Tool Restoration
Among
the various projects I carry out, I often restore old tools. It means I
can purchase tools I couldn't otherwise afford, and it is good
to bring back otherwise unloved ones back into use.
Most
of the tools are generally rusty when I purchase them, so a common
process is to use citric solution to do this. I will create a seperate
page on the process of this.
Metal Files
I found a large box of rusty files at a bootfair, along with a couple of other items. £10 later I had over 50 files.
These
were sorted with the most damaged immediately scrapped. The rest were
put through a clean and de-rust using citric acid to clean and sharpen
them and a brass wire brush to remove 'pinned' metal.
After cleaning a few more files were disposed of as they were too far gone. In total, I ended up with about 30 useable files.
Finished Files
Some Files as Bought and in Citric Acid
Wood Plane Restoration
I have been using for years an old Whitmore plane that had seen better days, and have
finally decided I wasn’t getting good results from it, so I started looking out
at the local bootfairs for a better plane or two. After a while of finding
nothing, I turned up several. The two pictured here are a Record No4 (with
Stanley pressure iron) and a Stanley Bailey No5. The No4 was in a pretty poor
state with extensive rust and some seized bolts, the No5 was in better (usable)
condition. Both have been through a process of dismantling and thorough
cleaning followed by repainting. The soles have been flatted, blades sharpened,
and exposed metal waxed. They have then been reassembled to make a nice useable
pair of planes.
No 4 & No 5 Planes
This
is a Union Manufacturing Company of Conneticut block
plane.This was in quite a poor state when I bought it but sound underneath
the muck and rust. Union was bought by Stanley in 1920, so it is 100
years or more old.
Union 139 Block Plane
The 78 rebate plane was bought at a bootfair and just needed
a clean of a few light rust patches and a sharpen to put back into use This was
finished, like most of my tool restorations with Liberon lubricating wax- I
highly recommend this for protecting tools.
The Stanley number 6C (corrugated base) is a later model as
it has plastic handles. It was a cheap Ebay find as it was dismantled. It
needed a thorough clean and sharpen before being put back to use.
The Millers falls plane is a number 15, bought in an unloved
state from an autojumble, again very cheaply. It is the equivalent of a 5 ½,
and from info available on the web dates between 1929 & 1961.
The plane needed a comprehensive de-rust, carried out by my
usual method of a citric acid bath. The black paint wasn’t in a great condition,
so this was repainted, and the broken handle repaired. The handle looks to have
been American beech originally, but as I didn’t have any, I used a piece of
English beech. The damage was cut off, the new wood glued on and the handle
re-shaped and refinished. The blade was sharpened and the whole lot
re-assembled.
Millers falls planes are relatively unusual in the UK, but
this has proven to be a very nice plane- the original machining and finishing
is certainly nicer than the contemporary Stanley and Record offerings.
Restored Planes 
Millers Falls No 15 as purchased
Linisher
A
linisher I restored to working order and mounted on a frame with a new motor
after I destroyed a warco one in a few months. This one is lasting much
better!
Guillotine
Edwards Guillotine
3ft
Edwards guillotine manufactured in 1945 and rescued from a scrapyard a few years back. It was
missing a couple of parts including the springs and the treadle to blade links. I've repaired this
with springs salvaged from a commercial dishwasher and some steel bar, also found in the
scrapyard.
(C) M.Pantrey 2020
