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Thread: What to do with a huge set of shipwirght irons

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    Born in Texas, Live in California
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    What to do with a huge set of shipwirght irons

    Hello everyone,

    This is my first post. I grew up a carpenter, taught to use hand tools, keep them clean and sharp, build all sorts of things, etc. I've never built a boat.

    A friend gave me a set of shipwright tools - look old. It includes:

    1. One large mallet (metal rings and end braces).
    2. One smaller mallet (metal rings and end braces).
    3. 5-6, 9"-10" mortise chisels/irons (?) - Cahill
    4. 5-6, 4"-5" caulking (?) chisels/irons - Cahill
    5. 5-6, mixed lot irons - U.Reed, C. Drew, Buffum Tool Co., etc.
    6. 3 "reef hooks" (?), one stamped "PJ" on the brass handle.
    7. All came together in a heavy canvas/leather seamed bag with "PJ" stitched on the flap.

    Everything is in great condition - no rust - even have one newer looking iron from C. Drew (saying newer because it is chrome looking, shiny). I checked on fleabay and these things seem....well, valuable. The mallets sell for $150-$200 a piece. The irons, about the same for a mixed lot or 4 or 5 in poor condition.

    What do these things do? Is this for a collector or a "user"? I don't know the first thing about boat building - looking for insight and suggestions.

    Thanks everyone!

    Tom

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    mid-coast Maine and deep space
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    You should see all your tools here - http://www.boat-building.org/learn-s...lking-calking/ Well worth a look.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Santa Rosa, Ca
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    T
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    ,

    As I have not figured out how to prevent this - I will try a pm

  4. #4
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Cornwall, England
    Posts
    2
    They are all for caulking plank seems in hull or deck
    The mallets or mauls kind of speak for themselves - for working the caulking, either oakum (tarred spun hemp) used on heavily planked vessels or cotton in yachts.
    Caulking irons come in many shapes and sizes from gert thick ones to very thin ones and bent ones for awkward places. There are also long irons with a dogleg in them, called horsing irons, which are for caulking the deck under obstructions such as a large mainsheet horse.

    A Reef Hook is for clearing out old caulking from a seem, prior to re-caulking.

    Hope this helps

    Oh, and yes they are valuable but mostly they go to collectors to put in a glass case. A shame really as most shipwrights, especially youngsters starting out can't afford them. Some of mine are over 150 years old and they are still going strong.

    John
    Last edited by John Owles; 03-29-2014 at 9:26 PM.

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