Tool Identification

From Wayne's Dusty Box of Words

A collection of references that I have found useful for identifying mysterious rust tools from the more "modern" age. Really, this is the golden age of hand tools. Commercially or professionally made, either by hand or at least finished by hand and still quite useable after 150 years. Once we hit about 1960, it's all junk until the recent hand tool revival.

Peter McBride Plane

Notes

  • Craftsman OEM Lists
    • Planes made for Craftsman had these codes:
      • BB - Millers Falls
      • BL - Sargent
      • DD - Stanley
    • At some point (1947?) Sears went to the nnn.xxxxx model number format where nnn indicates the OEM
    • Wrenches had different codes
  • Old Tool Catalog Scans
  • Winchester Planes
    • Post-WWI Winchester got into the tool business. Planes were made by Stanley and Sargent.
      • Stanley planes are marked 'W'X where X is the Stanley size (ex: W3). These are Bedrock Type 4 planes with a Winchester lever cap and the usual twisted lateral adjuster handle Stanley used on contract planes.
      • Sargent planes typically have the Sargent number cast in the bed and look otherwise identical except for the Winchester lever cap.

Articles (Captive or Otherwise)

Links

Historical Links

Not tool ID sources, but great articles about the makes of these tools