A smoothing plane is typically used after the work piece has been flattened and trued by the other bench planes, such as the jack, fore, and joiner planes. Smoothing planes can also be used to remove marks left by woodworking machinery. When used effectively alongside other bench planes, the smoothing plane should only need a handful of passes removing shavings as fine as 0.002 inches (0.051 mm) or less. The work piece is then ready to be finished, or can be further refined with a card scraper or sandpaper. The smoothing plane is usually held with both hands, and used in a similar manner to the other bench planes. Though designed for smoothing, a smoothing plane can be used as an 'all-round' bench tool and for rougher work depending on how it is set up. Being smaller than other bench planes, the smoothing plane is better able to work on smaller work pieces and around obstructions. Since the 1700s wooden smoothing planes have predominantly been 'coffin shaped' wider in the middle and slightly rounded making them more manoeuvrable. It has also been claimed that the coffin design exposes more end grain, enabling the plane to better adjust to changes in humidity. Henry Boker Maker: Heinrich "Henry" Böker of Reimschied-Solingen, Germany and his family was making tools in the 17th century. In 1829 Hermann and Robert Böker added sabres to the company's offerings, in 1837 they emigrated to New York City and established a firm to import German cutlery. H. Boker sabres would be eventually supplied to some American soldiers during the Civil War. Heinrich Boker in 1869 , a relative of Hermann and Robert, established a cutlery firm in Solingen, a centre of industry and cutting tool manufacturing in Germany. The company became a leader in the manufacture of razors, scissors and eating utensils. As early as 1900 the majority of tools produced by Boker were distributed in the U.S. market by the New York branch of the family, and pocket knives became the company's most important product line. During WWII the Solingen factory was destroyed and all the equipment and inventory was lost. After the war the factory was rebuilt and the company resumed operations, but in the early '60s the company was sold to the scissors manufacturer Wiss & Sons, and in the early 70s Wiss sold out to Cooper Industries. At some point Heinrich Boker adopted the Americanised version of his name, Henry Boker and was used as a brand name for the company's products. A vintage smoothing plane of the coffin pattern made by Henry Boker the item is a rare and significant example of vintage woodworking tools used in the manufacture of wooden items.Smoothing Plane Coffin design. Blade marked Henry Bokerflagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, smoothing plane, heinrich boker, carpenters tool, cabinet makers tool

A smoothing plane is typically used after the work piece has been flattened and trued by the other bench planes, such as the jack, fore, and joiner planes. Smoothing planes can also be used to remove marks left by woodworking machinery. When used effectively alongside other bench planes, the smoothing plane should only need a handful of passes removing shavings as fine as 0.002 inches (0.051 mm) or less. The work piece is then ready to be finished, or can be further refined with a card scraper or sandpaper. The smoothing plane is usually held with both hands, and used in a similar manner to the other bench planes. Though designed for smoothing, a smoothing plane can be used as an 'all-round' bench tool and for rougher work depending on how it is set up. Being smaller than other bench planes, the smoothing plane is better able to work on smaller work pieces and around obstructions. Since the 1700s wooden smoothing planes have predominantly been 'coffin shaped' wider in the middle and slightly rounded making them more maneuverable. It has also been claimed that the coffin design exposes more end grain, enabling the plane to better adjust to changes in humidity. John Moseley & Son: Records indicate that before 1834, the firm is listed at number 16 New Street, London and according to an 1862 advertisement the shop had been established in New Street since 1730, The Sun insurance records from the time show that John Moseley was the possessor of a horse mill in the yard of his premises, which means that some kind of manufacturing was taking place, as the mill would have provided power to run a saw or perhaps a grinding wheel so the probability is that he did not just sell tools, he made them as well. John Moseley died in 1828 and his will he names his four sons: John, Thomas, William and Richard. To complicate matters he also had brothers with the same first names; brothers Richard (of Piccadilly) and William (of Peckham Rye) are named as two of the executors. Brother Thomas is not mentioned in this will, but became a minister and was one of the executors of brother Richard’s estate when he died in 1856. From John’s will, we also learn that, although the shop was in New Street, he resided in Lympstone, Devon. The family must have had a house in that county for quite some time as both sons Richard and William are baptised in Devon, although John and Thomas were baptised in London. In the 1841 and 1851 census records, we just find William in New Street, but in 1861 both William and Richard are listed there as toolmakers. That Richard was staying overnight at New Street was probably just accidental as in 1851 and 1871, we find him with his wife Jane and children in Clapham and Lambeth respectively. In 1851 Richard is listed as “assistant clerk cutlery warehouse” and in 1871 as “retired plane maker and cutler”. Although the actual place of work is not stated, one may assume he worked in the family business. 1862 is a year full of changes for the firm. In that year, William had a new property built at 27 Bedford Street. In the catalogue for the 1862 International Exhibition, 54 Broad Street (later 54-55 Broad Street) is listed for the first time, which may very well coincide with the split of the business into a retail and a wholesale branch. Around the same time, they must have moved from New Street to 17 & 18 King Street because their manufacturing premises had been pulled down to form the New Street from Cranbourne Street to King Street. In January 1865, William died and Richard continued the business. In 1867, the partnership he had with his son Walker and Thomas Elis Hooker, is dissolved. Richard continued tool making at King Street and Bedford Street. Richard retired somewhere between 1867 and 1871, but the business continued. The business is taken over by W M Marples & Sons and tools continued to be made in London until 1904 when manufacturing relocated to Sheffield. A vintage tool made by a well documented company, this item was made commercially for firms and individuals that worked in wood and needed a tool that could produce a smooth finish to timber. The tool was used when timber items needed to have a smooth finish these types of planes were used in conjunction with profiled planes that provided a decorative finish. A significant tool from the mid to late 19th century that today is quite rare and sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture and other decorative finishes were created on timber by the use of hand tools. Tools that were themselves hand made shows the craftsmanship used during this time not only to make a tool such as the subject item but also the craftsmanship needed to produce a decorative finish that was needed to be made for any timber item. Smoothing Plane coffin design Maker J Moseley & Son London & 2 1/4"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, plane moulding, moulding plane, plane, j heath, moseley

This burgundy coloured, portable electric belt sander is stored in its own heavy duty cardboard box. It was made in England and, according to the label on the lid of the box, it is a Portrix Sander-Polisher, all-electric, portable, sands wood metal and polishes. Its uses include decorating, carpentry and polishing. It has a complete with electric unit with flex. The price of 75/- (75 shillings) is printed on the label of the box. The model and the brand of the sander have been removed from the manufacturer’s information embossed on the side of the sander. The sander is part of a collection of objects used by Jim Williams, maker of fine ship models from about 1930-1955. Most of the components for the models, as well as many of the tools, were handmade by Jim Williams. Jim’s family has donated the ship model “Sovereign of the Seas” and many tools, accessories and documents used in the making of this and other ship models have been donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Please see our record 3732 of the mode Sovereign of the Seas for further details of the ship and the maker.This vintage Portrix sander-polisher represents tools used for the hobby and skill of ship model making that has been carried as a leisure activity out for generations. Ship model making was also a pastime for sailing crew, who often made a model of the ship in which they were sailing. This sander was used by local Warrnambool man, Jim Williams, who was employed at Cramond and Dickson clothing store, and then at Fletcher Jones menswear for 27 years. It was used in making components for the model of the historic ship, the Sovereign of the Seas. The Sovereign of the Seas was a historic 17th century English war ship with important maritime heritage.Belt sander, electric. Portable power tool, Portrix model Sander–Polisher, burgundy coloured body with swivelling, black electric cable, 250V 1 / 4 amp. For sanding wood and metal, and for polishing. (Stored in original box.) Made in England. Part of a collection of tools and accessories used by Mr. Jim Williams to build ship model of the “Sovereign of the Sea” and other models. c. 1930-1955. Moulded into body “ - - - SANDER –POLISHER / 1 / 4 amp. PRODUCT OF - - - MANUFACTURING CO. LTD. 50 CYCLES / MADE IN ENGLAND PAT. PEND. 200/250 volts A.C.” (the Brand and Manufacturer’s name have been removed)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, portrix sander-polisher, portrix power tool, portrix belt sander, woodworking equipment, ship modelling equipment, jim williams, james bernard williams, ship model, hobby, ship model tool, sovereign of the seas, english war ship

Before drills and braces, T-shaped augers were used to poke holes into wood, while smaller gimlets were used to start them.. A significant advance on the auger was the brace, which was originally designed with a single, permanently fixed bit at its end. Hand drills were often called eggbeater drills for their similarity to that common kitchen tool using a crank to drive the drill into the wood A steel hand drill with hand crank and wooden handlespioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, brighton, tools, craftsman, carpenters, , blacksmiths, builders, farmers, metalwork, woodwork, drills

Before drills and braces, T-shaped augers were used to poke holes into wood, while smaller gimlets were used to start them. Auger handles were usually made of a piece of hardwood that was sanded, rounded, or even contoured to give the user a firm grip. Bits on spoon augers essentially carved a hole in the piece of wood, and had to be periodically removed to clear the chips. Spiral-bit augers were precursors to modern drills, whose bits cleared the hole of chips as the user drilled. A significant advance on the auger was the brace, which was originally designed with a single, permanently fixed bit at its end. Eventually, though, braces were designed with sophisticated chucks to accommodate replacement bits, as well as bits of different sizes and for various purposes A steel spiral bit Auger* pioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, brighton, tools, craftsman, carpenters, , blacksmiths, builders, farmers, metalwork, woodwork, drills, augers, gimlets

A screwdriver is a tool, manual or powered, for turning (driving or removing) screws. A typical simple screwdriver has a handle and a shaft, and a tip that the user inserts into the screw head to turn it. The shaft is usually made of tough steel to resist bending or twisting. The tip may be hardened to resist wear, treated with a dark tip coating for improved visual contrast between tip and screw—or ridged or treated for additional 'grip'. Handle are typically wood, metal, or plastic and usually hexagonal, square, or oval in cross-section to improve grip and prevent the tool from rolling when set down. The handle and shaft of screwdrivers have changed considerably over time. The "Perfect Pattern Handle’ screwdriver was first manufactured by HD Smith & Company, which operated from 1850 to 1900. Screwdrivers were probably invented in the late 15th century, either in Germany or France when Screws were used to construct screw-cutting lathes, for securing breastplates, backplates, and helmets on medieval jousting armor—and eventually for multiple parts of the emerging firearms, particularly the matchlock. The jaws that hold the pyrites inside medieval guns were secured with screws, and the need to constantly replace the pyrites resulted in considerable refinement of the screwdriver. The screwdriver depended entirely on the screw, and it took several advances to make the screw easy enough to produce to become popular and widespread Canadian P.L. Robertson, though he was not the first person to patent the idea of socket-head screws, was the first to successfully commercialize them, starting in 1908. In Portland, Oregon, Henry F. Phillips patented his own invention, an improved version of a deep socket with a cruciform slot, today known as the Phillips Screw. Phillips offered his screw to the American Screw Company, and after a successful trial on the 1936 Cadillac, it quickly swept through the American auto industry. A main attraction for the screw was that conventional slotted screwdrivers could also be used on them, which was not possible with the Robertson Screw. A large steel screwdriver with worn wooden handlepioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, brighton, tools, craftsman, carpenters, , blacksmiths, builders, farmers, metalwork, woodwork, screws, philllips head screwdrivers, h.d.smith & co usa, p.l. robertson, henry f.phillips , oregon, canada, american screw company,

Before drills and braces, T-shaped augers were used to poke holes into wood, while smaller gimlets were used to start them. Auger handles were usually made of a piece of hardwood that was sanded, rounded, or even contoured to give the user a firm grip. Bits on spoon augers essentially carved a hole in the piece of wood, and had to be periodically removed to clear the chips. Spiral-bit augers were precursors to modern drills, whose bits cleared the hole of chips as the user drilled. A significant advance on the auger was the brace, which was originally designed with a single, permanently fixed bit at its end. Eventually, though, braces were designed with sophisticated chucks to accommodate replacement bits, as well as bits of different sizes and for various purposes. Chucks were patented as vigorously as the braces themselves The braces themselves also evolved for particular trades, from furniture makers to surgeons. The operator holds the ‘head’ in one hand, positions the drill in the wood , applies pressure and rotates the ‘centre piece’ to cause the drill to pierce the wood. A steel revolving hand tool for boring and screw-driving with wood handles * pioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, brighton, tools, craftsman, carpenters, , blacksmiths, builders, farmers, metalwork, woodwork, screws

A hammer is a tool with a heavy head and a handle, often made of shock-absorbent wood or fiberglass that is used to strike an object. The most common uses for hammers are to drive nails, fit parts, forge metal, and break apart objects. Hammers vary in shape, size, and structure, depending on their uses. Hammers are basic tools in many trades. A hammer is composed of a head most often made of steel and a handle also called a helve or haft. Most hammers are hand tools. A traditional hand-held hammer consists of a separate head and a handle, fastened together by means of a special wedge made for the purpose, or by glue, or both. This two-piece design is often used, to combine a dense metallic striking head with a non-metallic mechanical-shock-absorbing handle -to reduce user fatigue from repeated strikes. If wood is used for the handle, it is often hickory or ash, which are tough and long-lasting materials that can dissipate shock waves from the hammer head. A well used hammer with wooden handle and steel headpioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, tools, craftsman, carpenters, blacksmiths, builders, woodwork,

Very old vice. The clamp is 50 to 60 years old when they were made by Technical School students in metal work class.Used by carpenters, woodworkers, furniture makers, welders, construction and metal workers in the Kiewa ValleyMathieson's Hand Vice, the smallest at 3 inches. Ref. Page 74 Tools for all Trades Catalogue. Small steel vice consisting of two parallel jaws for holding a workpiece. One jaw is fixed and the other movable by a screw. The clamp is used for holding a workpiece during hand operations eg. filing, hammering or sawing. Small steel clamp is a versatile tool that serves to temporarily hold work securely in place by screwing each jaw together.vice/vise tool, clamp tool, hand tools

Very old. Ref. Pages 6 and 7 Tools for all Trades Catalogue. The braces vary in quality (strength) depending on what materials are used to make them.The brace is a hand operated tool for boring holes in wood, consisting of a crank-shaped turning device. The brace that grips and rotates the hole-cutting tool, the bit.Used by woodworkers in the Kiewa Valley.Vintage hand drill braces. All different and not all complete. Made of cast iron, steel with wooden handles. The drills fit into one end of the brace which is turned to make a drilling motion. A brace is a hand tool used with a bit (drill bit or auger) to drill holes, usually in wood. Pressure is applied to the top while the handle is rotated.brace and bit, woodwork, hand drilling

Axes and Adze are hand-held tool used for shaping and carving wood. Axes are designed for chopping and cutting, while adzes are designed for smoothing and shaping. Both tools have a similar shape and consist of a head attached to a handle. An adze is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel.Used by woodworkers in the Kiewa ValleyA cast steel tool similar to an axe, with an arched blade at right angles to the handle, used for cutting or shaping large pieces of wood.adze, hand tool for woodwork, axe

J.E. Bleckmann were German Blade makers, registry shows Bleckmann (1899, No. 37190):J.E.Bleckmann, Solingen, registry class 9b). As well as blades for wood working tools they were also sword makers (used in American Civil War), Bayonet makers 1871-1918 and also pocket cutlery (pocket knives) as per advertisement 1907.This wood plane holds historical importance as carpentry tools such as this would have been used in the construction of local homes, outbuildings, furniture. It represents an era before power tools. Investigation is ongoing as to ownership and specific use in the area. Hand made wooden hand plane with metal blade. Carpentry tool from 19th century1/38 / 34 mm stamped into wood on front edge of plane. Metal Blade inscribed "J.E. BLECKMANN/ WARRANTED / CAST STEEL / SOLINGEN/GERMANY"tool, blade makers, hand plane, woodworking.

This chisel belonged to Ernest Brighton Phillips, a Warrnambool furniture maker. Ernest Phillips (1875-1924) was born in Warrnambool and was apprenticed as a cabinet maker at the Warrnambool Box Works. In the 1890s he established a furniture store at the corner of Liebig and Koroit Streets and by the 20th century he had the largest furniture warehouse and factory in Victoria outside Melbourne. His products were sold all over Australia. Ernest Phillips and his family lived at ‘Heatherlie’ in Koroit Street. Today this property is the site of the residential complex for senior citizens known as ‘Heatherlie’. This chisel is of interest as it belonged to Ernest Phillips, a prominent businessman in Warrnambool at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The item is also of interest as it is a good example of a woodworking tool that was used 100 years ago. This is a chisel with a wooden handle and a metal blade flattened at the end and attached to the handle by a brass ring. The blade is rusty and the handle has some of the wood gouged out at the top end. The handle has splotches of paint on it. The name of the owner, E. Phillips, is stamped into the wood. ‘E. Phillips’ernest phillips, history of warrnambool, warrnambool

This roughing plane was used by Peter Jensen who came to Martin's Creek (35 miles north of Orbost) in 1890 having been told that Martin's Creek would be on the railway line. He was a cooper who made the casks from silver wattles. He cleared the area for farming and then built an accommodation house, Danebo.Ths item is an example of a woodworking tool used in the late 19th to early 20th century.Large smooth wooden roughing plane. It is curved and has a large metal blade. roughing-plane tool jensen-peter

This fretsaw frame , with a blade, would have been used for intricate cutting work having tight curves. a fretsaw is capable of much tighter radii and more delicate work. than other saws because it has much shallower blades, which are usually extra-fine,This is an example of a woodworking tool used in the first half of the 20th century.A fret saw with very high frame. It has a plain, simple wooden handle.woodwork saw-fret

A heavy trying plane would have been used in construction work on rural properties. It can be used for planing hard, difficult timbers.Tools such as this would have been used in the construction of local homes, or rural outbuildings in early Orbost.. It is representative of an era before power tools. A long, heavy wooden plane used in smoothing the edges of roughly planed wood.woodwork tools plane-trying

This screwdrivers is a woodwork toolused for driving screws into materials or for securing or loosening parts on machinery. It was probably used on a rural property in early Orbost...This is an example of a domestic tool commonly used in the first half of the 20th century before the widespread use of power tools.A large steel flat head screw driver with a rounded, wooden grooved handle.tool screwdriver woodworking

This carpenter's clamp would have been used in confined spaces where a full turn of the brace cannot be achieved. It is fitted with a pawl mechanism - a hinged or pivoted device adapted to fit into a notch of a ratchet wheel to impart forward motion or prevent backward motion. This item would have been used on a rural property in constructing or maintaining infrastructure.This item is an example of a woodworking tool used in the first half of the 20th century prior to the widespread use of power tools.A metal ratchet brace with a wooden handle grip. It has a hinged mechanism device which fits into the notches of the ratchet wheel - a pawl.woodwork tools brace-ratchet

This item is an example of a domestic woodworking tool commonly used before the widespread use of power tools.A hand drill with three wooden handles. The main gear is painted red.On right handle - Made in China with some Chinese lettering.tool hand-drill

A grooving plane was traditionally used for drawer bottoms or for flooring or lining boards.This item is an example of a domestic woodworking tool commonly used before the widespread use of power tools.A wooden grooving plane - no blade.tool woodwork plane-grooving

The invention of a hand drill is credited to Arthur James Arnot and William Blanch Brain of Melbourne, Australia who patented the electric drill in 1889. In 1895, the first portable handheld drill was created by brothers Wilhem & Carl Fein of Stuttgart, Germany. Hand-powered devices have been used for millennia. However, during the last quarter of the 19th century a radically improved generation of tools appeared. These tools took advantage of modern mass production machinery and processes (like interchangeable parts) and an increased availability in superior material (metal instead of wood). One of the outcomes included an array of new drilling machines. These human-powered tools were a vast improvement over earlier tools.This item is an example of a commonly used domestic tool - pre power tools.A Stanley hand drill with two wooden handles. The red wheel is painted metal. On red wheel - STANLEY ENGLANDwoodwork tool hand-drill

This carpenter's clamp would have been used in confined spaces where a full turn of the brace cannot be achieved. It is fitted with a pawl mechanism - a hinged or pivoted device adapted to fit into a notch of a ratchet wheel to impart forward motion or prevent backward motion. This item would have been used on a rural property in constructing or maintaining infrastructure. This item is an example of a woodworking tool used in the first half of the 20th century prior to the widespread use of power tools. A metal ratchet brace with a wooden handle grip. It has a hinged mechanism device which fits into the notches of the ratchet wheel - a pawl

An adze is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. Adzes are used for smoothing or carving wood in hand woodworking, and as a hoe for agriculture and horticulture. Two basic forms of an adze are the hand adze (short hoe) a short handled tool swung with one hand and the foot adze (hoe) a long handled tool capable of powerful swings using both hands, the cutting edge usually striking at foot or shin level. Mathieson & Sons Maker: In 1792 John Manners had set up a workshop making woodworking planes at 14 Saracens Lane Glasgow. He also had employed an apprentice Alexander Mathieson (1773-1851). But in the following year at Saracen's Lane, the 1841 census describes Alexander Mathieson as a master plane-maker now at 38 Saracen Lane with his son Thomas Adam working with him as a journeyman plane-maker. Presumably, Alexander must have taken over the premises and business of John Manners. Now that the business had Thomas Adam Mathieson working with his father it gradually grew and became more diversified, and it is recorded at the time by the Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory that by 1847-1848 Alexander Mathieson was a “plane, brace, bit, auger & edge tool maker” In 1849 the firm of James & William Stewart at 65 Nicholson Street, Edinburgh was taken over and Thomas was put in charge of the business, trading under the name Thomas A. Mathieson & Co. as plane and edge-tool makers. Thomas company went on to acquire the Edinburgh edge-tool makers “Charles & Hugh McPherson” and took over their premises in Gilmore Street. In the Edinburgh directory of 1856/7, the business is recorded as being Alexander Mathieson & Son, plane and edge-tool makers at 48 Nicholson Street and Paul's Work, Gilmore Street Edinburgh. The 1851 census Alexander is recorded as working as a tool and plane-maker employing eight men. Later that year Alexander died and his son Thomas took over the business. Under the heading of an edge-tool maker in the 1852/3 Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory the firm is now listed as Alexander Mathieson & Son, with further entries as "turning-lathe and vice manufacturers". By the early 1850s, the business had moved to 24 Saracen Lane. The directory for 1857/8 records that the firm had moved again only a few years later to East Campbell Street, off the Gallowgate area, and that through further diversification was also manufacturing coopers' and tin men's tools. The ten-yearly censuses report the firm's growth in 1861 stating that Thomas was a tool manufacturer employing 95 men and 30 boys; in 1871 he had 200 men working for him and in 1881 300 men. By 1899 the firm had been incorporated as Alexander Mathieson & Sons Ltd, even though only Alexander's son Thomas appears ever to have joined the firm so the company was still in his fathers' name. In September 1868 Thomas Mathieson put a notice in the newspapers of the Sheffield & Rotherham Independent and the Sheffield Daily Telegraph stating that his firm had used the trade-mark of a crescent and star "for some time" and that "using or imitating the Mark would be proceeded against for infringement". The firm had acquired its interest in the crescent-and-star mark from the heirs of Charles Pickslay, the Sheffield cutler who had registered it with the Cutlers' Company in 1833 and had died in 1852. The year 1868 seems also to be the one in which the name Saracen Tool Works was first adopted; not only does it figure at the foot of the notice in the Sheffield press, it also makes its first appearance in the firm's entry in the Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory in the 1868/9 edition. As Thomas Mathieson's business grew, so too did his involvement in local public life and philanthropy. One of the representatives of the third ward on the town council of Glasgow, he became a river Bailie in 1868, a magistrate in 1870 and a preceptor of Hutcheson's Hospital in 1878. He had a passion for books and was an "ardent Ruskinian". He served on the committee handling the bequest for the setting up of the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. When he died at Coulter Maynes near Biggar in 1899, he left an estate worth £142,764. The firm of Alexander Mathieson & Sons was one of the leading makers of hand tools in Scotland. Its success went hand in hand with the growth of the shipbuilding industries on the Firth of Clyde in the nineteenth century and the emergence of Glasgow as the "second city of the Empire". It also reflected the firm's skill in responding to an unprecedented demand for quality tools by shipyards, cooperages and other industries, both locally and far and wide.Coopers Adze steel with wooden handle No 194 A Mathieson & Sons Glasgowflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road

The subject router is commonly referred to disparagingly as the ‘old woman’s tooth’ or ‘hag’s tooth.’ It is a router that houses a plough plane iron instead of a purpose made shoe-type cutting iron. They work fine but rarely give the type of clean surface required for veneer inlays. These types of tools are adjusted by the same hammer-tap tapping method used generally on wooden-bodied planes on the iron or plane body. These tools are effective and practical when used in general carpentry and joinery. Company History: The firm of Alexander Mathieson & Sons was one of the leading makers of hand tools in Scotland. Its success went hand in hand with the growth of the shipbuilding industries on the Firth of Clyde in the nineteenth century and the emergence of Glasgow regarded as the "second city of the Empire". It also reflected the firm's skill in responding to an unprecedented demand for quality tools by shipyards, cooperage's and other industries, both locally and far and wide. The year 1792 was deemed by the firm to be that of its foundation it was in all likelihood the year in which John Manners had set up his plane-making workshop on Saracen Lane off the Gallowgate in the heart of Glasgow, not far from the Saracen's Head Inn, where Dr Johnson and James Boswell had stayed on their tour of Scotland in 1773. Alexander Mathieson (1797–1851) is recorded in 1822 as a plane-maker at 25 Gallowgate, but in the following year at 14 Saracen's Lane, presumably having taken over the premises of John Manners. The 1841 national census described Alexander Mathieson as a master plane-maker at 38 Saracen Lane with his son Thomas Adam working as a journeyman plane-maker. In 1849 the firm of James & William Stewart at 65 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh was taken over and Thomas was put in charge of the business, trading under the name Thomas A. Mathieson & Co. as plane and edge-tool makers. Thomas's company acquired the Edinburgh edge-tool makers Charles & Hugh McPherson and took over their premises in Gilmore Street. The Edinburgh directory of 1856/7 the business is recorded as being Alexander Mathieson & Son, plane and edge-tool makers at 48 Nicolson Street and Paul's Work, Gilmore Street. The 1851 census records indicate that Alexander was working as a tool and plane-maker employing eight men. Later that year Alexander died and his son Thomas took over the business. Under the heading of an edge-tool maker in the 1852/3 (Post-Office Glasgow Annual Directory) the firm is now listed as Alexander Mathieson & Son. By the early 1850s, the business had moved to 24 Saracen Lane. The directory for 1857/8 records that the firm had moved again only a few years later to East Campbell Street, also off the Gallowgate, and that through further diversification was also manufacturing coopers' and tinmen's tools. The ten-yearly censuses log the firm's growth and in 1861 Thomas was a tool manufacturer employing 95 men and 30 boys; in 1871 he had 200 men working for him and in 1881 300 men. By 1899 the firm had been incorporated as Alexander Mathieson & Sons Ltd, even though only Alexander's son Thomas appears ever to have joined the firm. A vintage tool made by a well-known firm made for other firms and individuals that worked in wood. The tool was used for making timber veneers or smoothing a trench in a piece of timber that was then used in some form of cabinet manufacture or wood working enterprise. A significant item from the mid to late 19th century that today is sought after by collectors. It gives us a snapshot of how furniture was made predominately by hand and with tools that were themselves hand made and required considerable skill in their use. Old Woman's Tooth Router Mathieson. Single iron cut down from a larger plane iron. Has Marked A Mathieson & Son also stamped inscription on side G Hill. (owner)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, plane, old woman's tooth, router, hag's tooth router, cabinet making, woodworking tools, a mathieson & sons, cabinet tool makers

A clamp is a fastening device used to hold or secure objects tightly together to prevent movement or separation through the application of inward pressure. In the United Kingdom the term cramp is often used instead when the tool is for temporary use for positioning components during construction and woodworking; thus a G cramp or a sash clamp but a wheel, screw or surgical clamp. There are many types of clamps available for many different purposes. Some are temporary, as used to position components while fixing them together, others are intended to be permanent. In the field of animal husbandry, using a clamp to attach an animal to a stationary object is known as "rounded clamping." A physical clamp of this type is also used to refer to an obscure investment banking term, "fund clamps." Anything that acts to hold two surfaces together may be called a clamp, so this gives rise to a wide variety of terms across many fields. The subject item is a wooden-handled screw clamp used in cabinet or woodworking projects to hold two surfaces together while glueing or fixing. An item that has not changed in shape or use since its inception hundreds of years ago. These types of clamps are still produced today in many sizes by many woodworking tool companies.Wooden hand Screw Clamp two lengths of wood each beveled at one end and standing parallel. Two long wooden screws with handles and predominant thread that fits through wood lengths.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wooden screw clamp, carpenters tools, cabinet makers tools, clamp

The mitre trimmer is a classic hand-powered tool for picture framers and trim carpenters that has remained relatively unchanged for decades. It is heavy, simple, and sturdily built of cast iron with tempered steel guillotine blades. It is used for taking super accurate, paper-thin slices off the ends of mitres and butt joints, and leaving behind a glassy-smooth surface. Also used in picture frame making or cabinet woodworking, by placing a piece of timber in one side after setting the desired angle and pulling a handle that operates a guillotine blade thereby cutting the timber or decorative trim to the required angle.A significant tool still in use today in many cabinet makers workshops. The subject tool gives insight into how this type of tool development, design and use has not progressed since it’s original invention. It is still for sale from many tool manufacturing companies and use in small craftsmen boutique workshops today as it was many decades ago.Cast Iron wood Trimmer bench like construction on raised feet with 2 adjustable gates. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, cabinet makers tools, picture framing, mitre cutting, wood trimming

A block, jack or smoothing plane is used for making a smooth finish to timber that is used to make furniture or other wooden objects. Traditionally, wood planes were blocks of wear-resistant hardwood, often beech or maple, which were worked to the intended shape of the item being worked on. The blade or iron was likewise formed to a flat shape and secured in the body of the plane with a wooden wedge. A traditional cabinetmakers' shop might have many, perhaps hundreds, of smoothing and moulding planes for the full range of work to be performed. Large crown mouldings required planes of six or more inches in width, which demanded great strength to push and often had additional peg handles on the sides, allowing the craftsman's apprentice or other workers to pull the plane ahead of the master who guided it. A vintage tool by an unknown maker, this item was made for cabinet-making firms and individuals that worked in wood and needed a tool that could remove large amounts of timber. These jack, block or dressing planes as they were known came in various shapes and sizes to achieve a flat and even finish to timber surfaces before the use of mechanical smoothing planes and came in many sizes. A significant tool from the late 18th to early 19th century that's pattern or shape is still in use today. Early models of this type of woodworking plane are sought after by collectors today. This tool gives us a snapshot of how furniture and other finishes were created on timber by the use of cutting-edged hand tools used by craftsmen of the time. Tools that were themselves handmade, demonstrating the craftsmanship used during this time not only to make a tool such as the subject item but also the craftsmanship needed to produce either a decorative or even finish for timber items. Smoothing Plane blade and wedge present. Raised handle at front end. Right-hand wedge guide broken away. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, plane, wood plane, cabinet makers tools, furniture making

A scotch eye auger is perfect for quickly making holes in dry or wet wood for making chairs, stools, and any number of woodworking projects. The scotch eye serves as a peg gauge and whatever peg you make to go into the hole should fit into the augers eye. Robert Sorby & Sons: The forbearer's of Robert Sorby had been cutlers in the Sheffield region of England, dating from the mid 17th century. Robert Sorby and Sons were registered in Sheffield in 1828 as a manufacturer of edge tools, saws, scythes and hay knives. In addition to manufacturing tools, they also diversified into the manufacture of crucible steel for tool manufacture. From circa 1860-1967, the Sorby factory in Sheffield was known as the “Kangaroo Works”. The Kangaroo Brand of tools was made by Robert Sorby & Sons. During the 19th century, they had a large trade in Australasia. By the early 20th century, they were manufacturing carving tools, planes and plane irons, circular saws, wood saws, butchers saws and cleavers, garden tools, pruning knives, coopers’ knives, bricklayers tools and joiners tools. In 1923 Robert Sorby & Sons was bought by Sheffield company Hattersley and Davidson. They are today one of the few remaining British tool manufacturers.The company has a long tradition of making edged tools for various uses and exporting them to Australia, however the subject item was probably made from the early 20th century up until 1967 when the company stopped exporting to Australia.Scotch Eye Auger, Double Twist with Lead Screw, square shaft, socket set at right angleRob Sorbey Sheffield stamped on shaft with Kangaroo trade markflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ring auger, carpenders tools, hole drilling, rob sorby & sons

The subject item is an early Victorian Scotch Brace with a 10-inch sweep. They were also known as a six penny or "gentleman's" brace and were designed to accept tapered square shank bits, early designs have a thumb screw to help secure the bit. Later designs had a catch to secure drilling bits. This type of brace was used in wagon making for boring & drilling holes into the wood for a variety of purposes, including driving screws. The subject item is unmarked but could have been made in Glasgow Scotland by John Fray in the 1800s, early drill braces of this type were often unmarked by their makers. A significant early example of a drill brace made in the UK during the 1800s demonstrates the evolution of this type of tool from this time that today is a rare and collectable example of woodworking tools.Brace metal with wooden handle. Has a screw in the holding socket item also has an auger bit. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, brace, carpenders wheel brace, cabinet makers tools, drilling tool, wagon makers drill