Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 18, 2007 12:34am | #1

   Sargent used good quality steel for their blades so I would suggest that you sharpen and use it as is.  By the way, I saw your original post, and I'm quite sure your plane is a Sargent. 

   Aftermarket blades have state of the art steel and tempering which probably means they are slightly better at holding an edge, but most of the gain in performance with these blades comes from their added thickness. 

   I have always used the original blades in my planes and felt that they performed well and that the aftermarket blades didn't vastly improve the performance in day to day use on ordinary wood.  The fancy blades probably are justified for working with exotically grained and tropical woods that are challenging to work with.

   John White

   
   

   ---

   Edited 3/17/2007 5:37 pm ET by JohnWW

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Mar 18, 2007 01:13am | #2

   Thanks, John.  Sharpen it I will.  Happy to do it and not have to lay out more cash.

   BTW the conclusive proof that it is a Sargent came u out of the rust of the blade today -- a blade stamp that says HERCULES Sargent Manufacturing Company.  Do you know of anyplace that has date information of Sargent planes?  I am curious as to how old it is.

   Edited 3/17/2007 6:16 pm ET by Joe Sullivan

2. 
   Joe Sullivan | Mar 22, 2007 06:43am | #3

   JOhn:Have hit a wee snag with my Sargent. I got it pretty well cleaned up, and was test assembling it when trouble reared its head. As you know, the frog rests on the equivalent of japanned slides cast into the sole and is held to the sole with two screws that go through long slots. When I tighten the screws, the frog will only sit tightly in a small range of the whole length of the slots. If I move the frog forward, and tighten the screws, it will slide back to its preferred location even as I tighten them down. This appears to be a problem because it appears that the spot where the frog likes to live is too far back to support the blade.I have not tightened down the bolt that holds the lever cap. Could be that will flex the blade into the frog, but it does not seem right.Any suggestions or observations? How can I make the frog hop forward?

   Edited 3/21/2007 11:44 pm ET by Joe Sullivan

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 26, 2007 10:08pm | #4

   Joe,

   I'm sorry for not answering you sooner, but I have been traveling.  I think I know what your problem is, but I need to spend a few minutes with a disassembled plane to confirm this.  I will get back to you shortly. 

   By the way, was the plane body painted green, with the blade painted a dark gold, with the name Hercules cast into the face of the lever cap?

   John W.

   Edited 3/26/2007 3:11 pm ET by JohnWW

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Mar 27, 2007 05:33am | #5

   Thanks, John. 

   The plane is painted black.  There is no name on the lever cap, but the blade itself is marked Hercules and Sargent up near the top (con't be exact because it is in the workshop and it is pouring rain out).

   Joe