Stanley Number 5 plane

I found a very rusty old number 5 Stanley woodworking plane the other day that I paid 20$ for. The plane was so rusty I figured I might be wasting money but what the heck right! Anyway, after disassembling it as best I could and then cleaning and soaking it for 18ish hours in a diluted vinegar bath I started cleaning it up. Surprisingly, there is almost no pitting in the bed. The blade is pitted in places and I'm having a tedious time getting the back of the blade flat but making progress there. I had to use quite a bit of gentle persuasion and some heat and tapping with a steel rod and a hammer against the frog adjustment screw as it had rusted in place. However it eventually loosened up. However, there is one screw that is immovable and I'm not actually sure it can be removed. Does anyone know if the screw that sits right next to the frog adjustment screw can be removed or should be removed? It has resisted all efforts to loosen it up. Photo attached:
Attachment 395438

The rear handle is in excellent shape under the grime but there is a hairline crack in the front knob which I think I can fix with a little epoxy. The blade has the SW heart icon and label. The brass adjusting nut has a small dent. In summary, this is cleaning up very well. The nickel coating (or whatever it is) on the lever cap is all peeling off so I'm just removing the rest of it as there is only about 30% still remaining. I'm toying with the idea of re-applying the coating myself. I was considering turning it into a scrub plane but now I'm not so sure. I have two number 5 planes, one is a winchester and another is a stanley and neither have that screw so I'm not sure whether to just leave it alone or what.

That screw just holds the tab for the frog adjustment screw. It does not need to move.

Would it normally be removable?

It often is removable, but there is no reason to try to remove it if it is seized, you'll likely damage the frog or break the screw head off. It just holds the frog adjust tab. Theoretically the whole frog adjust tab could have been cast as part of the frog, but it would probably be too fragile and hard to machine.

For that matter, the whole frog adjust tab and screw isn't really necessary for the plane to work. Not all Bailey type planes have them, and I think it was only added to the Stanley Baileys after the Bedrocks came out, 1910ish. It just makes setting the mouth a little easier, especially if you want it really narrow. On a #5 where you tend to be taking a heavier cut and have a wider mouth, it really isn't that important.

Thank you, that is exactly what I needed to know.

If you have a screw/bolt that won't move, soak it in kerosene for a few days. That has freed every screw I've tried it on.

It will be fine if you leave it alone. If it bothers you, you could obtain a replacement frog.

jtk

Would gentle heat help break it loose?

Not worth taking the chance....bolt and clip are fine right where they are.....Clean be cleaned up with a wire wheel ( grinder, drill press, of Dremel) then a drop of oil to keep it shiny....and leave well enough alone.


Too much of a chance of either mugging the slot for the bolt up....or merely snapping the head right off.....


The IMPORTANT bolt for that clip looks to be already out of the plane, and ready for a clean up.....the adjuster bolt.

Rick,

I am in total agreement with Warren, Andrew, Jim, and Steven.

The reason that it does not need to be removed, is that in use it is always snugged up tightly. As they mentioned its purpose is to hold the frog adjustment tab tightly in place. Thus, if frozen tightly in place, the frog adjustment tab is correctly located. Excellent advise, the above.

The other two ideas for removal will sometimes help, and may solve the frozen in place situation. However, you risk breaking off the screw, as was mentioned, and then create a significant headache to deal with. As the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke don't fix it." As everyone mentioned, it will work fine as it is.

Hope the restoration continues to go well. Being able to adjust the frog with the slotted screw that fits into the slot in that tab is an advantage for folks like me. Guys like Jim can adjust the frog just fine without that feature, but for folks like me, that adjustment feature makes life a bit easier.

Regards,

Stew

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Being able to adjust the frog with the slotted screw that fits into the slot in that tab is an advantage for folks like me. Guys like Jim can adjust the frog just fine without that feature, but for folks like me, that adjustment feature makes life a bit easier.

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It is even easier to just have a plane set with a tight mouth and another set with an open mouth. Then one just has to remember which is which.

jtk

Tap on the plate in the direction the screw would turn if you were loosening the screw. taping on it will sometime brake the force holding the screw tight. I used to restore planes and I would put them in a vise and using an adjustable wrench (Cresent)wiggle it first counterclockwise and then back and forth that usually broke the screw free. It helps for it to be off for cleaning and repainting but it doesn't have to come off or loose for the plane to work.

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Originally Posted by Jim Koepke

It is even easier to just have a plane set with a tight mouth and another set with an open mouth. Then one just has to remember which is which.

jtk

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Yep. That is the reason I have three #4 smoothers, two #5 jack planes, two #3s, two #4 1/2s, and four #9 1/2 block planes in my tool chests. I rarely change the set on a plane after I tune it up the first time.

It's also the reason I don't buy LN or LV bench planes, no way I could afford that many:)