I noticed that this tool appeared in the 1906 edition, but was missing from the
1913 White catalog. This probably indicates that it wasn’t made much after 1906.

And holding my "gouge/slick” in my hot little hand while perusing the
illustration, I gotta say that mine appears to be earlier than 1906. It looks a
little coarser than that model, even accounting for hand drawn art.

Thanks for posting these catalogs, Thomas! I got a couple of ideas for handles
from them.

Egad! I do love the porch.


On Feb 25, 2015, at 8:18 PM, Thomas Conroy  wrote:

> Jim Thompson asked for any info on:
> 
> https://plus.google.com/photos/102358420595488787966/albums/611847226
2152795521?banner=pwa">https://plus.google.com/photos/102358420595488787966/albu
ms/6118472262152795521?banner=pwa
> 
> 
> 
> I hope I'm not too late for the game on this, but I've been sick (recently
phrased it "I've got a right to sing the greeny-yellows") and I'm clearing up
arrears of email.
> There is a 1909 L.&I.J. White Catalogue (as per the mark in the photos) among
those that migrated from the Rose Tool Company site to The Alaska Woodworker:
> 
> http://www.alaskawoodworker.com/miscellaneous-tool-
catalogs/">http://www.alaskawoodworker.com/miscellaneous-tool-catalogs/
> 
> Relevant slicks and gouges appear on pp. 37-46. What you have was called by
the maker a "No. 51. Ship's Carpenters' Socket Gouge" and appears on p. 46. The
drawing of a "Ship's Carpenter's Gouge" shows a short one-handed handle with a
schlagring, but the text says that they were normally sold without a handle, and
we can speculate that many or most users would have equipped them with long two-
hand slick-type handles. They came in widths from 1/2" to 3", all with 6-1/2"
long blades.
> 
> There are subtle differences between the "Ship Carpenter's Gouge and the "No.
21. Long Paring Socket Firmer Gouge" or the " No. 22. Millwright's Socket
Gouge," basically in the shape of the shoulders where the blade meets the
socket. I think what you have is definitely the "ship carpenter's gouge."
Unfortunately, the catalogue doesn't show any profile views.
> 
> The only tools called "Slicks" in the 1909 White catalogue are No. 12, No.
12A, and No. 12B, all called "Carpenters' Slicks" and all flat, not curved. The
12 is turtle-backed, the 12A square-edged, the 12B bevel-edged. All were sold
with proper two-handed applewood slick handles; all came in widths of 2-1/2" to
4", with various blade lengths.
> 
> 
> Slicks were strongly associated with shipwrighting, and it seems to me that a
gouge used in the same way by the same workmen might, in practice, be called a
"gouge slick" rather than a mouth-clogging "Ship Carpenter's Gouge." At any
rate, it is interesting to imagine, the formal dialogue between shipwright and
assistant: "Do you, O admirable and worthy apprentice, bring me my 1" Ship
Carpenter's Gouge with long handle, lest I fail to fit the groove for this rope
before my grip slackens and the pieces fall to the ground far below."  These are
American tools; they would answer to "Gouge slick- quick."
> 
> Or so my wandering imagination bubbles forth---  er, maybe that fever hasn't
entirely gone down yet---
> 
> Tom Conroy
> kippling