These are in no particular order, just as I’ve entered then. This is what I believe to be my opinion in most cases, but often taken from some other source. Use the information as such.
Anants http://www.anant-tools.com/iron_bodies_bench_planes.html
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Belknap (Belknap Hardware & Mfg. Co)
- Bluegrass
- Pine Knot
Pine Knot and Bluegrass were house brands of Belknap. Belknap started in Louisville, Kentucky in 1840 twenty years before the start of the Civil War;it was started by William Burke Belknap.
They had several tiers of tools the first one is the highly recognized name of Bluegrass followed by Pine Knot, Crusader and Cyclone tools.
Other companies made their hand tools like Stanley, Sargent, Barcalo-Buffalo, Thorsen, Wright,& New Britain.
Belknap Hardware & Mfg. Co. – Louisville, KY
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Ben Hur
According to PTAMPIA Ben Hur was sold by Van Camp (See Van Camp Below) and made by A.B.Caldwell Mfg Co in Indianapolis, IN. Examples have been seen made by made by Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co. of Southington, CT as well.
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Brattleboro Tool Co
The Brattleboro Tool Co. manufactured C.E.Jennings and Steers. planes
Steers on www.steersplanes.com
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The Birmingham Plane Manufacturing Company of Birmingham, CT (1885-1900)
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Buck Bros. (sold by Home Depot)
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Capewell (logo may be from Capewell Horse Nail Company (1904)) (Hartford CT) about 1950’s. (see WHO MADE THE PRESSED STEEL FROG BENCH PLANES.)
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Columbia
According to PTAMPIA Columbia was made by Stanley & Others
In 1925 they were sold by Coloumbia Wood Tool Mfg Co. NYC, Also United Hardware & Tool NYC
In 1924 they were sold by L.S.Knoek & Co., Harford Ct
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The Consolidated Tool Works is recorded as having done business in New York City from 1890 into the 1920s. Their mark featured a ships’ helm wheel, and is quite distinctive. They also used the brand name, “Simplex.” Consolidated sold a number of tools including machinist’s tools, drills, iron planes and braces.
More Info:
http://www.sydnassloot.com/Brace/consolidated.htm
http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/42276/thread/
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Eclipse. Sold by Montgomery Ward’s in the 1930’s. They were usually from the Defiance line of Stanley.
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Edgerite was a line of tools sold by Eaton’s Department Store in Canada. Eaton’s Department store was founded in 1884 and was the first company in Canada to offer a mail order catalogue. Their catalogues can be found on line and are similar to the early Sears Roebuck catalogues, of the same era, in their offerings. Just as Sears were to the U.S., Eaton’s were the primary retailer to thousands of small towns in Canada in the late 1800’s and into the mid-1940’s when they employed over 40,000 people.
Eaton’s was eventually bought by Sears Roebuck in the 1970’s. Just like Sears, Eaton’s didn’t manufacture tools, they contracted with other companies to make them with their store logo. My sources indicate that Sargent Tool Co. made the planes for Eaton’s. The cutter is usually marked “EDGERITE” with an anvil logo beneath the name.
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Everkeen Sold by John Pritzlaff Hardware Co. Milwaukee WI. John Pritzlaff Hardware Company, founded by John C. Pritzlaff in 1850 was the largest hardware company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and eventually became one of the largest wholesale hardware companies and iron supply houses in the Northwest. It was known for selling hardware, sewing machines, and toys through mail order catalogs to wholesale accounts throughout the United States. (ref – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pritzlaff_Hardware_Company)
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Gage
Designed by John Gage in 1880’s, Stanley bought the patent in 1919.
Lots more info here: https://virginiatoolworks.com/2014/05/19/stanley-gage-planes-history-and-type-study/
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Hartford Tool Co. (H.T. Co)
Hartford tool co was bought out by Pratt Whitney
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Hickory
Hickory was a brand name of Kelley, How, and Thomson a hardware distributor from Duluth Minn. 1904-1955. Some where made by Ohio Tools, Stanley and Sargent.
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ILanoy
IL-A-Noy (Slang for Illinois) was a house brand for the big hardware company of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Company, Chicago, Illinois. Started business about 1865. There hardware catalogs ran about 3000 pages. Some of there other tool brands were O.V..B (Our Very Best), Hibbard, Cruso, and True Value. One house tool brand was Revenoc, named after John Conover ( Conover spelled backwards). Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett sold out in 1962 to John Cotter & Co., which became True Value Hardware Stores.
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Jordan
Most likely it is the company Tillmanns & Maier, Germany, which sold these planes under the trade marks Tum, Jordan and Solar. Trade mark Jordan and Solar were for export (they are found in some American catalogues) and Tum (Tillmanns und Maier) for the domestic market.
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Kunz – Manufactured in Germany
The letters GK on the iron on earlier hand planes are the initials of the German maker Gustav Kunz, who started making planes in 1910. Most if not all of his planes were Stanley clones. While modern Kunz planes are green, older ones were black and of better quality then the modern planes.
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Keen Kutter – Keen Kutter is a trade name first used by Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri in 1866. The name was adopted as a trade mark by Simmons Hardware Company in 1870 and was used on their highest quality tools and cutlery. Keen Kutter Planes marked with a single letter and then the # size are actually early style Bedrock planes made for them under contract by Stanley. They are of the same high quality and in general much harder to find. These planes date from near the turn of the century to about the teens. Keen Kutter KK series planes were made for them by a few different makers including Ohio Tool Co, and Sargent. Over the years Simmons switched back and forth using different manufacturers at different periods, I suppose because the bid for those years was more attractive. Sargent and later Ohio made the later versions with the Mahogany handles and 4 digit # or the no number varieties to identify the plane.
Other ref: http://thckk.org/
http://www.antique-used-tools.com/brkkcompare.htm
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Miller Falls – One of my favorite – equal with Stanley. http://oldtoolheaven.com/
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Modern
the Modern Grinder Company from Wisconsin. These planes are referred to in PTAMPIA Vol ii on page 314. The interesting part of Modern is that all their planes came from the factory with EA Berg irons possibly the only North American manufacturer to use Berg irons with the Berg shark on the front of the iron and Made in Swede on the reverse.
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Milbro https://www.timetestedtools.net/2023/08/06/a-milbro-4-smoother/
I heard (and maybe wrong) that these were made in England just after the war, from the surplus alloy. MILBRO, which was the brand name used by Mills Brothers of Sheffield who made the no 4 plane just after WW2. It was made from ‘pot metal’ – a zinc or aluminum alloy – the only steel parts being the cap iron, cutting iron and screws!
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Montgomery Wards.
Wards Master. Wards Master was typically a rebranded Stanley plane. Same quality and finish.
Lakeside – Lakeside planes were made for Montgomery Ward by multiple manufactures, but most were made by Stanley. There are some Union X planes sold as Lakeside. These planes had a Lakeside iron but still had Union cast in the base. I have seen one of these new in the box, so it’s known it wasn’t just an iron switch. Montgomery Ward never made their own tools but instead used other makers tools which were then rebranded. The fit and finish on some isn’t quite as good as a normal Stanley or Sargent plane, and the handle and knob are usually stained beech or another hardwood, rather than rosewood. With some fettling though you can end up with a decent enough worker plane.
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Marsh H.C. Marsh Tool Co. of Rockford Ill. 1915-1924. The Marsh planes may have MARSH cast into the bed and the letter M precedes the number, i.e. M2, M3, M5 1/2, etc. The irons are stamped with the Marsh name and also with the width of the cutters.
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National.
National was a company in Hamilton, Ontario. 1916 advt
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New York Tool Works. New York Tool Company was a name used by the
Auburn Tool Company of Auburn, NY. This name was used from 1864 to 1893. They (Auburn) used several different stamps on their planes. Carefully check the ‘o’ in Co. If it is the same height as the rest of the letters, it is an earlier example. If the ‘o’ is raised so its top lines up with the top of the other letters it is a late production stamp. If there is an underline under the ‘o’, it is the last stamp that they used during their production years. (http://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioAuburn.html) http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f11/plane-restore-round-3-a-47883/ http://lumberjocks.com/topics/41199#reply-579460
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Oak Leaf was a sub brand of The Simmons Hardware Company which became Shapleigh Hardware Co.
Oakleaf #4 Smoothing Plane
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Ohio Tool – (See my Ohio Tool Blog) The Ohio Tool Company was relatively large manufacturer of both wooden and cast iron planes. They were founded in Columbus Ohio in 1851 by Peter Hayden, of P. Hayden & Co. in 1893 the company merged with the Auburn Tool Company of New York, themselves a frequent employer of prison labor. In 1913 the Ohio factory was destroyed by a flood. A new factory was opened in Charleston, WV the following year. The company ceased business in 1920. (Resource http://www.mvr1.com/Ohiowoodenplanes.html ) (http://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioAuburn.html)
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Ritter (NH)
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Rockford Rockford was a subsidiary of Marsh (see above). They made planes from 1915-24 in Rockford Illinois. (ref ptampia vol2)
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Richards Conover Hardware (Rich-Con) . According to PTAMPIA Rich-Con sold planes around c1925. That’s 5 years after Stanley bought Union, so that would fit the planes I’ve seen. Stanley kept the Union plant going and used up the stock, but we see a switch to the Stanley type lateral adjuster.
PTAMPIA Has Richards Conover Hdwr Co located in Kansas City MO.
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The Riverside Tool Co.
Hardware Buyers Association – Seal with “The Riverside Tool Co. New York” around the Outside, and an Anvil at Center
Registered by Samuel A. Bigelow, identified as a “Trustee” of the Association. First use by Mr. Bigelow and predecessors listed as William L. Carrigan, Charles W. Gause, and Harry C. Marshall. Listed as Tool Handles for Axes, Hatchets, Hammers and Chisels.
Re-registered under TM #063889 on 7/9/1907 for Edge Tools including Axes**, Hatchets**, Chisels**, Saws**, Bits**, Boring Tools, Augers**, Snips
Link to Record:
Seal with “The Riverside Tool Co. New York” around the Outside, and an Anvil at Center
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Solar Mfg Co. I bought one of these but can not find much information. The story is they were made in Worcester MA up to the 70’s.
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Shapliegh Hardware Co
Diamond Edge – Diamond Edge was a brand name used by the Shapliegh Hardware Co. Many were made by Sargent but other manufacturers may have made them as well. The easiest way is determine a plane’s maker is to remove the frog and look at the way the frog mates to the plane. The correct lever cap could have been plain or it could have had an embossed diamond with DE inside it depending on the age. Many Diamond Edge planes have a hard rubber (maybe gutta percha) tote.
In addition to its Diamond Edge,other recognizable “house” brands marketed by Shapleigh were Mound City, Norleigh Diamond, Diamond Brand, Jersey, Panama, Ice Diamond, Bluebelle, Sageware, Black Jack, Red Raven, King Nitro, Sahara, Black Prince, Blue Diamond, Rugby, Triumph, Defiance, Black Wonder, Double Diamons, Mascot, Bull Dog, Ozark, Columbia, Longwear, Mizzou,Bridge Tool Company and Bridges.
Here is an example of a #4C
http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/articles_archive/articles/dec06/simmons1206.htm
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Sears
Can be determined by their codes
- Millers Falls – 107 or BB
- Stanley – 187 or DD
- Sargent – 619 or BL
Dunlap (1950-60) Most were made by Sargent
Craftsman lines sold by sears. (see some in this catalog)
Merit was a line sold by Sears. According to Greg Ricketts, Sears, Roebuck & Co Merit brand of hand planes were introduced in the spring of 1929 and last offered for sale in the spring of 1932. Likely a victim of poor timing and the Great Depression. The in-house Merit brand was intended as a replacement to the long time Fulton brand.
Merit planes were mostly supplied by Sargent & Company but Millers Falls Tools provided the planes for a brief period in the short lifetime of the brand. The Sargent planes featured a nicely embossed lever cap whereas the Millers Falls Tools planes were less ornate. In the bench planes, only size 4 & 5 were produced.
The Sargent made Merit planes are more common than the Millers Falls Tools planes but neither is a common find as production was brief and sales were very slow due to the economic downturn of the period.
Sears started selling Fulton tools about 1908. I believe the early Fulton’s are marked Fulton Tool Co and are just Rebranded Sargent. In 1927 Sears came out with their Craftsman line. At that point the Fulton line was changed to just Fulton and was made a lesser quality tool line, at least when it comes to hand planes.
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Groz http://www.groz-tools.com/
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Gilbert. (This is what I have as of this writing. I only assume it is the same company that carried the tools we see) Most I’ve seen were made by Sargent. Some where the 400 series with japanned caps.
Gilbert was a company that made toys and tools in the early 20th century¹. They made a variety of toys such as microscopes and erector sets. They also made tool chests.
The A.C. Gilbert Company was founded in 1909 in Westville, Connecticut by Alfred Carlton Gilbert. Gilbert was a graduate of Yale Medical School and a gold medalist in the pole vault at the 1908 London Olympics. He was best-known as the inventor of the Erector Set. The company made a variety of toys such as microscopes and erector sets. They also made tool chests.
Tool Chest | A.C. Gilbert Catalog Archive (eliwhitney.org)
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Steers – William Steers was a native of Sherbrooke, Quebec and it’s there where he received the patent (September 11, 1883) for his interesting entry in the deadend plane contest. Steers, realizing Canada’s fortune lay in beaver pelts and lumber, soon moved to Brattleboro, Vermont where he went into a partnership with a native of the town to form the Brattleboro Tool Co.
Steers on Supertools.com
Steers on www.steersplanes.com
Also see Brattleboro Tool Co.
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Sargent
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Shelton – Shelton made planes from 1932 – 1954. In 1950 they went to a Stanley clone design. Example of a Shelton #9 and a post Stanley #4 and some history
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Trustworthy
Sold by Salt lake Hardware Co. Made by Sargent c.1950.
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Other lines of Stanley (cheaper lines)
· Handyman
· Two tone
· Four Square
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Union – Union Mfg. Co. New Britain, Connecticut. 1880-1919. Some believe these are better than Stanley.
Union Planes are on par with Bailey but, the “X pattern” Unions, with their double adjusting nuts are perhaps a bit superior.
In 1920 Stanley Purchased the Union plane division. (reference Patented Transitional and Metallic Planes in America, 1827-1927 (Vol. I)
In 1920 Stanley Purchased the Union plane division.
In 1957, Millers Falls acquired the Union Tool Company (reference http://oldtoolheaven.com/history/history11.htm)
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Upson Nut
Upson Nut was incorporated in 1872. They merged with Standard Rule about 1888
The plane manufacturing was then bought by Union in 1900 and Union continued making the B plane until 1903
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Van Camp
According to PTAMPIA they made planes c1910-1920
Van Camp hardware is one of the legendary names in the wholesale hardware field. Founded in the nineteenth century in America’s heartland, it served the middle west for over a century with the products that helped build a nation. That it sold a boatload of fishing tackle is an added bonus to what is a classic American success story.
The firm was founded by Cortland Van Camp in 1876 during the nation’s centennial celebration. A native born Hoosier, he moved to Indianapolis in 1876 and formed a hardware firm specializing in blacksmithing supplies with J.A. Hanson and D.C. Bergundthal known as Hanson-Van Camp. By 1888, the company changed its name to Van Camp Hardware & Iron Company, and it incorporated in 1884. By this time it also broadly expanded its line to become a full service wholesale hardware firm. Ref: http://fishinghistory.blogspot.com/2011/06/52-trade-houses-part-10-van-camp.html
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Victor
Summer 1875 – Leonard Bailey begins development of the ‘Victor’ plane line to compete with the Stanley/Bailey planes still in production by Stanley. Fighting between Bailey and the Stanley Co. over patent infringement is bitter, Stanley makes every attempt to stop Bailey from producing the VICTOR line of tools. Reference:http://www.antiquetools.co.uk/articles/stanley2.htm And from Gore , ”Stanley produced a very short-lived frog design during the early 1870’s (pictured in the image to the left). This design has a frog that is about 1/2 the length of the normal frog, and is nearly identical to the design that Leonard Bailey was producing when he got pissed off at Stanley and decided to come up with a new line of bench planes, his Victor line.”
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Victory. I can’t find much information on Victory, It appears it was just a iron Stanley put in the planes after we won the war.
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Vaughan & Bushnell Short history.
There are 3 series of V&B planes, the 700, 800 and 900 series. The 700 & 900 series had forged steel bodies and were advertised as being unbreakable. The 800 series are cast iron. All the V&B planes had the bedrock frog design. They are numbered like the Stanley planes but just in the hundreds.. So a V&B 903 would be same as a Stanley #3, a 807 would be a #7 size. The 900 series planes had the flat top sides just like the later Bedrocks and these were considered their premium series.
History of V&B (from themselves, they are still in business)
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Winchester Both Stanley and Sargent made planes for Winchester. If the model numbers begin with “3” (3004, 3008. etc.) then it was made by Sargent. If the number begins with “W” (W004, W008, etc.) then it’s a Stanley. Some of the “W” models (not all) are early-type Bedrocks.”
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Worthington. The GEORGE WORTHINGTON CO., was one of the nation’s leading hardware wholesalers and industrial distributors in Cleveland Ohio.
GEORGE WORTHINGTON CO. – The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
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Zenith
I believe all Zenith planes were made by Sargent. There was a time when I thought all Zenith bench planes were Shaw patents, although there were some transitionals as well. I have since seen some examples of the #400 series stamped with Zenith.
· Some info here at the Davistown Museum on the Zenith Planes
Marshall-Wells in the Zenith City Archives
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