Okay, How About the Least Used Planes or Tools?

[Jim Koepke]

Now are you telling us that mild-mannered, grandfatherly Jim Koepke was a hippy? Really?
If so, you've just GOTTA post a picture "from the era". (Bathurst did. So it's your turn Jim!)

I am not sure one could be found from back in the day. Here is one of me before my annual haircut in spring:

B4 Annual Haircut.jpg

Candy, my wife, asked me to not grow a beard this winter. She says it makes me look older. Not being much into vanity if it gets too cold, one will be grown to keep my face warm.

The wooly bear caterpillars seemed extra furry this year which tends to indicate a cold one this year. Candy thinks wearing a muffler should be enough. She isn't the one who has to walk about 1/4 mile round trip to get the mail.

Found one from the late 1960s:

Highschool Picture.png

Another student took this and posted it online.

jtk

[Brian Holcombe]

Well your eyebrows still look the same Jim
For me it is the chisel plane, totally useless.

[Frederick Skelly]

Love it! Thanks Jim!

[Jim Koepke]

Love it! Thanks Jim!

Fer sure man.

For me it is the chisel plane, totally useless.

Fortunately for me the Stanley shoulder planes can be converted to a chisel plane. They never worked for me either. The slightest lift on the tail and they dive in. With their wedging action caused by the blade's edge, it is difficult to not get a bit of lift on the tail end.

jtk

[Charles Bjorgen]

My plane acquisitions are not overwhelming but occasionally I'll get a plane more out of curiosity than a specific need. This came in the form of a Stanley No. 103 block plane that has what Patrick Leach describes as a "cheesy lever adjustment mechanism." I agree with his assessment. I actually picked up my version from the auction site. Can't recall what I paid but it wasn't much. I was more interested because I already owned the Lee Nielsen 102 block plane and loved it! Here's the 103 Stanley (standard angle) which shows the adjustment lever and the second photo shows it along side the LN low angle version which I do use.

[Noah Magnuson]

Another vote for chisel plane (LN even). That thing has only done damage to anything it touched and takes a bunch of fiddling to get it just right. I bought it thinking it would be great for glue lines etc. There are many easier ways to accomplish this including just a freehand chisel. If properly dialed in, I could see it being useful in a cabinet shop for trimming veneer edging, but that is about it.

[Matt Lau]

i vote for the Japan Woodworker ebony "instrument maker's planes."

The steel takes a long time to sharpen, the adjusting system is finicky, and it just doesn't feel that good in the hand.
I'm looking forward to one day making a proper finger plane....need to clean up my office more.

[ken hatch]

My vote goes to my Stanley 45. No need for a photo because if you have seen one Stanley 45 you've seen all of them. I picked it up from the "Old Hippy" tool seller in Waterboro, Maine back in the mid '80's. That's over 30 years of being moved and taking space in my shop and it has never been used to complete a project. My guess it hasn't been out of its pretty box in 8 or 10 years. Pretty much the definition of least used plane.

BTW, back in the day I had three must stops when we were in Maine, the Old Hippy tool sellers place, LN's, and the GSD puppy farm for some puppy love.

ken

[James Pallas]

Purchased in the 1970's or 80's and looks brand new. There's a reason for it. Maybe someday, like marking a mortise underwater or something. Jim

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Have been lucky I guess. My least used are my No. 5 Stanley planes. Work fine, I just like the other jack better. Some specialty tools get used less, but I knew that when I bought them.

Ken, how do you make grooves? That is where my Sargent combination gets the most use.

[ken hatch]

Have been lucky I guess. My least used are my No. 5 Stanley planes. Work fine, I just like the other jack better. Some specialty tools get used less, but I knew that when I bought them.

Ken, how do you make grooves? That is where my Sargent combination gets the most use.

Nicholas,

Dedicated plow like either my Sandusky wood stock plow or the LV small plow plane. Either works better with less monkey motion.

ken

[James Pallas]

My vote goes to my Stanley 45. No need for a photo because if you have seen one Stanley 45 you've seen all of them. I picked it up from the "Old Hippy" tool seller in Waterboro, Maine back in the mid '80's. That's over 30 years of being moved and taking space in my shop and it has never been used to complete a project. My guess it hasn't been out of its pretty box in 8 or 10 years. Pretty much the definition of least used plane.

BTW, back in the day I had three must stops when we were in Maine, the Old Hippy tool sellers place, LN's, and the GSD puppy farm for some puppy love.

ken

Ken, You may want to save that 45 for your traveling kit. Takes up a lot less space than the seven planes to replace it.
Jim

[Rob Luter]

My plane acquisitions are not overwhelming but occasionally I'll get a plane more out of curiosity than a specific need. This came in the form of a Stanley No. 103 block plane that has what Patrick Leach describes as a "cheesy lever adjustment mechanism." I agree with his assessment. I actually picked up my version from the auction site. Can't recall what I paid but it wasn't much. I was more interested because I already owned the Lee Nielsen 102 block plane and loved it! Here's the 103 Stanley (standard angle) which shows the adjustment lever and the second photo shows it along side the LN low angle version which I do use.

I had a #103 that I used frequently. It had been well fettled and the blade honed to a razor edge. It was nice for a fine shaving as the mouth was very tight. It saw service for easing corners and edges mostly. I sold it to another Creeker and replaced it with the LN102. I like the LN102, but it would be a much better plane with a tighter mouth. I think the clearance is excessive for a low angle plane.

[ken hatch]

Ken, You may want to save that 45 for your traveling kit. Takes up a lot less space than the seven planes to replace it.
Jim

Jim,

I expect you could be correct if I were carrying all seven planes, but then I'd have to figure out how to make it work.

At my stage of life sometimes figuring out how to turn on the new oven is a little much.

ken

P.S. After this many years I expect it will hang around to the end. There are at least good memories of flights to Maine and morning coffee and cookies on Camden's harbor that seeing the box brings back.

[Charles Bjorgen]

Hi Rob — Before I shot the photos for my above post I played around with the Stanley 103. My basic complaint is that it is hard to get a fine adjustment with the lever. I might try using a hammer instead to see if that works. The blade is sharp and I was finally able to do some chamfering and end grain with it. The LN 102 is just such an easier plane to set up, although both are small and handy. The open mouth has never bothered me. As I said, the 103 was a curiosity purchase for me.