[Repliconics]

Wilkes-Barre plane makers

I thought I'd start this thread to try and gather as much information as possible,
about Jacob Siegley, Ewdin Hahn and the Keystone Tool Works.
John Rumpf wrote an excellent book on the subject back in 2007, but since then more of the planes made in Wilkes-Barre have come to light.
But still very little is known about them.
Hopefully we can start to address that here.

Just to get the ball rolling, I collect Siegley and Hahn planes.
With the Siegley number 2 adjustable being my favourite, thats because in the 20 years or so that Jacob Siegley produced the #2.
He made changes to it both small and large ending up with a huge number of variations on the same plane.
Which is how I try to explain having over 20 of them.

I'll keep adding to the tread but if you have any information about
them it would be great to hear.
Thanks Trevor.

 

[BZawat]

That's an impressive collection!! Thanks for the pics. If I get some time this weekend I'm going to go poke around Parrish St and see if the building that housed Keystone Tool Works' foundry still stands, likewise the building that housed Hahn's manufacturing/assembling facilities. I'll post pics if there's pics worth taking.

 

[Repliconics]

Thanks mate,
That would be great I'd like to know if there's anything still standing.
Glade you the like #2's, another arrived today, and ones still on the way.
I think that makes about 25 of them I've got.
Siegley's obsession with modifying the Number 2 Adjustable, was probably only just ahead of my obsession with collecting them.
Thanks again.

 

[BZawat]

Well, I never made it out to snoop around last weekend. Too much going on. I did pick up a Siegley No 12 though. It has a Hahn iron, and the frog was broken & repaired. It's not in great shape but the price was right. Not a lot of original Siegleys floating around out there....

I'll put up some more pics tomorrow.

 

[Repliconics]

Nice one.
You don't see the No. 12 Jointer to often, and that one looks pretty early.
Your right about not to many original Siegley's out there!
I think most collector's don't realise that if the plane has Siegley boldly cast on it behind the handle.
It's not a Wilkes-Barre plane at all!
There New Britain Connecticut planes made by Stanely under the name of the Siegley Tool Company.
I don't know about you but I'd say well over 90% of the planes attributed to Siegley were made by Stanley.

 

[Repliconics]

This is my No.3 Siegley Smooth Plane.
It's the smallest bench plane that Siegley made 9 5/8" by 2".
I'm totally biased but you'd have to go along way to find a more beautiful looking plane.

Single Iron and Adjustable Throat and work's a treat!
Jacob Siegley BRILLIANT!

 

[BZawat]

Wow that's GORGEOUS. Immaculate plane! Did you & Doc Brown travel back in time to 1899 and buy that brand new, or what??

 

[gideon]

I have a nice seigley knuckle cap, adjustable throat plane which I think was made by stanley.

The planes you guys have are true beauties. So elegant.

 

[Repliconics]

Wow that's GORGEOUS. Immaculate plane! Did you & Doc Brown travel back in time to 1899 and buy that brand new, or what??

Thanks.
Aint she sweet!
This ones just about my favourite plane, and it get's used most every day.

 

[tc65]

I've got to admit, that is one of the best looking planes I've seen.

Is the engraving on the tote a standard on Siegley planes or is it specific to certain planes/models?

 

[Repliconics]

I've got to admit, that is one of the best looking planes I've seen.

Is the engraving on the tote a standard on Siegley planes or is it specific to certain planes/models?

The gun stock checkered pattern on the Siegley bench planes was introduced with the type 3 in around 1893-94.
It appears on all of Siegley's bench planes after that.

Edwin Hahn also used the pattern on his planes, which he was making in Wilkes-Barre from 1901 until the mid 20's.
After Siegley had sold his business to Stanley, and it became know as The Siegley Tool Company.

Stanley also used the pattern on their planes, adding to the confusion as to what was or wasn't a Siegley.

Glad you like the plane mate.

 

[adot45]

Wow, that is a beautiful plane, thanks for the thread. Looking forward to learning about this company. :thumbsup:

 

[gideon]

Well, I'm trying to secure a really nice condition 8. Its like the 5 but with the adjustable throat. Looks like I'm gonna have to pay a chunk for it....

 

[timetestedtools]

here is my #5 and 6

 

[Repliconics]

Their two really nice planes mate.
Both are of the Stanley verity made by the Siegley Tool Company of
New Britain Connecticut.

If you dont mind me asking, do you consider them to be Siegley or Stanley planes?

I'm really interested to find out what people's view is as to what is a Siegley.

Thanks.

 

[timetestedtools]

Well, no matter were they were made or who made them they are Siegley design. I consider them a Siegley. What I'm having a tough time determining is how to tell the difference between the last Siegley made and the first Stanley made planes.

 

[Repliconics]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The best way to tell the difference is the cap iron.
If it has a checkered diamond pattern it's a Stanley version.

Also Siegley never put his name on any of his planes, except for the
number two adjustable which had a small logo with the patent date on it.

Jacob Siegley never made transitional planes, or a bench plane with a lever cap.

There is no doubt that your planes are the Siegley design, and I dont wont to take anything away from them.

I just think it would be helpful to collector's if the difference between the two was better known.

 

[timetestedtools]

There is no doubt that your planes are the Siegley design, and I dont wont to take anything away from them.

I just think it would be helpful to collector's if the difference between the two was better known.

thanks for the information and I totally agree. I've been researching for the answer that I now have and will document it with my collection albeit very small.

in the same vein we often call the bench planes made by Stanley "Bailey planes". As a collector, I know the difference, but as a user I never did.

 

[Repliconics]

In the same vein we often call the bench planes made by Stanley "Bailey planes".

Thanks Don.
That's it in a nut shell!
Stanley bought the rights to Bailey's Patents.
When they started to produce their range of "Bailey Patent Planes",
what they were really doing was making a legal copy of either part or all of Bailey's work.

And I've got no quarrel with that, but it's still a copy.
Bailey planes were made by Bailey himself and his company.
Both are part of the history of the man and his planes.
But only one is the real deal.

I see Jacob Siegley very much the same way, there is no doubt that the planes made
by Stanley are part of Siegley's history.
But it's also true that the majority of the planes sold by Stanley under the name Siegley,
were types that he himself never produced.

To this point there is very little really known but Jacob Siegley and his work.

But hopefully over time that will start to change.
Cheers
Trevor.

 

[BZawat]

Here's a few more. These are Stanley made, a No 5 & a 5 1/2.

Here's the 5

And the 5 1/2

If I've got it right, the 5 1/2 is from Stanley's first run of Siegley planes. It has a patent date embossed in the cap iron thumbscrew, and has the same knurling that Siegley used. The 5's thumbscrew is plain.