Forkstaff plane

[AndyT]

I've got a forkstaff plane. I've had it for a while (and can't remember where I bought it or what I paid) but I thought it was time to have a go with it. Here are some pictures.

According to the books, a forkstaff plane was used to plane a long cylinder with the grain, such as might be used for the staff (handle) on a fork. Other similar planes in other sizes were also known by their usage, such as mast, spar and oar planes.

This one looks like a common smoothing plane at first glance.

but its underneath is hollow, in this case to suit a diameter of about 1 1/2"

There's some nice geometry at work here as the iron intersects the sole - not a plane for a beginner to make.

Here's the view from above, showing how the bottom of the wear is part of a circle

Here's the iron, which in this case is double, so a rare example of a plane where the edge of the cap iron is not straight.

I've not cleaned it, but I think this will say A MATHIESON & SON in the middle, with WARRANTED at the top and CAST STEEL below. There's also the sun and crescent moon trade mark. It's all a bit clearer on the plane toe:

So, I hear you ask, does it work? A quick sharpen (no need to go into detail on this...)

and away we go

This is just a little offcut of some soft hardwood, but it soon gets down to a nice curve. If it was a longer piece (so I could hold it by the end, not the side) it would not take long to make a smooth, straight handle, planed all round. I'm sure it will come in useful some time soon and when it does, I shall be ready! :wink:

[Edited to restore missing photos.]

 

[Racers]

Nice!

Pete

 

[Dovetaildave]

Interesting cap iron looks made for purpose.....

I think "Sir Roy" did an episode on The Woodwrights shop, where he made staves for a large cart wheel, I think he used one of those, he may have said he even worked as a wheelwright.

Would that have been for finishing, a longer, possibly handled version for the actual grunt work of producing 5' staves maybe?

Regards,
Dave

 

[Stanleymonkey]

Very nice - must be interesting to plane from flat as more of the blade contacts the surface each time

 

[bugbear]

I've planed a few handles for garden tools - the inevitable grain reversals as you work your way around are "interesting".

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Very nice - must be interesting to plane from flat as more of the blade contacts the surface each time

You'd normally use a jack/scrub (cheaper plane to buy, easier plane to tune, easier blade to sharpen) to turn an initial square in to an octagon first.

Same principle as when making a complex moulding with a fancy moulding plane - you hack off as much waste as you can with a simple tool.

BugBear

 

[nabs]

thanks andy - very interesting

 

[swb58]

I thought the wooden bit on a fork was called a handle, so did the Two Ronnies. :lol:

 

[Billy Flitch]

Well done Andy a very interesting and educational post. I must admit I`ve owned one for years but I`ve only ever known it as a spar plane.
I live and learn. By the by mine has no backing iron on it and is not so coffin shaped, I don`t know if that means any thing.

 

[AndyT]

Thanks all for the appreciative comments.

I've been looking for a bit more evidence of usage. The books about planes and tools (Whelan, Salaman) say the forkstaff plane was used for long handles, or spars and oars in the larger sizes. Books on woodland crafts (Edlin, Woods) describe handle making but only describe the use of a stail engine - the rotary, pencil-sharpener type tool which automatically takes the wood down to the required diameter. They are talking about lightweight handles on tools such as rakes and green timber.

There's also the consideration that a basic tool (axe, drawknife) is useful for a wide range of work, but a plane where you need a different one for each size would not be worth carrying out into the woods.

So maybe it was more of a boat or ship-building tool. Nicholson, in the Mechanic's Companion (1850) says the forkstaff plane was more a tool for the coachmaker than for the joiner.

As with so many woodworking tools over the years, naming varies and was never fixed, so the same tool can be known by different names.

 

[bugbear]

As with so many woodworking tools over the years, naming varies and was never fixed, so the same tool can be known by different names.

And regional variations.

And craft jargon - some tools are used by more than one craft.

So many names...

BugBear