What special tool do you have in your shop that was passed-down by your Pappy, GrandPa (special friend or relative)? Why is it special and do you use it? (or) What special tool of Pap’s do you wish you had?
I keep my late Dad’s “Defiance” plane on a shelf, sharpened and ready to go. It is a cheap old plane (like Dad was), a dime-store Stanley-made brand the same size as a Stanley #5. It lacks most of the more advanced features of nicer brands from the same era but will still peel a curl of wood as long as your arm. Dad was real cheap and considered a knock-off tool to be as useful as a name brand. He suffered along for years because he refused modern technologies (like phillips screws). I use it to remember the good and the bad and try to enjoy the past but also am a strong believer in self-improvement and moving forward. And I do use it occasionally but the lack of an adjustable frog usually moves me to the Bailey #4 that sits next to it.
The plane matches the rusty steel “Defiance” carpenter’s square that he swore by. He treated it like it was made of gold and relied on it 100% but in later years when I compared it to new tools I found it was about 1/16″ out of square per 12 inches…explains a lot of problems we had way back when.
(What about you Mike?)
Replies
I just got the Rigid planer from HD for $379, the TP 1300 model. I bought it after looking at 2004 Tool Guide put out by Taunton Press. It got a good review. Just ran some red oak through it. THe first pass was good. The second one, not so good, I guess I did not realize I was trying to take too much off and the machine did sound like it was bogging down. One thing about planers is that they are sure LOUD. I thought about getting the Ryobi but I like the fact that the Rigid came with a stand. All I can say, without having ran other planers is that my experience with the Rigid planer is good. - Tom
One of the first tools I got.
My great uncle's No2
Still works a treat.
Cheers,
eddie
I have theStanley
Mine is similar to yours papa. I have an old chipped and rusty Stanley Handyman plane that I inhereted from my grandfather after he passed away last winter. Some day I shall clean and tune it, but for now I let is sit as a reminder to all the time we spent chating and working on my truck before he passed away.
Jim
Coventry Woodworking
Similar to Jim, I have my dad's 40+ year old Stanley #4. The sole's dead flat, the blade will shave my fore-arm just by looking at it, but alas, it doesn't like the hardwoods I work with. The sides need the rust removed, the finish on the handles is mostly shot... but I keep it right alongside my L-N Bedrocks... it's every bit as "special" to me....
Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
el papa,
I've got a drawknife, and a turning gouge that were my grand dad's. He died before I was born, but I have a small table with turned legs that he may have used the gouge on. I use them frequently. Also have one of those metal Stanley t&g planes with the fence that flips around to t or g. And the two man crosscut. It's a Simonds. You can still read the trade mark engraved on the blade. I pulled that "misery whip" a time or two with my old man. "D**n it, boy, I don't mind you ridin' that thing, but do you HAVE to drag your feet while you do it?"
Also have a "Liberty Bell" Disston that was owned by Carlyle Lynch, and another Liberty Bell that belonged to a fellow named Lloyd Kiser who was a sort of mentor to me back in the day. We worked at a shop called "Virginia Craftsmen", and I was fortunate to work at the bench beside Lloyd. He taught me many tricks of the trade. Carlyle was an excellent craftsman as well as a draftsman. A true southern gentleman, he never was too busy to accomodate a visitor, and answer questions, share a bit of philosophy. He was the grand old man of woodworking here in the valley, and many benefitted from his willingness to share his knowledge.
It's sort of bittersweet to buy a fellow's tools at his estate sale, but as they say, as long as someone is remembered, they are not truly gone. I think of those guys every time I glance at their tools in the box. Maybe some of their skills came along with the tools, one can only hope.
Cheers,
Ray
Ray,
I remember our family stopping by to see Carlyle Lynch when I was in high school and he was incredibly generous with his time and enjoyable to visit. Dad had several of his plans and even I have made a couple of the pieces.
A week later we got a package in the mail labeled "Careful Honey!" and opened it to find that Mr. Lynch had sent us honey from his beehives that my brothers and I had been interested in.
Just a brief meeting, but I was always impressed by him.
Cal
I have my father's 1947 model 10E Shopsmith, that he bought with the last Navy check he got after WWII. The E stood for "experimental"; and this model pre-dated the famous 10ER. I have the original hand typed letter from Magna stating "there is no instruction manual as of yet, but we will send one as soon as we write it."
My first woodworking projects were entirely made with it, and it still works well. It has a special place in my shop.
Regards,
Dan
Fantastic tools, great stories. Keep 'em comin'.
wow thats a cool tool story.please excuse my spelling.
El papa, I have a working industrial Singer sewing machine that I've been using since the 70's
Started out as just the head
Built the first table, added motor clutch and leg operated switch
When I moved to Connecticut, had to toss the table but kept only the head.
Built a new table and instead of a motor/clutch utilized a half inch electric drill as the power source and built the leg control with the drill's variable speed switch. Neat!
I sew leather /canvas into any number of tool rolls ,duffel bags, tool aprons etc
My grand kids get costumes, sword scabbards istol holsters knife sheaths etc.
Camera cases, pouches ,covers for my hand planes ,wallets etc.
Just completed six globular shaped awnings for a friend's restaurant.
Steinmetz.
I have my grandpa’s small handsaw made by a company called Bluegrass. My grandma told me this saw caused their first fight, back in early 1925, when she used it to cut a bone in the kitchen. I’m not sure why she’d use a dirty old handsaw in the kitchen, He had to take it with him to work ( he was a carpenter at NCR in Dayton Ohio) to have it re-toothed. I have sharpened the saw myself several times, and I can see why it had to be re-toothed, as it is extremely brittle. I have several of his other tools, but that saw is the first one that came to mind.
Rob Millard
El papa,
My father-in-law had a custom cabinet shop in NYC. When he closed the shop he gave me some of the smaller tools and sold the rest to a cabinet maker who shared his shop. I got the hand planes and a 4 X 24 Mikita sander. I'm not a big hand tool user so I haven't focused on them. Unfortunately about 15 months ago I had a flood in the cellar shop and lost a bunch of stuff. The planes are still there. Some day I'll pull them out and try to restore them. I probably have about 8-10 different ones and they probably date back to the 1930's - 50'. but I'm guessing.
I take a look at them and let you know what they are. Some day I'll need some information on how to do the restoration.
ASK
Neat stories! My special tools are two planes. One a nice 605 Bedrock, and the other a 220 block plane. They are from my great uncle, who I never met. He was a carpenter in a small town around here, and people still talk about his houses. My grandfather, who I also never met, worked with him to side a house once. He missed with a hammer swing, and dimpled the stick of siding, so my uncle made him put up a new piece. Quite a perfectionest I guess. Makes me wonder why he bought the 220? There are much better block planes out there.
Whenever I use the 605, I think it maks me do a better job. Kind of feels like Uncle Leonard is standing there critiquing me work.
I consider myself quite fortunate to have "Poppie's" wall-hanging tool box and a few of his tools (most were sold when he died). I do have three of his Disston saws, and another he cobbled up as a back saw from dear knows what, an "egg-beater" drill, one chisel that I know was his, and a couple of others that may have been.
Then I have a bunch of paint/varnish brushes that were my Great Uncle Dick's. People are amazed to learn that I'm using brushes that are now serving their third master, and are over 75 years old.
I love their presence in my hand, and the solid "Ka thunk" the tool box makes when I close it. I like to think that these experienced tools help me to do better work, but sometimes I'm not so certain that anything will help, LOL.
Some screwdrivers and an old wooden toolbox from my Dad.
A 1960s vintage Delta "tablesaw," a 1910s vintage drill press, and some real old Disston handsaws from my grandfather.
Every tool my wife has gotten me. It took me five years of arguing, but I finally got her to understand that my hand tools are the emotional equivalent as her diamonds(hence appropriate valentines and anniversary presents!!). She didn't believe me for the longest time until I took her through my shop and told her when and how I got each and every tool. I have 3 1/2 pony clamps and an old millers falls brace from my granddad. A disston and millers falls mitre box from my dad, a keen kutter number five, the first tool i ever bought(17.50 at a flea market)..............wish I had this post a couple years ago. woulda saved me some arguing about the sentimentality of tools
I have my grandfather's brace and push drill. I also have some of my father's electrical tools. He was a construction electrician. The toolbox has enough wire cutters and other connectors to last my lifetime. I have already had them 20+ years.
The most special tool I have is my grandmother's pinking shears (zig-zag cutting). When I was about 4 I got mad at her for spanking me and threw them in the fire. I quickly realized I should not have done that. I pulled them out but the handles were crispy critters. My grandmother put bandaids on the handles to cushion them and she used them until she was in her 80's. She got about 35 years of guilt out of them. She would periodically pull them out of the sewing machine and ask if I remembered putting them in the fire. She was a cool old lady.
el papa,
My father never had a decent tool in his life....a fact he often mentioned when attempting to fix something ....apparently he thought swearing and invoking the holy hosts would make a cheap tool work better...I've been trying the same technique for years with little success...lol.
I have a bunch of old goodies now and often think about the craftsman that used these tool....wish they were members of my family...
I have a number of tools handed down to me. A couple of unusual tools are as follows:
1. A seam rake for removing seaming cotton in "clinker" wooden boat hulls.
2. A caulking iron for putting the seaming cotton back.
3. A hand saw set tool.
4. A hand saw filing guide.
5. A wonderful drop forged screwdriver where the handle and blade are one piece with wooden applique' (phonetic) grips.
6. A bunch of planes.
I have several tools that were my grandfather's. He passed away when my mom was young, but she hung onto them. He was a maintenance man in a factory. Among the treasures:
A brace and auger bits, still in the handmade wooden box.
A set of pipe threaders, from 1" to 3 1/4", again in a wooden box.
Two old block planes (use them quite often).
An old machinist's vice / anvil, weighs over 100 pounds.
Various cutting oils, still in the original 1930's containers.
A set of seven pipe wrenches, handle lengths from 4" to 30".
A multitude of hand tools: hammers, files, rasps, chisels, all in two old tool boxes he purchased in the 1930's.
There is a lot of history in those tools, history of a great man I never met. Sure wish I could have.
inherited tools from my late father in law. Didn't know much about w.w. but learned fast. now have many new tools but still use that old 8" beaver table saw. Just got another one for parts. Some good things just never die.
Tom B
I have the 75th Anniversery Porter Cable router that the ex-wife bought Me..use it everyday..she still purrs like a kitten..the Router... the ex-wife NEVER sounded that good..
JC
My ex wife never purred like a kitten'
(Perhaps it was because she was a bow wow?)
Stein.
I have a ew tools left over from my Grandad (Nonno):
1) His trowel - put me through College and Med School
2) His old brick hammer
3) An old plane
4) a few old chisels that I have tuned up and his old brace/ bits
There was an old ruined socket chisel that was beyond repair. I took it to a friend who is a blacksmith. We forged it into a knife blade. My son's grandfather kicked in a Montana deer horn for a handle and I made a pretty nice knife out of it for my seven year old boy.
This sort of thing is precious to me.
Frank
Biscardi, I liked that tale of your's about the incarnation of the old chisel,( Now a knife
treasured by your son.) I'm now 73-1/2 and still have many tools of my Dad's, his brother and my Grand dad. Over the years, I've given some to my sons, grand sons and to a few good friends.
A few years ago after I was rushed to the E R to repair my severed thumb, I got to know the surgeon who stitched it back to pretty good shape.
In the process, I learned how to make a surgeon's knot and to do close work with hemostats and forceps. On follow up visits to his office, I learned of his fondness for old tools and wood working. (But disdain for moving machinery)
One of my hobbies is finding and restoring fine old tools , so on my final visit to his office, I gave him a small cleaned, sharpened and buffed old Stanley open throat router plane.
He was thrilled and promised to learn to use it and only hand tools and avoid power tools to insure not having to give up his day job. Stein.
Edited 6/18/2004 2:24 am ET by steinmetz
Edited 6/18/2004 2:41 am ET by steinmetz
When Grandpa died in '88 he was 97 years old. He left behind a whole barn full of stuff much of which I inherited. He did many things in course of his life to bring up a family of seven through the Great Depression, tinknocking, plumbing, carpentry, furniture building. I have a kerosene stove which was meant to heat soldering irons, several of the irons, an old 'blow torch', a standing seam roof crimper, saw sets, molten lead ladel, a huge two handled Milwalkee drill from about 1940 which still works by the way and weighs about 20 lbs., a beautiful cast iron Millers Falls miter box with the 3' backsaw.
This is besides my plane collection. I have the full line of the old Stanley bench planes including several Bedrocks. One plane is from 1858 before Bailey and it is an adjustable circular plane...odd looking thing.
There are tools in my shop, that I don't even know what they are. I have to get rid of some of the stuff. It's interesting, but it's just too much.
Jer,
If you're getting rid of stuff, I'd be glad to provide good home to some old planes.... especially that circular. :) Sounds like a nice collection.Steve
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