old plane iron?

[tobytools]

in a recent lot i noticed a wooden block plane with no chip breaker, the iron didnt even have to usual cut out where one could be attached.
whats that about? ive had a look on the net and saw one on ebay (the iron) and its listed as a parallel plane iron.
there is a makers mark on my iron atkins,
ive never seen an iron with out a chip breaker on a woodie apart from mini block, the one in question is standard size.

or a copers jointer plane iron??

ordered british planemakers 2nd addition so hope full i wont have to ask these silly question
thanks
TT

 

[Corneel]

If the plane doesn't have a double iron, it must have been a single iron plane. Indeed you don't see these often. Though they do appear in old tool catalogs. On the site from toolemera you can find some old catalogs. Also on the handplanecentral site.

I suppose the wooden body didn't have the cutout for the chipbreaker screw either?

 

[tobytools]

Corneel,
. single iron that about sums it up, and ye your right the is no cutout where the iron sit. Does this design have a date?
On closer inspection there is some text stamped onto the front end
w.lofting
New church street
Edgeware road? does that mean anything to you?

TT

 

[AndyT]

Double irons came in in the late 18th century but single irons remained as a cheaper option for a very long time. For evidence, my Marples 1938 catalogue lists both sorts as spares. There was a noticeable price difference. Cast steel single irons were 14s 3d a dozen but for double irons the price was nearly double at 27s 9d.


However if you look at the complete planes, by this time the mainstream ranges all have double irons. There was a single iron option on a BB brand smoother - which was their budget range, made down to a low price.


I've not checked but I think you will find a similar pattern in older catalogues - the superior performance of the dearer planes was well known but there will always be some who find price more important.


Your W Lofting is listed in Goodman as being at New Church Street between 1865 and 1887 so that gives quite a narrow date range for your plane.

 

[Jacob]

Scrubs don't need a double iron - it's a trade off of lower quality against higher speed and depth of cut.
I seem to recall single iron woodies referred to as box makers planes. This would make sense as wooden boxes and crates were a big item for goods transportation - crudely made but strong and cheap. Still with us as pallets

 

[richarnold]

Single uncut irons were the norm until the latter part of the 18th century, but as Andy pointed out they remained a cheaper option right through to modern times.
There is an interesting article here on the merits of single irons http://www.planemaker.com/articles_single_v_double.html.
Cheers, Richard.

 

[tobytools]

Andy your the guru,
I should get my 2nd addition soon and will answer alot of my questions in the future.

I've read that link thank you Richard.

Now for a Sunday afternoon of tool reading and restoring and maby some joinery

Cheers,
TT

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Interesting that 'single irons' continue to be used for plough, rebate and moulding planes. Indeed, I can't remember ever seeing a double-iron plough or moulding plane, and double-iron rebate planes are very unusual.

I think (can't prove this - it's mainly a theory) that once double-iron planes were available, single-iron planes were used mainly for heavy stock removal, without having to worry too much about fine finish. As planing machinery became more commonly used during the 19th century (and especially into the 20th century), fewer craftsmen needed roughing-out planes, so they became less common.

By the way, irons with the slot for the cap-iron screw are often called 'cut irons'; those with no cap-iron screw slot are 'uncut irons'. Commercially made irons of both types are usually taper in thickness; thick behind the cutting edge, tapering down to thin at the other end. Home-made irons tended to be parallel, because that's the form that tool steel is readily available in. Maybe the block plane you saw is a home-made one.

Edit to add - Oops, no - your block plane clearly wasn't home made! ***smacks forehead, makes mental note to read the question properly next time.***