The last couple of weekends I've been working on prototypes for my annual demo of toolmaking at the New England Wood Days at the Canterbury Shaker Village in June. It's become a tradition for me to make a hand tool with hand tools and minimal equipment. Some years I've made spokeshaves, others I've done 18th century bowsaws, and I needed a project for this year. Last fall my Dad brought me a panel marking gage from my great-great Grandfathers tool chest. James Draper Anderson was born in Londonderry Northern Ireland in March of 1823 and the next record of him is his marriage in Cambridge MA in 1853. He was a shipwright and lived until March 19th 1903 in Cambridge. The gage is very important to me since it is the only one of his tools which carries his name stamp ( J Anderson) Most of his other tools were bought used and carry other name stamps. Not surprising since I'm sure he left Northern Ireland with little more than the clothes on his back. He was fortunate, at least he had a trade and could make a living with his skills.
Here is a picture of the first two gages made from quarter sawn black walnut recovered from the basemanet of my diemakers grandfather. This stock is air dried and probably was cut over 70 years ago. The finish is two coats of boiled linseed oil, though I will probably give it a coat or two of paste wax after it cures.