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golden oldie

bruder3 | Posted in Photo Gallery on February 12, 2008 04:37am

yard sale find -English oak hand plane, late 1500’s, found in

Tripoli – Barbary pirates capture English ship’s carpenter?

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  1. ruffmike | Feb 12, 2008 04:42am | #1

    Wow, how does one confirm the age of something like that?

    Seems priceless, but what would it be sold for?

    I like the idea of the story behind it.

                                Mike

        Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.

    1. User avater
      Luka | Feb 12, 2008 04:48am | #2

      If an accurate measurement and depictions of the "rings" in the wood of the thing can be had, then it can be dated pretty closely.


      Yeah, it may be cold, but at least it's a wet cold !

      1. ruffmike | Feb 12, 2008 04:59am | #4

        As in drought years, wet years type of thing? I suppose somewhere on a back alley in London there is an antique tool apraiser, just waiting for this thing to come across the counter. ; ^ )                            Mike

            Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.

        1. User avater
          Luka | Feb 12, 2008 05:06am | #6

          Drought years/wet years. Close.Somewhere, there is a sort of "map" of tree rings.I think it goes back thousands of years. So hundreds would be easy.If a band of the tree rings on the plane can be matched to that 'map', that should get you close.The tree could have been very old by the time it was cut down and part used for the plane. So, it isn't all that accurate, by any means. But if someone says... say 1500, and the rings show 1700 or something of the sort, then you'd know the claim was wrong. And versey-visey, if the rings showed somewhere close to the date claimed, it just might be true...


          Yeah, it may be cold, but at least it's a wet cold !

    2. bruder3 | Feb 12, 2008 04:57am | #3

      going to work on a saturday, couldn't pass up the yard sale(never can!) older lady said her uncle, history prof in Africa for 15 years, picked it up in his travels in the 50's, he claimed it was pirate booty and dated it. she sold it to me for $2! People will pull yer leg, but usually for alot more money.

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Feb 12, 2008 05:03am | #5

        I think I see a chip breaker or double iron, cap iron in the pic.

        I also don't think that was common till the 1700's..but I can't verify where I heard that.

        Pretty cool none the less.

        See if the iron has a hardened edge forge welded on to the soft iron blade ..that will date the iron at least..hard steel was not all that common either till later.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

        1. User avater
          davidhawks | Feb 13, 2008 05:58am | #13

          Hijack Alert!

          Hey Duane,

          Picked this up the other for almost nothing.  Actually, it was exactly nothing.  Been meaning to post it for your perusal and opinion, and whaddaya know, a thread about old planes materializes just when ya need one.

          Ahh, the majik of BT!View Image

           

          View Image

           

          View Image

           

          View ImageThe best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.

          1. User avater
            Sphere | Feb 13, 2008 06:15am | #14

            Way cool!  That is a PLOW PLANE. Primative, but a lot of them were. I had one outta chestnut, but it burnt in the fire.

            Nice long fence rails there..means it could reach fairly far into a wide panel or timber.

            Hang it on the wall..thats what is best for it.

            EDit: you always wear girlie rings? Not that there is anything...like wrong with that.

            Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

            Edited 2/12/2008 10:17 pm ET by Sphere

          2. User avater
            davidhawks | Feb 13, 2008 06:22am | #15

            Kinda hard to hold the item AND snap the pic!!!!!!

            I knew as soon as I posted it I'd be hearing some shid from somebody.

            I don't wear that stuff--just pay for it <LOL>.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.

          3. User avater
            Sphere | Feb 13, 2008 06:30am | #16

            If thats the same sweetie I met, I am sure you don't mind paying for the bling. (G)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

          4. User avater
            davidhawks | Feb 14, 2008 03:11am | #17

            Thank you kind sir.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.

  2. dovetail97128 | Feb 12, 2008 06:14am | #7

    How does one identify English oak as opposed to oaks from other regions?

    They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
    1. User avater
      Heck | Feb 12, 2008 06:42am | #8

      English oak has a very strange sense of humor.                        

      1. dovetail97128 | Feb 12, 2008 06:49am | #9

        And no doubt a dry one after 500 years.

        They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

        1. User avater
          Heck | Feb 12, 2008 06:54am | #10

          touche                        

    2. User avater
      Sphere | Feb 12, 2008 04:32pm | #12

      Lack of orthodontial work performed.

       

      Actually the best way is a hand lens and careful examination of the specimen. And compareing it to a known control.

      Oak is a lousy plane wood..matter of fact the "Plane tree"  is a beech or Sycamore in the UK. I don't know when it became the GoTo wood of choice, but it carried over to here with our use of Beech ( look at any Sandusky plane).

       Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

      "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

      1. dovetail97128 | Feb 14, 2008 04:20am | #18

        sphere,
        I own four Sandusky planes for certain, possibly a couple of others but the irons are so bad I can't read the makers stamp. 3 "boat " shaped planes about 7" long, one of the same shape but with a rabbit on the sides and the others are small rabbit planes. I spent my summers as a kid directly across Sandusky Bay from the Sandusky plant so they have a bit of personal nostalgia attached to them. Quite a history to that company.
        They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

        1. User avater
          Sphere | Feb 14, 2008 04:56am | #19

          Sandusky was the manufacturer IIRC.

          I'll have to look at some of mine, but I am prtty sure that was the Co. name as well as the location.

          They were industry standard in thier day.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

          "Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"

          1. dovetail97128 | Feb 14, 2008 05:08am | #20

            Here ya go. http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS/planes/Sandusky/index.asp Before my dad died he and I visited the Sandusky City Library and did some research on the company , and the walked over the ground where the factory stood. Nothing left anymore , it is now a park area ( Or was when we walked it.) The company was slow to recognize the move to all metal plane bodies and lost a lot of ground to Stanley and Bailey and other who saw the future and started production of them.. That was the beginning of the end for them/. The main site is a great resource, plus just fun to ramble around on and see what it has . http://www.wkfinetools.com/index.asp
            They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

          2. DougU | Feb 14, 2008 05:42am | #21

            View Image

            lost a lot of ground to Stanley and Bailey

            Yea but there aint no Stanleys or Baileys worth as much as the famous Sandusky plow plane!

            http://rednersville.blogspot.com/2004/10/sandusky-plow-plane-in-ebony-ivory.html

            Doug

             

          3. dovetail97128 | Feb 14, 2008 05:49am | #22

            Thanks for that . I had seen photos of that plane before but had never read that story. Quite a piece.
            They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

          4. rez | Feb 14, 2008 06:27am | #23

            woo! $104,000 and a 10% buyers premium.

             

            dat's a spicy meataballa 

             

            Peach full,easy feelin'.

  3. bobbys | Feb 12, 2008 01:13pm | #11

    2 bucks??? dont you feel a little foolish when you can buy a brand new one at the local dollar store BRAND new.

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