Sargent Woodworking Tools

The Sargent Tool Company – History and Legacy

Origins and Founding

The Sargent Tool Company was founded in New Haven, Connecticut in the mid-19th century. It was originally established as part of Sargent & Co., a large hardware manufacturer founded in 1857 by Joseph B. Sargent. The company produced a wide variety of hardware, locks, and builders’ supplies, but also expanded into precision hand tools, especially woodworking planes, braces, and related tools.

By the late 1800s, Sargent was considered one of the major American tool manufacturers, alongside companies like Stanley Rule & Level Company of New Britain, CT, and Millers Falls Company of Massachusetts.

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Woodworking Planes

Sargent produced a full line of bench planes, block planes, and specialty planes, which rivaled Stanley’s products in quality and design.

• Bench Planes: Sargent’s bench planes were numbered similarly to Stanley’s (e.g., #3 through #8 equivalents), though Sargent used its own system, with some planes marked by four-digit model numbers (like 409, 414, 418, etc.).
  Sargent Bench Planes For Sale

• Block Planes: These were a Sargent specialty, with models like the #507 and #509, known for their ergonomic designs and solid cast-iron construction.
  Sargent Block Planes for Sale

• Specialty Planes: Sargent also manufactured rabbet planes, dado planes, scraper planes, and transitional planes (wood-bodied with iron fittings).
  Sargent Specialty Planes for Sale

  Sargent Transitional Planes
  Sargent VBM Planes
  Sargent Saws
  Sargent Saw Vises

Many collectors note that Sargent’s finishes—japanning, rosewood handles, and nickel plating—were often as fine or better than Stanley’s.

Sargent Planes for Sale on Ebay

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Other Woodworking Tools

Beyond planes, Sargent also produced:

• Braces and Bitstocks – hand braces for auger bits, often nickel-plated and finely finished. Sargent Braces for Sale

• Levels – precision spirit levels with brass and wood construction.
  Sargent Levels for Sale

• Squares and Marking Tools – used by joiners and carpenters.
  Sargent Squares for Sale

• Chisels, Screwdrivers, and Wrenches – though not as extensive as their plane line, these were part of their broader hardware offerings.
  Sargent Wood Chisels for Sale

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Competition and Market Position

Sargent never achieved the market dominance of Stanley, but its tools were widely respected and sold through major catalogs such as Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Montgomery Ward. Sargent’s hardware distribution network gave it access to national markets, and many carpenters considered Sargent planes equal in quality to Stanley.

Some tool historians suggest that Sargent often acted as a second-tier supplier, producing contract tools that were sold under other brand names. This practice means that many unbranded or store-branded planes from the early 20th century were actually manufactured by Sargent.

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Decline and Closure

Like many American tool companies, Sargent faced increasing competition after World War II from both domestic rivals and cheaper overseas manufacturers. By the mid-20th century, demand for hand planes declined as power tools became standard in woodworking.

Sargent gradually scaled back its toolmaking operations, and by the 1960s–1970s, its woodworking tool production had largely ceased. The parent company, Sargent & Co., survived longer as a lock and builders’ hardware company before eventually being absorbed into other corporations.

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Collectability and Legacy

Today, Sargent woodworking tools are prized by collectors and woodworkers:

• Quality: Known for excellent casting and machining.

• Rarity: Produced in smaller quantities than Stanley, making certain models harder to find.

• Innovation: Unique designs (such as their low-angle block planes) stand out from competitors.

• Historical Value: Represents a golden era of American hand tool manufacturing (late 19th–early 20th century).

Notable collectible models include:

• Sargent 507 block plane – compact and highly regarded.
  Sargent 507 Block Planes

• Sargent 409 smoothing plane – comparable to Stanley’s No. 4.
  Sargent 409 Smooth Planes

• Sargent transitional planes – a hybrid between wood and iron planes.
  Sargent Transitional Planes

More Sargent Hand Planes

Sargent No. 29 Carriage Makers Plane
Sargent No. 198 Rebate Plane

 

 

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✅ In summary: The Sargent Tool Company was a major American toolmaker based in New Haven, Connecticut, best remembered for its high-quality planes and braces. Though overshadowed in fame by Stanley, its tools remain highly respected and collectible today, representing a rich chapter in U.S. woodworking history.

 

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