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Something so
Right... by Scott Grandstaff
Well, there is an old saying
about blind hogs and acorns...
 And yesterday, I found one. Right in my own basement,
right in front of my own eyes, unrecognized for who knows how
long??
I had scored a spokeshave.
Wm. Marples and his boys made, at one time, miniature
spokeshaves in solid genuine boxwood. They aren't
particularly rare, but they are totally adorable.
They almost never sell in my
price range (that being a little to nothing range). I had
looked maybe 5 years, off and on, waiting for one to "fall
through the cracks". Couple of weeks ago, it finally
happened... |
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Warranted Superior Saws
by Frank Peak
Any handsaw labeled Warranted Superior is the
Rodney Dangerfield of the saw world; it just don’t get no
respect. This is because most of these saws are the second line
offering of the maker and are not up to the high standards of
the rest of the line. They were produced in large numbers and
are not sought out by collectors. However, the following three
saws with Warranted Superior on the label screws are early and
unusual.
The first saw is by the uncommon maker W.
Stevens of New York circa 1860. It is a 10 PPI crosscut, 16”
panel saw with three Warranted Superior label screws. The large
center label screw is ¾” in diameter and the two smaller ones
are ½”, which are the smallest size label screws I’ve ever seen.
If anyone knows any of the history of this maker, please contact
me.
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Peter
A. Frasse & Co. - New York, NY
Peter A. Frasse and Co. began as a mechanical shop and tool
import business owned and operated by Henri Frederic Frasse, a
Swiss immigrant to New York City.
Frasse's shop was located at 95 Fair Street, later renamed
Fulton Street. During the first decades of the nineteenth
century Frasse's business prospered and his reputation grew due
in large part to the assistance he was known to have provided
Robert Fulton in perfecting the steamboat and other inventions.
Upon Henri Frasse's death in 1849 the business was taken over by
his son Peter A. Frasse and the company's name changed
accordingly. The name of the business was changed again in 1868
to "Peter A. Frasse & Co." when John M. Montgomery joined Frasse
as a business partner.
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My Mallets in Russia
by
James D. Thompson 
A while back I got an email from the assistant
editor of the Russian woodcarving magazine in Moscow, asking for
permission to take information about my mallets to use in an article
they wanted to publish. I gave permission and asked for a copy of
the magazine. I just received my copy.
I took my copy to a store to have it scanned so I could
send Wiktor a copy, but they refused to scan it citing copyright laws. I
pointed out that it was my copyright, but to no avail. I wound up
shooting pictures of the whole thing on my very old copy stand.
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Carving a Simple Flower by
P. Michael Henderson 
Some time ago, I did a tutorial on a woodworking
forum on how to carve a simple flower. In an attempt
to make that tutorial a bit more widely available,
I'm putting it here.
If you find this tutorial useful, I'd really
appreciate if you would send me an e-mail with the
subject line of "Flower carving" so I can get some
indication of how many people are reading it.
Note that I use the Swiss system to describe carving
tools in all of my carving tutorials.
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Bed, Night Tables
and Stereo Cabinet
by Mark Singer
 I just
finished a bed and night tables for our bedroom. Our Wenge
bedroom (see later in the article) set that I made was moved to
the guest house.
This bed is
quarter sawn white oak. All wood is solid, no veneers. The headboard
is detailed to expand in a dado for wood movement and there is a
reveal that acts as an expansion joint near the bottom.
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Disston Backsaw - Back and Handle
Dating by Philip Baker
 This study of markings that have been
used on the backs of backsaws and their handle design
will begin with the Henry Disston Company ca 1840-1890.
Other American saw companies in my collection, that were
in business over a time period long enough to provide
material for a study will be forthcoming.
The intent of this work is to share
knowledge I have gained from the Disston backsaws in my
custody. I encourage my readers to offer additional information that may fill holes or be of a contrary
nature. This, I believe, is the opportunity for us to
provide additional information on saw manufacture and
dating which (as far as I know) has not been published
to this date. |
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Making a Sharpening Disk for Carving Tools by
P. Michael Henderson
I'm often asked how to sharpen carving tools. I'm a big
believer in a power sharpening system because it allows you
to sharpen your tools quickly - which means you spend more
time carving and less time sharpening. In my carving
classes, I demonstrate the use of a sharpening disk mounted
on a lathe.
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Handsaw with Brass Escutcheon
by Frank Brickhouse
 The handle was disassembled and
taken off the blade. The mark on the blade and marks on
the handle under escutcheon suggest that both, handle and
escutcheon are authentic and are original parts of this saw.
There is small loss of wood to the end of the top handle horn
and chips to the end of the bottom horn. |
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Recent Articles
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Latest Downloads
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Foreign Rivalries - Hardware
by H.
R. Fox Bourne, 1884
Specialty Planes by Diego de Assis
A Day at the Butterley Iron
Works, Derbyshire
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The Penny Magazine - Society for the Diffusion of
Useful Knowledge, 1844
Making a Small Brass Hammer by
P. Michael Henderson
Bakewell's Backsaw for Lyon & Kellogg
by Joe Steiner and
Wiktor Kuc
Stanley Works' New
Premium Planes by Chris Schwarz
Shop Made Cauls by
P. Michael Henderson
Differentiating White and Red Oak
Lumber
by Bob Smalser
Hangers for Xmas Tree
Ornaments by Jim D. Thompson
Handsaw by C. & W. C. Richardson
- provided by Fred
Peak
Making Honeycomb Panels by Diego de Assis
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1916 -
One Century in Business, 1816-1916,
Peter A. Frasse
& Co.
1875 -
Frasse & Co.
- Catalogue and Price List
1903 -
Tools and Machines
by Charles
Barnard
1898 -
Rice Lewis & Son, General Hardware Illustrated Catalog,
Toronto, Canada
1920 -
Furniture of the Olden Time by
Frances Clary Morse
1921 -
Furniture of the Pilgrim Century, 1620-1720
by Wallace Nutting
1916 -
Carpentry
by Ira Samuel
Griffith
1892 -
Workshop Notes and Sketches
by Thomas A.
Clark
1915 -
Tools, Chucks and Fixtures
by Albert A.
Dowd
1917 -
Builders' Reliable Estimator and
Contractors' Guide by
Frederick T. Hodgson
1913 -
Drill Jigs
by
Machinery's Reference Series
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