| Blog series by Don W | updated 09-02-2014 10:57 PM | 9 parts | 29821 reads | 74 comments total |
Part 1: The type 1 #409 Pre lateral
I picked up a type 1 #409. I thought it was a Stanley when I first picked it up because it had a Stanley Iron of the correct vintage. A quickly noticed some markings behind the frog that shouldn’t be there. A little rubbing and a number 409 immerged. At that point I knew the plane was coming home with me. The day before I bought this plane I was fishing through a tool box and came across an old 2” Sargent iron. I thought, I may need that someday, so I asked the guy what he wanted for...
Part 2: Typing the type 2 or 3 409c (or maybe 5409)
So again I find myself engrossed in the type information found in Dave Heckel’s guide, and HMike's Blog. I bought this because real early corrugated planes are not as common place as some others. And as usually dating them can be a bit of a challenge. The lever cap has the number and the cap, which means it could be a type 1, 2 or 3. The frog puts it around a type 3, assuming all type 2’s had the horseshoe lateral. The base also put it at a type 3. The thin cas...
Part 3: Determining a 408 versus 5408
I bought this hoping it was a 5408, but knowing I would love to add it to my collection even as a type 3 #408. If you look at my last blog, in this series I compared what I believe to be a 409 and a 5409. So lets look at this new 408. Working through the criteria for a 5400 series.Here is what this 408 has.- corrugated sole- a blank cap (should have the number and a dot on the back though)- Cutter marked with Oval Trademark with U.S.A. in center (type 2 Iron)- Two-piece cutter adjusting nu...
Part 4: Some information on typing the Sargent bench plane
An ongoing blog on dating a 400 series Sargent bench plane http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/determining-a-sargent-bench-plane-vintage/
Part 5: Fulton or Fulton Tool Company.
You will find more information and more pictures on my blog. The problem with being on a quest for knowledge is the endless circles you often get stuck in, and the off roads that follow. I’m always looking for information on older Sargent hand planes. So recently I bought a hand plane off ebay that is an obvious early Sargent 409. It’s got Rosewood, a type 4 base, with a type 3 frog, and a “Fulton Tool Co” cutter. The type 4 base dates it to 1911 to 1918. I know Sargent made ...
Part 6: Sargent #409 with a Brass name plate.
I saw a posting on Ebay that looked like this: Besides the upside down lever cap, something looked different. I thought the logo looked brass, so I contacted the seller. These Sargent planes with brass inserts were produced in limited runs sometime between 1927 and 1939. I put a max bid and won it for the exact max amount. How lucky is that? This is the first time I’ve seen one on eBay, and there were 3 at the same time, all different sellers. Talk about coincidence. A #407 had a...
Part 7: A type 1 #414 restored.
This is an ebay find. I took a chance thinking it might be a type 1. This time it paid off. The before: And the now: It’s complete and all look parts are period correct.
Part 8: A Sargent #5418 ready for Service.
In between getting a bunch of new old planes ready for resale I decided to resurrect this Sargent #5418. This was one of those impulse buys. It was just a base and frog that had already been refinished. Anything in the #5400 series is fairly scarce, so I snapped it up. This one has the 2 piece adjuster. I remade the tote from a piece of Honduras Rosewood. Unfortunately the cutter is not the right vintage. It’s a bit newer than the plane itself.
Part 9: No its not a Sargent 5409, but the other one?
More pictures on my blog I’ve got a very strict rule about computers. After the 2nd cocktail, I don’t return work emails and I don’t buy on ebay. But, who follows rules after the 2nd cocktail? Apparently not me. The work rule is easy. Who wants to work once the fun starts. So I made this impulse purchase. Its 2 planes. I thought one was a Sargent #5409. It was all there, the thin casting, the steel insert in the adjustment knob, the twisted lateral and a corrugated bottom. The proble...
