Brace and Bits

[rxh]

I have cleaned this Stanley No.78 10" brace with white spirit and oiled it here and there. It is is in good functional condition but I am undecided about whether to go any further with refurbishment and I would be interested to see readers' opinions.

I do intend to clean up and sharpen this collection of bits. Does anyone know what the bit on the far left of the group is (also shown in separate photo) and how to sharpen it? I suspect it might be used for chair making. If nobody has a better suggestion I propose to sharpen it with slip stones.

 

[MickCheese]

It's a chair makers spoon bit I think.

Mick

 

[AndyT]

I think it's a reamer, for enlarging a predrilled hole and giving it a taper. (A spoon bit is similar but has parallel sides and a nose which curves up, so it would actually hold water.)

As far as I know, the way to sharpen it is to not touch the outside at all, but rub across both edges with a flat stone, bridging across both at the same time, so that each is sharp along the arris. The angle of the edge is close to 90 degrees, but that works for a scraping cut.

You'd use it to make a hole tapered so that a tapered leg or other component can be fitted tight into it.

 

[Dangermouse]

The brace looks to have a very nice patina, so i'd oil it and leave it at that. Lots of old tools need just a good clean and maybe a bit of wax and polish. Unless it needs a full restoration or isnt that old and would look nicer fully restored, i'd say just conserve the tool.

 

[rxh]

Thanks to you all for the replies. I have decided to leave the brace as it is.

I've been cleaning up the bits and some makers' names have been revealed: Wm Ridgeway; W. Baker London; D Flather & Son. Two bits are stamped "Foreign" so are presumably cheap imports.