55/44

Croze or hawksbill plane used to cut a channel into the end of a cask into which the head fits. Used at H. & G. Simonds Ltd., in Reading.
The croze is a tool used by coopers to cut a deep, narrow channel into the end of a cask into which the head (lid) fits. This croze plane is known as a 'hawksbill' and has a simple adjustable blade. It was used at the cooper's shop at H. & G. Simonds Ltd., known as the Bridge Street Brewery, in Reading.

1 croze: beechwood semicircular body [or stock] with iron blade

MERL Miscellaneous note from conversation with Alistair Simms (Master Cooper), 3 September 2014 – Different sizes of croze plane are used for different sizes of cask. It should be possible for someone with sufficient knowledge to identify which sized cask this croze plane was intended for., MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'The croze is used by the cooper for cutting the deep but narrow channel into which the head of the cask fits. This tool may be in one of three forms: // (a) It may consist of an iron or wooden stock with an immovable blade. The distance of the groove from the chime of the barrel cannot be varied with this tool. // (b) The blade is adjustable, and by tightening or slacking the wood screws, the position of the head may be varied. The blade consists of two routing teeth preceding a plough tooth. Since this triple blade does not cut a wide enough channel it must be followed by a croze of the (a) type. // (c) By far the most common type of croze, this particular specimen being of this type, is equipped with a simple adjustable balde, known as a Hawksbill. // The tool consists of a large semicircular stock or fence, made of beech. This is as much as 17 inches wide, and it bears on the rim of the cask as it is pushed around. At right angles to the fence, and passing through its centre, is another piece of wood, 6 inches long and 2 inches wide which carries the Hawksbill blade. This is adjustable in the stock, and is kept in place by a wedge. // The fence is placed horizontally on the rim of the cask and the blade set at the required distance below it. As the instrument is pushed around the inside of the stave tops, the circular groove to receive the head is cut.', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – [Coopering – General Card, 55/37–55/56 and 55/66–55/68] – 'This set of Cooper's tools came to the Museum from the Cooper's Department, Messrs H & G Simonds The Brewery, Reading. Although the majority of the tools are modern, indeed some of them were never used, the tools are nevertheless the same as have been used for centuries by both urban and rural coopers.'

1955

Wood, beech, Metal, iron