Old wooden planes, TIP iron mark?

[jim_hanna]

I have a couple of wooden planes which have lain unused in a box in my garage for a long time, a coffin smoother with a 2” iron and a fore plane with a 2 ¼” iron. No idea of vintage but both belonged to my dad so probably cheap examples from the 1930s pre-war era. The planes themselves have no makers mark but the marking on both irons has in large letters TIP followed by what looks like the British Standard kitemark.

Below that is a rusted makers name.
? Crookes& Co
Sheffield
Searching on-line it appears that the initial I can’t make out is H for H. Crookes &Co.
However I can’t find anything about the TIP mark.

I was just wondering if the knowledgeable folk on here can tell me how this mark relates to the quality of the iron?

The coffin smoother seems in a restorable condition. No splits in the wood and only light rust with no pitting near the cutting edge on a very thick iron (compared to my metal planes).

However the larger plane has a split in the body at the top notch which holds the wedge in position.

Would this make the plane just fit for scrap or has anyone successfully fixed such a fault?

Thanks
Jim

 

[undergroundhunter]

I can't help with the irons, someone with more knowledge will be along shortly. As far as the crack is concerned you have two options first just leave it alone, I have 2 or 3 wooden planes with cracks in the same place and they have been fine, option 2 is to glue it with an epoxy to stabilize it. If I'm honest I would leave it and just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get any worse.

Looks like all they really need is a clean up (see the sticky at the top of the board for a recipe for reviver) and a sharpen.

Overall looks like you have a couple of good users there Jim.

Matt

 

[D_W]

I don't know (from the picture) how far down the split goes. With a plane that has a split abutment, you don't have much to lose. I'd relieve the abutment with a file just a little bit so that most of the wedge pressure is further down, and make a conscious effort not to pound the wedge in too hard. I'm sure most of us tap them in harder than they need to be in to keep the iron from slipping.

I've got a skew plane that I broke an abutment on and glued and screwed it. It looks bad, but the glue has failed and the screws are the only thing holding it together. It's a panel raiser, and I'd rather not make another one so I will use it like that as long as I can (and it works fine like that, but you can feel a little bit of give in the abutments since the glue has let go).

 

[MIGNAL]

Carefully saw down the crack with a reasonably fine saw. That should clean out the gunk. Glue/Insert a veneer. It's better than leaving it as it is. If you have animal glue, all the better.

 

[D_W]

Realistically, I would set it aside given that it was your father's plane. Then it can stay as is without chance of modification or damage. In the US, it probably costs about $40 to get a good clean jack plane for little damage. I know they're much more abundant in the UK. If you want to use the iron from your father's plane to continue to use something of his, you can build a plane around it. There are build series on youtube of various types, and one is mine (building a double iron try plane -I am by no means trying to advertise, I have adverts turned off on the videos and I don't sell anything).

As a maker of planes, they're not that difficult to make, and I'm sure your iron is serviceable (on the jack plane) if it's not pitted badly because most of the irons of that time period were made to a spec to allow them to be sharpened on novaculite stones (arks, charns, washitas, cretans/turkish oilstones) or sediment stones (various slates), and very few are "bad", overhard or chippy.

 

[swagman]

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Crookes,_Roberts_and_Co

https://s3.amazonaws.com/lumberjocks.com/n1mndkm.jpg

 

[jim_hanna]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.

I’m afraid the larger of the two planes isn’t usable as is, the crack in the body widened as I tapped in the wedge so I’ll have to look at that. I did get to sharpen the coffin smoother iron and make some shavings. I immediately understood two things.

Firstly I now appreciate why wooden planes continue in use, the finish left on the wood is superb even with a thick shaving. I thought the little coffin smoother would be awkward to hold but it felt just right in my hands as it moved across the wood, definitely worth persevering with it.

Secondly I now understand why Mr Bailey’s adjustment mechanism swept the world. The tap-tap method of setting the iron is difficult and frustrating for a newbie. It appears easy in the online videos but it’s an acquired skill. I spent more time backing out the iron and starting again than I did planing.

Thanks

Jim

 

[jim_hanna]

A big thank you to Mignal for the repair tip above.

I ran a saw blade (actually a hacksaw) into the crack as suggested, pared down a bit of beech to the correct size and glued it in. Seems to have made a good job.

Jim

 

[JohnPW]

That looks like a good repair!

I've got a "Master" wooden jack plane, £1 from a boot fair, which has a R. Crookes & Co "Tip" iron.

I found this entry from A DIRECTORY OF THE BOROUGH AND PARISH OF SHEFFIELD, 1852
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/Mi ... haP-S.html

Roberts, Henry; saw manufacturer, (Crookes, R. & Co.) house: 1 Gloucester street

The two names, "R. Crookes & Co" and "Crookes, Roberts & Co" are slightly different though.