the seller to give you some history...how they came across it...etc and try to track back its provenance if you can.

The "Gabriel" stamp would be in the throat on the front infill...can we see more pictures?

Really thrilled for you mate...there are some pictures of the original wedge on the Net so that's what you need to copy and throw away the rather ugly one.

Also a parallel iron of a contemporary vintage should be fairly easy to find...but is unimportant for a plane over 200 years old as if it had been in constant use it would have had a replacement by now anyway. If you can find one with a sneck with a rounded top then this would match nicely and you could ditch the leather insert which would have been added to cope with tapered irons.

Lovely lovely plane. Treasure it as a piece of history from a wonderful maker.

Jimi

 

[bugbear]

Also a parallel iron of a contemporary vintage should be fairly easy to find...but is unimportant for a plane over 200 years old as if it had been in constant use it would have had a replacement by now anyway.

Is that true for this type? It's common to find very old moulding planes with original irons, because they were used lightly,
for precision work, whereas, at the other extremes, jack plane irons (and bodies) are worn away completely
in a mere 50 years.

A mitre plane tends towards the precision end of things IMHO.

BugBear

 

[MMUK]

jack plane irons (and bodies) are worn away completely
in a mere 50 years.

Is nothing made to last any more? :roll:

:lol:

 

[jimi43]

I think it was more than likely mislaid...as the wedge was also..."lost in the sands of time". That seems more likely.

200 years is a long time lost! :wink:

Jimi

 

[Mr_P]

Good news I think its legit.

I've contacted the UK's leading tool auctioneers and they haven't heard anything and this thread now has 554 views and no news. Plus the owner eventually got back to me and said it was his Grandfathers Grandfathers. He looks to be about Prince Charles's age so using his family tree that takes us back to Victoria and Albert both born 1819 . Not very accurate I know.

Just spotted this and it reminded me to update this thread

http://blog.lostartpress.com/2014/03/14 ... e-returns/