John Porcius Gage was the inventor of the Self Setting carpenter’s plane. He was born in Chicago, attended Cornell University, and established his company in 1883. The first products were composing rules for printers. He soon developed a wood plane in which the blade could be removed, sharpened, and reinserted without adjustment. Important patents included 271,569 323,804 and 339,872. At the age of 73, he sold the company to Stanley in 1919.
Gage only made transitional planes. Stanley continued transitional planes until 1934. They also made metallic planes in sizes 3 through 7 until 1941. There are several important features that make these planes easily recognized. There is a rectangular steel section in the sole. The blade has a series of rectangular holes. There is a metal tab on top of the tote and a round metal insert the tote is attached to. A metal rod reinforces the throat of the plane.
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