Millers Falls Irons

Millers Falls started selling planes in 1929 with a unique trademark stamp on their premium irons. In 1931 they introduced a second line of planes with a different trademark. These two trademarks would continue through 1948. In 1949 the company would consolidate all planes made under the Millers Falls name with a single trademark. The last of the trademark stamps were applied just after the mid-sixties. This page will showcase all the features found on all Millers Falls irons.

Premium Bench Plane Irons from Type 1 Through Type 5

The trademark on the premium iron is made up of two polygons. The top polygon is an eight sided octagon with different length sides and angles (irregular octagon). To further define this enclosed shape, two of the interior angles exceed 180 degrees (concave octagon). The bottom octagon is simply a triangle. Inside the concave octagon are the words “MILLERS FALLS TOOLS". The triangle contains the words "SINCE 1868".

To keep the definition simple, throughout this page, I will use the word "octagon" and "triangle" to define the trademark shapes seen on the premium line and the words "Since 1868" to identify the entire initial trademark.

The "Since 1868" trademark would be seen on the premium line for over nineteen years. During that time the trademark had one layout charge with two additional minor variations. The initial release has the octagon containing "MILLERS FALLS TOOLS" and a triangle containing "SINCE 1868". The triangle does not touch the octagon. Under the triangle is "MADE IN U.S.A." and the iron size in inches. Both the USA line and the size line are the same width as the octagon. Around the 1941 time, the triangle is moved up to touch the octagon and the USA and size lines are spread out on the iron. During this transition period, two additional minor changes are noted. The first is the USA and size spread out with the triangle not touching the octagon. The second change has only "1868"" in the triangle. Both of these minor changes were applied for a short time and are more difficult to find.

In 1949, Millers Falls standardized on a single trademark for all planes under the Millers Falls name. The new trademark has the words "SOLID TOOL STEEL" across the top. Under this is an octagon containing the words "MILLERS FALLS" with a triangle tucked under the octagon. "MADE IN USA" is on either side of the triangle. This "SOLID TOOL STEEL" trademark will be used for sixteen years ending around 1965. The 1965/1966 time saw a transition from the stamp press to and ink stamp. Two versions are seen; "MILLERS FALLS CO. MADE IN U.S.A." and "TOOL STEEL M.F. CO. MADE IN U.S.A.". Around 1967, the ink stamps stopped and Millers Falls no longer applied a trademark to the irons.

  • Type 1 Premium Iron

    This is the iron you will find on the type 1 premium planes. The triangle with the “SINCE 1868” does not touch the octagon. The USA and size are centered under the triangle.

  • Type 2 Premium Iron

    This iron has the triangle separate from the octagon, but the USA and the size are spread out more across the width of the iron. You will find this iron on type 2 planes and the 209.

  • Type 2 and 3 Premium Iron

    On this version the triangle is touching the octagon. The same font is used on this version as the previous version. This iron will be found on later type 2 and all type 3 premium planes.

  • Type 2 and 3 Premium Iron

    On this version only the date “1868” is in the triangle. This version was found on a type 2 and two type 3 pre 1944 planes with 334A cap and a 317 frog.

    Estimated timeline is 1941 to 1943

  • Type 4 Premium Iron

    In 1949 Millers Falls completely changed their trademark with this version. It also marked the first time that every plane with the Millers Falls name had the same iron. The premium line, 709/714, 90/140 and the 900/814 series all had the “SOLID TOOL STEEL” iron.

    Estimated timeline is 1949 to 1965

  • Type 5 Premium Iron

    In 1966 Millers Falls stopped stamping their trademark on their irons. Examples have been found showing the ink stamp was used in November 1965. This example was found on the premium plane shipped in November 1966. Sometime shortly after this iron left the factory, even the ink went dry.

No. 900 / 814 Bench Plane Irons

Millers Falls started a second line of tools in 1931 with the Trademark “Mohawk Shelburne”. Why this name? In the northwestern part of Massachusetts next to the Millers Falls factory the main road (route 2/2A) that runs east to west is referred to as the “Mohawk Trail”. The Goodell Pratt company acquired in 1931 had started a “Shelburne” secondary tool line. Shelburne is a town next to Greenfield.

  • Type 1A Mohawk Shelburne Iron

    This is the iron that started the second line of planes by Millers Falls. The iron was stamped with the name, but it is not clear if a sticker was also applied to the lever cap to identify the manufacturer.

    Estimated timeline 1931 to 1933.

  • Type 1B Mohawk Shelburne Iron

    This iron became the standard on the Mohawk Shelburne line until the end of production around 1944. It would be interesting to run a Rockwell test on these irons to see just how good they were compared to the premium line.

    Estimated timeline 1934 to 1944.

  • Type 1C Mohawk Shelburne Iron

    This version has the same three lines but in a different order and font set.

    Estimated timeline is unknown, but within the 1934 to 1944 timeline.

  • 900 / 814 Greenfield Mass. Type 2A Iron

    This trademark was stamped on the irons after the elimination of the Mohawk Shelburne line. This stamp would last until the “Solid Tool Steel” stamp in 1949.

    Estimated timeline 1945 to 1948.

  • 900 / 814 Millers Falls Mass. Type 2A Iron

    A limited number of Millers Falls Mass Iron made it through production. This is a rare version.

    Estimated timeline is limited initial release 1945.

  • Solid Tool Steel

    Starting in 1949 through 1965, the Solid Tool Steel trademark was used on all the planes produced by the Millers Falls Co.

 Block Plane Primary Irons

To date, four different trademark stamps applied by a press have been identified on primary block planes not including the No. 700 line. Millers Falls stopped applying pressure stamps around 1965. For a short time, ink stamps were applied to the iron.

  • Type 1 Block Plane Iron (Initial Release)

    This is the trademark that started the Millers Falls block planes. “MILLERS FALLS TOOLS” is in an octagon and “SINCE 1868” in a triangle. The triangle is not touching the octagon. “MADE IN THE U.S.A.” is under the triangle with no company location. While this trademark was in production, more than one font was used in the press.

    The estimated timeline would be 1929 to 1932.

  • Millers Falls Mass. Block Plane Iron (Second Release)

    This iron can be found on both type 1 and type 2 block planes. Above the octagon is the company name “MILLERS FALLS CO.”. Below the triangle is the company location “MILLERS FALLS MASS” and “MADE IN U.S.A.”. Like the first version, the triangle does not touch the octagon.

    Estimates timeline 1933 to 1939.

    A little trivia: Millers Falls Mass. is a village in the towns of Montague and Erving Massachusetts. The plant is in the town of Erving and is referred to as. “Erving Side”.

  • Greenfield Mass. Block Plane Iron (Third Release)

    This version has the company headquarters moved to Greenfield Mass. This trademark can be found on both type 2 and type 3 block planes.

    Estimated timeline 1940 to 1948.

    Yes, Greenfield is a city.

  • Solid Tool Steel Block Plane Iron

    The fourth Trademark on block plane irons will be the same used on bench planes contains the words “SOLID TOOL STEEL” above an octagon. Inside the octagon is “MILLERS FALLS”. A blank triangle is recessed into the bottom of the octagon. “MADE IN U.S.A.” is on either side of the triangle.

    Estimated timeline is 1949 to 1964

  • Ink Stamp Block Plane Iron

    This ink stamp showcases the company name without the quality of the steel. Both the block and bench planes will have this ink stamp.

    Estimated timeline is 1965 to 1967.

  • Ink Stamp Block Plane Iron

    The second ink stamp can be found on both block and bench planes. This iron was in a No. 75B box dated 11/1965.

    Estimated timeline is 1965 to 1967.

No. 700 Block Plane Irons

The No. 700 block planes started as the Mohawk Shelburne line which ran from 1931 to around 1944. During this period, three different Mohawk Shelburne trademarks have been found. When the Mohawk Shelburne line ended around 1944, the trademark was changed to Millers Falls Co. which continued through 1948. In 1949, the company standardized on the “Solid Tool Steel” trademark for all planes.

When the Mohawk Shelburne and Millers Falls Co. irons left the factory, there was a black film that was applied to the bevel-up side of the iron. Many of the irons found today do not have the film on the surface of the iron.

  • Mohawk Shelburne

    Initial Mohawk Shelburne trademark did not have “MADE IN U.S.A.” stamped on the iron. It is not clear when “MADE IN U.S.A.” was added to the iron. This is the only example found to date.

    Estimated timeline 1931 to 1933

  • Mohawk Shelburne

    This is the trademark you will see on most of the Mohawk Shelburne block planes with the MADE IN U.S.A. between MOHAWK and SHELBURNE. Note the font size is different on all three lines.

    Estimated timeline 1934 to 1944

  • Mohawk Shelburne

    This trademark uses the same size letters in the name. MADE IN U.S.A. is now on the bottom line.

    Estimated timeline is unknown. Few examples have been found.

  • Millers Falls Co.

    It is believed that this trademark was used when the company switched to this new line. One examples was found with this iron on a Mohawk Shelburne body with a #84 casting number. If this is an original plane, this would be the first stamp used on the Millers Falls Co. stamp.

    Estimated timeline 1944

  • Millers Falls Co.

    This Greenfield Mass. trademark is on almost all the Millers Falls Co. irons.

    Estimated timeline 1945 to 1948

  • Solid Tool Steel

    In 1949, all Millers Falls planes would have the same trademark.

    Estimated timeline 1949 to 1965

 Block Plane Adjustment Grooves

Block planes with Bailey type depth adjustment and screw type depth adjustment use grooves on the back of the iron for the adjustment. Early production or type 1 planes had 11 grooves on both the 1-3/8” and 1-5/8” widths without the company name on the top of the iron. Planes after the early production but with the “Since 1868” trademark have 7 grooves for both sizes. “Both sized planes with “Solid Tool Steel” irons have 8 grooves and replacement “Solid Tool Steel” irons have 6 grooves. The “B” version of the block planes modified the iron adjuster and changed the grooves to three ovals. In the beginning of the “B” version, the irons were labeled “Solid Tool Steel”. Later in production no label was on the iron.

  • 1-5/8 Adjustment Grooves

    The initial release iron without the company name and company location had eleven adjustment grooves. Sometime around 1932 the number of grooves were reduced to seven when the company name and location was added to the trademark. The number of grooves changed to eight when the Solid Tool Steel iron was introduced in 1949. Replacement “Solid Tool Steel” irons have eight adjustment grooves.

  • 1-3/8 Adjustment Grooves

    The 1-3/8” irons are setup like the 1-5/8”. The initial release iron without the company name and company location had eleven adjustment grooves. A short time after the initial release when the company name and location were added, the number of adjustment grooves was cut down to seven. Some examples with the “Since 1868 trademark have eight adjustment grooves , but the majority have 7 grooves. The “Solid Tool Steel” irons would an increase to eight grooves. Replacement irons had six grooves.

  • B-Version

    Millers Falls standardized on all block plane iron whether the plane had a mechanical adjustment or a lever cap screw. Every plane used the same style iron on both 1-5/8” and 1-3/8”.

 Block and Bench Plane Letter Stamps

Occasionally you will see a one or two letter stamp on either a block, or bench plane iron. It is not clear what these stamps represent, and only a small percentage of all Millers Falls irons have these letter stamp. At least six different stamps have been observed. The stamps do not seem to be based on a plane type, but can be grouped more on a timeline category. These are the six examples:

  • “GD”  found on an initial release No. 9 and type 1 No. 10

  • “KW” one example found on a type 1 No. 9

  • “DD” common on irons with the “Since 1868” trademark (block and bench)

  • “C”       common on irons with the “Solid Tool Steel” trademark (block and bench)

  • “A” “Solid Tool Steel” trademark from early fifties (block and bench)

  • “B” bench planes with “Solid Tool Steel” trademark (several examples found)

This is another Millers Falls mystery.

  • Solid Tool Steel

    Irons with the SOLID TOOL STEEL trademark will have a “C” letter stamp. In a sampling of STS irons, 33% of bench plane had the “C” stamp and 11% of block planes had this stamp. The “C” stamp was found on a Worthington Bench plane iron and the later Millers Falls Co. iron just before the crossover to STS.

  • Since 1868 and the 1868 Trademark

    This example shows a bench and a block iron with the “DD” stamp. This stamp was applied during the type2 and tye3 years. The percentage of the “DD” stamp is 8% on bench irons and 13% on block iron. Again, this shows that a small sample a stamped.

  • Type 1 Planes

    This “GD” stamp was found on a No. 9 and a No. 10 type 1 plane.

  • Type 1 Planes

    Type 1 Plane

    The “KW” stamp was found on a single No 9 type 1 plane.

  • This was an early 50's stamp

    This stamp was found on the “Solid Tool Steel” trademark irons from around 1950 to 1953.

Rockwell Test

The Rockwell hardness test measures the indentation produced by a force or load on a test surface. The depth of the indentation is converted to a hardness number. Millers Falls performed this hardness test on their irons. It is not clear if all the irons were tested or a sample from a lot received the test, but it is possible to find irons that show the results of this hardness test. If a hardness test was performed on an iron, it will always be on the bevel up side so as to not damage the cutting edge when the iron is sharpened to that location. The examples below show the impression on the bevel up side near the center edge. Most of the examples found with a Rockwell test have had a letter stamp on the iron what is described in the section above.

  • No. 709 Solid Tool Steel Iron

    This iron was from a No. 709 bench plane. The iron had a “C” stamp.

  • No. 4 Solid Tool Steel Iron

    This was from a No. 4 block plane with a Solid Tool Steel iron. The iron had a “C” stamp

  • No. 900 Solid Tool Steel Iron

    This iron was from a No. 900 bench plane with a Solid Tool Steel iron. Like the other examples, the iron had a “C” stamp.