Tool Tuesday; Carpenter Square

[johan_steele]

A carpenters square is a useful tool; I have a good blacksmith made square and I use it often. There are times though when a smaller square is needed for marking lines and the brass and steel of a good English made square from Sheffield is difficult to better. This one is just the right size to fit easily in my tool chest and is sometimes handier than that larger carpenters square. It has the added advantage of looking nice and I have to admit I have spent some time polishing that brass a time or two and it shines up nicely.

This is one of those tools that fell unannounced into my tool box. It looked lonely where it was and I felt it cruel to deny such a beauty the presence of friends. A tool like this, though usually of lesser quality, is in every tool chest across the country. If one is not then it should be. If you want square corners, consistent lines and even edges such a tool is a necessity. The square is one of those things needed if a man spends a bit of time planning his project; a well thought out plan is essential to quality workmanship. Even I, a complete amateur, spend some time planning my projects.

 

[UCVRelics]

Very Nice square and these were used extensively during the CW when building gun batteries and platforms to mount cannons as well as other fort wooden structures. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[1867crete]

Very interesting, does the flat side have a ruler like modern squares?

 

[johan_steele]

Very interesting, does the flat side have a ruler like modern squares?

This one doesn't and that wasn't that common until well after the war. Marking was done by hand generally.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

This one doesn't and that wasn't that common until well after the war. Marking was done by hand generally.

I didn't know that! Thank you for telling us that.

 

[A. Roy]

If you want square corners, consistent lines and even edges such a tool is a necessity.

That's a beautiful square. A square was one of the tools in the set my father gave me when I started work.
Roy B.

 

[johan_steele]

I didn't know that! Thank you for telling us that.

I want to say it wasn't until the late 1870's that you start to see measurements marked by machine. English rulers and marking devices were still marked by hand well after that and in some cases they could still mark them faster than the machines.

 

[johan_steele]

I have several hand marked tools. A blacksmith made square, an US made ivory folding rule as well as an English folding rule. None of my period try or bevel squares have measurement markings on them.

I am having a devil of a time taking a good enough picture of any of my hand marked tools for them to be useable online. Below is a picture of a hand forged, hand stamped carpenters square dated 1811 in the collection of my father.

 

[Lubliner]

I first started out metal working, and when I finally went to lumber the carpenter square was one that first made me think twice. Especially being also exposed to drafting tables, the carpenter's square took a bit of getting used to. The uniformity is missing.
Lubliner.

 

[EJ Zander]

Good topic
Couldnt survive without my framing square.

 

[donna]

Nice square. My husband has several.