woodworking tools with a little drama

[Branson]

Lewill, that may be the right call. There were several canals in upstate New York.

Branson, I think the opium boom in New York was over by the time this chest was built in the 19th century.

Opium boom all over all ready?!  Oh drat.  Did they have grapes yet? 

The thing is, I've never seen a caulk removing tool that looked anything like this.  The shape of the blade, though, is a  very common  horticultural pattern, especially for harvesting grapes and herbs, has been over many years time. 

An argument against it being a caulk removing tool is that none of the other tools are shipwright's tools, and no caulking mallet, no caulking irons.  There are no chisels for the heavy work required -- all the chisels are tanged chisels and not one socket firmer, mortiser or framer.   

I think you are right on the money about "The Human Figure."   These are about the proportions needed by a sculptor. 

Craftsmen relentlessly steal the tools of other trades that serve some need.  Maybe the guy found some special use for the little sickle.  Maybe he harvested rose hips on the side...  But as a caulk remover, that blade would die in a day's work, seems to me.

[scottg]

Definitely a grape knife.
 It could and surely can be pressed into other service. But decidedly a grape knife when it was made.
 Its just too classic an outline to miss.

 This guy probably had a vine over the doorway!
 A super classic advertisement of contentment in life, going back about as far as people, having a vine over the door.
   yours Scott 

[skipskip]

an Awl , a Gimlet and  I dunno


AUG 055 by skipskip, on Flickr



AUG 054 by skipskip, on Flickr




more pics here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skipskip/sets/72157634813689063/

[Branson]

Um, the tool in the middle is a corkscrew, not a gimlet.  But a nice looking one.

[oldtools]

The dunno  looks like a wooden keg/barrow plug/valve..

[skipskip]

The dunno  looks like a wooden keg/barrow plug/valve..

yes, and I found the  rest of it, I am beginning to see a pattern here :)

grape knife, corkscrew, barrel valve.

perhaps our carpenter worked in a vineyard, or at least used their products

[skipskip]

Chisels today.

the best part of this hobby ( aside from all the interesting people) is learning about a new part of the tool world.

Woodworking is  a new field for me, so I need to learn the names of the tools, and the history of the makers.

The interweb is a big help, but often it's confusing.

here are some pics of the tools I think are chisels.

these three have no names on them, the two on the left are small mortise chisels?  the one on the right looks like a letter opener


AUG 078 by skipskip, on Flickr


next three are stamped acier fondu , (French for cast steel, I read) and have an eye logo.


AUG 080 by skipskip, on Flickr


this one  says S.J. Addis London and a Mason compass logo


AUG 083 by skipskip, on Flickr


these two are Goldenberg


AUG 088 by skipskip, on Flickr



more pics of these are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skipskip/sets/72157634813689063/


any help or info on these will be greatly appreciated

Skip

[scottg]

 Well the bottom ones are pigsticker mortise chisels and they've got full length blades. Not used much, and so pretty desirable now.
 The skew chisels (ground off at an angle) and the straight chisels ground from both sides are for woodcarving/sculpting. This is how we do it.
 
   The one side beveled straight chisels are really for general carpenter/joiner/cabinet benchwork, but you know these woodcarvers, they will use anything! hehehehhe

   The long tapered blade gouge (letter opener?) was customized for a specific job. I have no idea what, but it wasn't made that way.
   yours Scott

[Helleri]

@OP: Did you feel like a ninja making that silent acquisition? I would, lol. How much did you get away with all of it for about (you said it was a bit expensive)?

[Branson]

Chisels today.
the best part of this hobby ( aside from all the interesting people) is learning about a new part of the tool world.
Woodworking is  a new field for me, so I need to learn the names of the tools, and the history of the makers.
The interweb is a big help, but often it's confusing.
next three are stamped acier fondu , (French for cast steel, I read) and have an eye logo.
this one  says S.J. Addis London and a Mason compass logo

Skip

Acier Fondue does mean cast steel.  You find this mark on a number of French tools -- Peugeot tools are mostly so marked, and those Opinel folding knives that Mr. Chuck doesn't care for <g>.  (Acier Lame is another mark occasionally found, which means laminated steel. )  In my experience, the French acier fondue isn't quite as good as English or American cast steel, but it is quite good.   Cast steel is always a selling point for me -- it's both hard and tough.  I have a W. Butcher 3/4 inch mortise chisel I bought in 1983.  Had it sharpened, and in the last 30 years I've had to hone the edge five times -- it will still raise a curl on your finger nail!

Most of the Sheffield tool makers produced excellent products.  None I have or have used are less than the best.  I haven't used any Addis chisels, but I notice they are commanding good prices on eBay these days. 

Learning the names of the tools and the makers is a long process.  The names are easy enough, but books are better than the internet in my opinion.
You'll find good information in Bealer's Old Ways of Working Wood, all of Eric Sloane's books,  Aldren Watson's Country Furniture, Roy Underhill's books.  Watson and Underhill also have projects for using these tools. 

You'll have fun learning this stuff!

[Plyerman]

Fantastic score there Skip! I'm enjoying seeing the pictures and hearing about the tools inside.

Question: Have we came up with an approximate age of this tool box?

[skipskip]

@OP: Did you feel like a ninja making that silent acquisition? I would, lol. How much did you get away with all of it for about (you said it was a bit expensive)?

I am reluctant to say a number, but it made a healthy dent in my tool budget for a while.

[skipskip]

Question: Have we came up with an approximate age of this tool box?

most of these tools are European, and unfamiliar to me, so dating is  a challenge.

 I get a sense of first half of the 20th century, hopefully others more qualified than  me can narrow it down a bit.

Skip

[Branson]

Question: Have we came up with an approximate age of this tool box?

I've seen period photos of this style of tool box dating from the mid to late 1800s.  But the S.J. Addis  mark is a useful clue.   Samuel James Addis (S.J.) was born in 1811.    He's listed as a London tool maker in 1846.  He died in 1870, "and the rights to the S.J. Addis trademark are bought by Ward & Payne of Sheffield who begin to mark their "Celebrated London Pattern Carving Tools" with the S.J. Addis name and the Ward and Payne crossed hammers and anvil trademark. These tools were probably being made by J.B. Addis [Samuel's younger brother]."

Since the Mason's dividers and compass mark is not the crossed hammers and anvil trademark of Ward and Payne, the skew chisel probably pre-dates 1870.  So I think it likely this box was old at the dawn of the 20th Century.

[skipskip]

A few gouge pics today

Only one new brand name

 DR Barton Rochester NY 1832

the date is the time they started the biz, not the date of the gouge.


AUG 123 by skipskip, on Flickr

some of the gouges are numbered, some not. Is it a "I know what size I need" kind of thing?  or did they all start out with numbers?