Croze

Object Name:

Croze

Object ID:

1953.001.05

Date:

1875-1900

Description:

Croze (for plowing out the channel/groove for barrel heads). Dark-brown, fine-grain hardwood. Wooden body semi-circular in shape. Both ends clipped and flat. Width of ends about 1.3". A number of small irregular surface cracks in wood on top and bottom in central area. On bottom surface is cast-iron fence with slightly-sharpened, curved fence edge adjacent to where tool edge would be. Sharp fence edge about 0.85" from body surface. Fence has two rectangular legs at ends and roughly square cast post support at center.At right edge of fence is slight flathead slotted bolt head that passes through iron and then through wooden body. It terminates in small, square nut with slightly recessed bolt end. At center is a blade-holder assembly that has a square hole in it and central shaft below it that is threaded at top end. It passes through post support in fence, then through wooden body and terminates with large flat washer and hex nut. A small amount of thread extends through top of nut. Small dimple in metal at left-hand end of fence assembly. Relieved area on front edge of fence for chip clearance. Small wear groove at left-hand, bottom edge of tool. Very slight wear groove at trailing edge of tool. Paper label left end with typed number: "2/11/53".

Material:

Wood
Metal

Dimensions:

H-2.8 W-6.3 L-12.3 inches

Provenance:

Found by the donor in the attic of the Stratton Company flour mill, Penacook, NH, in 1953, when the mill closed. The mill, eventually owned by the Stratton Company, was built in 1857. They also had a large barrel factory. By 1900, it was the largest flour mill in New England. The donor was vice-president of the company.

Credit Line:

Gift of Donald J. McFarland