Dad’s Sargent Hercules Block Plane

May 4, 2015 5 Comments

The plane in its original condition in 2008

The Sargent Hercules plane in its original condition in 2008

This old Sargent Hercules block plane, a clone of the Stanley 110, belonged to my dad and is one of just a couple of his tools that I have. The Hercules was Sargent’s lower priced line of ‘handyman’ or value tools. This particular plane lived its life in our outdoor shed and was in pretty rough condition when I got it 8 years ago. I first restored it in 2008, but was never happy with it. At the time, I resisted repainting it, as I do with almost all tools, but so much of the original finish was gone that even after oxidizing, it was lifeless and dull.  In this case, the only way to get it back to anything resembling its original look was a full on refinishing.

DSCN1739

After the original 2008 restoration

The plane has practically no monetary or utility value, and I figured even if I painted it and later changed my mind, stripping it would leave it no worse off than it was to begin with. So last week, I repainted the body with black enamel, including the cheeks, which were apparently japanned or painted to begin with. After a couple of hours of baking in the oven, the paint came out very hard and should be reasonably durable, not that I will be using this plane for much of anything.

Now that it’s all said and done, this old Sargent once again looks pretty good. I think dad would approve.

For more information on Sargent Planes including the #514, I strongly recommend Don Wilwol’s fantastic reference book, The Sargent Hand Plane Reference Guide for Collectors and Woodworkers!

Dad's Sargent Hercules DSC_1934

The Sargent Hercules after a full refinishing, April 2015

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About Bryant
Bryant is a business management and organizational development executive with over 20 years’ experience focused on financial and operational efficiencies, talent development and optimization, improved employee engagement, and cultural alignment of teams within the organization. He has diverse experience in successful financial and strategic planning, brand management, leadership analysis and talent development, as well as designing and executing improvements to teams’ cultural efficacy and organizational alignment. Bryant has experience in both International Public S&P 500 Corporate and Non-Profit Sectors, and also runs his own entrepreneurial business venture, a consulting company specializing in helping small businesses and organizations improve operational efficiency, leadership development, and employee engagement . Bryant holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelors in Fine Arts (BFA).

5 Responses to Dad’s Sargent Hercules Block Plane

  2. Frank says:
    May 4, 2015 at 11:22 pm

    This Sargent looks great !!! Nice job ! Care to share your baking secrets ?

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  3. accidentalwoodworker says:
    May 5, 2015 at 5:01 am

    I think Dad would approve.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Keith says:
    September 26, 2015 at 10:48 am

    I found one of these at a flea market and it was in pretty bad shape. I’ve restored it, to a point. Now that I’ve seen this post I’ll go all the way…the engine enamel/bake idea is perfect. BTW – I’ve been using it as needed for a couple of years. Good sharpening made the difference and it was made possible after I bought a Veritas honing guide and some decent DNT plates. The grip-knob is missing from it so that will be turned and added. BTW – if you have done so yet, have a look at http://www.holteyplanes.com/ . Talk about precision….If I ever win the lottery they’ll be high on the list. Best Keith P

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