Help me find the age of

Ken Garlock

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370
my NO. 7 I picked up from David Turner. First off, it was in good shape with some rust, but the Japanning was about 90%. As I recall it was part of a high school shop tool sell off.

I have looked at several sites and I am still confused. I am guessing it is in the 1930s through 1950s production group.

Obvious information:

Word "Bailey" on toe in front of the knob.
Words "Made in USA" behind the knob and in front of frog.
On rear near the back edge is "No. 7".

Frog front/back adjustment is 2 vertical brass locking screws accessed from the front of the frog casting. Fine adjustment screw behind frog tucked between the frog and cast frame.

Both the knob and the tote have "islands" on which each is mounted. Screws are the two-part, brass screw head on steel threaded rod.

Molded into the casting in the tote "island" is an elongated 'C'. It looks like a round topped staple laying on its side. It is followed by the letters "C462".

Behind the tote, and at the right vertical of the casting is a stamping/cast group of letters that I can't make out.

So what can you tell me based upon the above?

Now a couple general questions.

1. When I started to remove the rust, I attached a sheet of 120 grit to my float glass and started to run the sole across the sand paper. I got a lot of black dust on the paper although the sole didn't look particularly black. What is the black dust and why is it there/created.

2. The original(?) plane iron is usable, but bent. After some messing around trying to flatten the iron, I discovered that the bend was due to the screw that clamps the iron to the chip breaker. Is it normal for the the blade to bend or did the high school kids just over tighten it?

3. The cap iron is in good shape, but it appears to have some type of blemish as if some lacquer was poured over it. Maybe it is a stain from something. Soaking it in Silly Green didn't remove it, nor did wiping it with lacquer thinner. And finally, Naval Jelly made no impact. What can I do to restore the original shine the 50% of the cap still has. Unfortunately I don't have a buffing wheel....

On the whole, the plane is shaping up to look good to my untrained eye. The sole is flat according to my Starrett straight edge, both length wise and diagonally. The only bad thing is that someone put a fairly deep scratch on sole from the toe to the blade.

I bought new rose wood knob and tote from Highland WW, and they look nice but the tote is just a tiny bit off its mount.

I finished cleaning the body with lacquer thinner and Scotts Brite pad, and followed up with a treatment of "top Saver".
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I posted this exact question over on SMC, and got exactly one response. Since then I have bought a new Hock A2 blade and chip breaker. I learned that the black grit is actually the carbon in the microscopic 'chips' of cast iron coming off during the sanding process. (question 1 above)

Question 2 above, the blade should not bend. This lead to the ordering the new Hock blade.

Question 3 above, I still don't know what the blemish is. I have tried scotch brite, brillo pad, lacquer thinner, and I am at a loss.

Thanks for your time,

___
 
I can't answer the date question but this is the page I use to date a place with. I link this site. But bear in mind that parts could have been replaced and/or some people think they used old parts on new planes sometimes.

Flow Chart

Oh Yea, the most knowledgeable Neanders I have found are over on Woodnet. Not the friendliest place but the Hand Tool section is the exception!
 
ken, i use the same flow chart....as for the cap iron? if it`s a coating of sorts that spilled on it soaking in lacquer thinner should remove it....and quite possibly the japanning too:eek: .....how about a picture of the offending stain? where you able to install the hock blade without filing the throat? i`m only curious as i don`t own any aftermarket blades..tod
 
Tod, I don't think you will have a problem installing a Hock blade on an older No. 7 I recently found one that I think is older than the one Ken describes, since the only frog adjustment is from the hold down screws. Wire wheeled the rust off, cleaned up everything I could think of, lapped everything that seemed to be flat or looked like it needed to be, used paint for japanning, waxed it up and it cuts curls pretty good.
 
Tod, I will give the lacquer thinner a try. I just might have skipped over the cap when I was cleaning the the plane casting.

The Hock blade and chip breaker are in the mail, they were ordered Tuesday morning.

Cecil, When I ordered the Hock blade and chip breaker, I talked with the boss/owner and he didn;t think there would a problem that couldn't be fixed by moving the frog a little. This plane does have the screw adjustment on the back side(tote side) of the frog. I also learned that Hock is having his blades made for him and that they come sharp enough to use out of the box, but not as good as a hands on sharpening that we would do in our shops. I can hear the Shapton stones rattling in their plastic boxes. :bang:
 
Ken. Does it have a broad rim in front on the toe, and on the rear behind tote?

Are the tote and knob painted black, or rosewood?
 
Ken. Does it have a broad rim in front on the toe, and on the rear behind tote?

Are the tote and knob painted black, or rosewood?

Hi Steve.

By rim I am taking you to mean is there a bead of some type that sits on the top of the flat surface of the plane body. If that is what you mean, NO there is none.

The knob and tote, after lightly wiping with mineral spirits, basically looks black at arms length. However, at close inspection under light coming in a window, one can see reddish-brown under tones on the tote, and lesser so on the knob. The tote shows a horizontal grain pattern upon close inspection.

The whole exercise of cleaning up the plane is just to make is usable and get a little information about its background. I am not interested in an antique value.
 
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When I read the title of this thread I thought to myself. How would I find out how old Ken was??????:D

Age is no big deal, born in 1940 makes me 66, 67 in October. LOML was at the doctor yesterday, so while we were there, I had the nurse take my blood pressure. It was 122/60.:thumb: I can live with that.

BTW, no BP meds.
 
HI Steve, I like the new rex mill site with the pictures.:thumb:

From what I can tell, my #7 is in the 1948-1962 group since it has the Y shaped frog receiver. The only thing I haven't accounted for is the lack of the bead around the toe and heel.

I like pictures more than just reading text, the the new Rex Mill site has both. :cool:
 
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