Restoring Mortice Gauge

[JustBen]

Hi all,

I've recently found my grandfathers old mortice gauge.
It's not in the best of condition but I would like to restore it and use it.

It has no manufacturers markings other than my grandfathers initials stamped on it.
I think it's ebony wood or something very similar.

He lived in Rhodesia for many years so maybe it was acquired there?

The wood is in good condition but the brass is quite soft and pitted in places.

The pints have been cut off/snapped off/worn away so I would need to replace them too.
I have some 1.5mm ish needle points that could be used for them.

I've never worked with brass and I'm not sure how best to go about it.
How would I get it back to a bright finish and does it matter that the clamping face is pitted?

Am I correct in thinking the black woods don't really require a finish on them? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

I thought I would ask the experts before ruining it.

Many thanks

 

[Jacob]

The brass is dented because it's lost its button - there should be a little disc of steel between the end of the screw and the face of the slider so you don't get impressions from the screw. These are often missing as they drop out the first time the parts are separated and people don't notice, or know what they are when they find one on the floor.
NB if you are looking at an old tool you can tell at a glance if the button is missing, from the tell-tale round impressions/scratches left by the screw.

 

[AndyT]

You have two problems with the brass. On the stock you can see that the original lacquer has failed. You could either leave it as it is or try to remove it. The risk is that if you polish the brass it will look horrible - it's a tool not a piece of bling. On the stem you have the physical damage - if you try to smooth out the dents you'll make the brass too small to work.

I suggest a gentle approach to just get the grime off and prevent further deterioration. Have a look at this thread where I showed what I did on a neglected mortice gauge:
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/old-tool-cleaning-part-1-use-of-wax-t64195.html


Replacing the pins should be possible - you'll need to slide the brass out, drill out the old ones and solder or glue something new in place. Not something I've attempted - post some pics if you manage it.

BTW it's a standard Sheffield tool - if it was bought abroad it had probably been exported there.


There may be a maker's name in very small type which will show up when cleaned.