In woodworking, a coffin plane is a type of hand plane used for smoothing wood surfaces. The name “coffin” comes from the distinctive shape of the tool’s wooden body, which is wider in the middle and tapers at both ends—resembling a traditional coffin.
Coffin Plane Key Features:
- Body Shape: Rounded sides and tapered ends give it a more ergonomic feel and help with grip during use.
- Material: Typically made from hardwood like beech.
- Blade (Iron): Set at a fixed angle, often with a cap iron to reduce tear-out.
- Use: Commonly used as a smoothing plane for finishing surfaces, especially in fine woodworking or cabinetmaking.
It’s a classic design often associated with 18th- and 19th-century woodworking before metal-bodied planes became widespread.
This is a fine example of a well made coffin plane that incorporates a steel plane iron from a company in Sheffield, England, known as S. Ashton. S. Ashton was a maker of steel edge tools for planes, saws, and other types of tools.
Because there is no manufacturers mark on the wood body of the plane, it’s not known who made that but it could be a number of potential manufacturers who used the S. Ashton plane irons in their planes.
Eight inch coffin plane with an S. Ashton Plane Iron from Sheffield, England
Coffin Plane Use
Coffin planes were primarily used as smoothing planes, which means they were essential tools for finishing wood surfaces. After the rough shaping and flattening were done with larger planes (like jack or jointer planes), the coffin plane would come in for the fine, detailed work.
Main Uses of Coffin Planes:
- Smoothing Surfaces: Their primary job was to produce a smooth, clean surface ready for finishing (varnish, paint, etc.). This was the final step in hand-planing a board.
- Fine Tuning Joints: Great for dialing in tight-fitting joints like dovetails or mortise-and-tenon connections.
- Working with Difficult Grain: The curved, ergonomic shape and often tight mouth of the plane helped handle tricky grain without tear-out, especially in hardwoods.
They were favored by cabinetmakers, joiners, and fine woodworkers for their comfort and control. Because the wooden body has less friction than metal planes, some craftsmen still prefer them today for delicate hand-tool work.
The Manufactures of Coffin Planes
Several well-known manufacturers and individual makers produced coffin planes, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries, when wooden hand planes were standard in workshops. Some of the most notable include:
British Makers:
- Mathieson & Son (Scotland) – One of the most respected and prolific plane makers in the UK, producing a wide variety of wooden planes, including coffin smoothers.
- Moseley & Son – London-based toolmakers known for high-quality joiner’s tools.
- Marples – Another trusted Sheffield name that made a range of woodworking tools, including smoothing planes.
- Greenslade, Ward, and Atkin & Sons – Other reputable English manufacturers.
American Makers:
- Sandusky Tool Company – Based in Ohio, a major U.S. producer of wooden planes in the 19th century.
- Ohio Tool Company – One of the largest American hand tool makers; they produced many wooden-bodied planes.
- Auburn Tool Company – Known for both standard and more specialized wooden planes.
- Chaplin and others – Smaller or regional makers also produced coffin planes, often marked with their names or initials on the toe.
Individual Makers:
Many coffin planes were also made by individual craftsmen or small workshops, especially before mass production. These often bear the maker’s name or initials stamped into the front (toe) of the plane.
Collectors and hand-tool enthusiasts still seek out these vintage coffin planes today, especially those with crisp maker’s marks and original blades.
