Help identifying some toothing? planes- English? French? Italian? Aussie?

Checking in with the builders here since there is an international contingent who will see a lot more wood and tools that I'll ever run across.

I believe I have a set of small European or Mediteranean toothing planes. For those unfamiliar with these, they have a serrated edge that is used to work on highly figured woods that are prone to tearout with a regular plane. Often on veneers and also for prepping a surface before gluing on veneer.

Anyway, I at first thought that the bodies were made of either "Hairy Oak" or "She Oak" but after some futher searching, I found that there is an oak used in both Italy and France that is variously listed as "Holm Oak (quercus Ilex), "Green Oak" of "Chene Vert".

The throats seem to indicate a European origin. Maybe someone can recognize one of the the two marks stamped on the body. One is a castle and the other seems to be a stylized eye.


Finally, does anyone use this sort of plane or are drum sanders the answer?

Images can be seen here: http://s164.photobucket.com/user/gyozu/library/Woodworking%20Projects/Unknown%20wooden%20block%20planes

The planes with the high pitch are toothing Planes for preparing veneer substrate. I think they are bedded a little high for toothing Planes intended for figured woods. They do seem to be continental - French or Italian. The eye stamp is by Goldenburg (I believe), a French maker. I have a Goldenburg wooden Plane but it is of much more recent manufacture, is made of Beech and sports a Puegeot Blade. I use this Plane in preference to many other metal bodied Planes that I have, except when it comes to 'difficult' woods. A very nice Plane to use. Nearly all the English Planes of the 19 th and 20 th century that I've come across have been Beech. I have heard that Oak was used in France and Italy.
You may not find the toothing planes of much use. The one bedded at a lower angle will work great if set up well. They need to be set up well otherwise they can be a source of great frustration.
I don't know the Castle mark. It does seem vaguely familiar. Somewhere on the net is a website that shows a great many makers Plane and Steel marks/stamps. As usual, I can't find it! The Castle mark should prove easy to trace. Just put it on one of the hand tool sections of a woodworking forum.

Note that "toothing", or cross grain scoring with the idea of improving the adhesion in a glue joint is highly controversial, and that carefully controlled experiments usually result in the practice actually weakening the glue joint(s). It's one of those things that "seems like a good idea". What I've observed is that by cutting through so many long wood fibers, the wood itself is weakened on either side of the glue line, and you get greater wood failure. This can be seen particularly with spruce under ebony guitar bridges where this has been done.

Rick Turner said:

Note that "toothing", or cross grain scoring with the idea of improving the adhesion in a glue joint is highly controversial, and that carefully controlled experiments usually result in the practice actually weakening the glue joint(s). It's one of those things that "seems like a good idea". What I've observed is that by cutting through so many long wood fibers, the wood itself is weakened on either side of the glue line, and you get greater wood failure. This can be seen particularly with spruce under ebony guitar bridges where this has been done.

Click to expand...

Rick: I am new to toothing planes. Never used one before. I would think that the structural demands of an instrument are higher than soemone who is veneering a thick piece of veneer to a drawer. What has my interest is possibly a way to surface highly figured/ crazy grained woods and avoid tearout.

Michael: Thanks for that lead and the identification! That was spot on. I knew one of the members here would know something. Now I just need to get a blade and tune/set it up.

Make sure the sole is flat, preferably at your average shop Humidity. You need to avoid the hollow just in front of the blade. The Japanese planes usually have the sole touching at 3 points: right at the heel, at the toe and just in front of the Blade. The rest is irrelevant. You don't have to follow that but it does tell you the important aspects. Equally important is the fit of the wedge - that has to be a perfect fit both sides, all the way down. Adjustment takes practice. Eventually it becomes second nature and very quick. . . . oh and a truly sharp blade. The real advantage in woodies is their weight or rather lack of. If you have a lot of planing to do and using average density, well behaved timber they are a joy to use. I reach for the metal Plane in hard or difficult grain timbers.

Ahh, the weight...

I used to have an all-lignum vitae plane that was not exactly light weight, but it was such a pleasure to use...

You get into adjusting these things with nice light taps of a hammer...a bit here, a bit there, over slightly...ahh, just right!

Here's my Goldenburg:



I bought it used for the princely sum of £10. It didn't come like that. I added the thumb grips and the Rosewood palm pads. I think i took a bit off the length of the plane as well. Beech body with a very thick Lignum sole. Puegeot blade is good. £10 well spent.