Last week Jim Bode posted this WHITKER Patent February 6, 1866 Handled Saw
Rabbet Plane:

https://www.jimbodetools.com/collections/whats-new/products/whitker-
patent-february-6-1866-handled-saw-rabbet-
plane-83424">https://www.jimbodetools.com/collections/whats-new/products
/whitker-patent-february-6-1866-handled-saw-rabbet-plane-83424

From his posting I explored DATAMP and found the patent info:
http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?pn=52478&id=8776

DATAMP says, "Not known to have been produced”, yet Bode pictures one, and a
well used one at that.

Well I got one too, and I think mine looks more like the patent than Bode’s as
far as the handle and body are concerned. Bode’s blade looks like the patent,
while mine has multiple blades w/ finer teeth. Mine looks more to be designed
for cross grain work. Mine also has an aluminum tag nailed on its toe that is
stamped “84” which suggests to me that it came out of a toolroom. (See second to
last picture.)

My pics are here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../albums/72157665599314985/wi
th/25589691225/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/77280442@N.../albums/721576655993
14985/with/25589691225/

The DATAMP editor says,"I made a copy of one of these and it works very well,
especially for crossgrain work.”

So the question is: Copies, independent invention or was it manufactured?

Bill