My antique? planes...

[Scott Parks]

These are the planes I aquired years ago. They were my grandfather's. I could never make them work well, so I put them away. I recently read the Handplane Book, and through inspiration here, I am ready to refurbish and use them. 1. First is a picture of all of my planes. The Stanley 020 was given to me by my wifes grandfather. It is a modern plane, but I use it a lot. The rest were my grandfathers. The box and cutters belong to a Stanley 45, (but I don't have the plane). Next is a bullnose rabbet plane. On top of the box is a Seargent 714, and a Bailey No. 26.

2. and 3. Please help me identify this rabbet plane. It is stamped "MADE IN USA". and behind the front iron stamped "2 U" . The middle iron is adjustable via a lever. The plane measures 1 1/2" wide. The iron is stamped "Wards Master".

My plan is to recondition the Seargent and use it. The Bailey I plan to clean and keep it as a collector. Is this a collector? The front is stamped with the Bailey No. 26, and in small print, STANLEY RULE & CO. The iron is also stamped "STANLEY". Any other words of advice before I start working on these?

Thanks for looking!

[John Dingman]

Please help me identify this rabbet plane. It is stamped "MADE IN USA". and behind the front iron stamped "2 U" . The middle iron is adjustable via a lever. The plane measures 1 1/2" wide. The iron is stamped "Wards Master".Scott, Looks like a Stanley 78. b.t.w. nice set of planes.

John

[Dan Moening]

Scott,

IIRC the sargent 714 is similiar to the Stanley #6 (a fore plane).
Judging by the adjuster and the slope of the casting side I'd say its quite old (pre 1900 era), though the front knob looks to be too tall for the vintage...but I am no expert.

The Stanley 26 is called a transitional...wooden body/metal innards. Fit in the era where metal bodied planes were beginning to take hold, but the craftsmen didn't yet want to quit using their wooden bodied planes.

Both should clean up real nice.

I can't find my Sargent links among all my bookmarks...there is a comparision chart out there somewhere...

[Leif Hanson]

Nice set of planes - I'd say you have a great start! Forgive the following rambling, just trying to help out...

The 220 - I have one of those. First plane I ever bought, over 20 years ago. Still gets used on just about every project... Nothin fancy, but gets the job done. It's a good plane!

The 45 - you got the expensive parts! Planes themselves are pretty easy to find... Look for a sweetheart era model or later, you'll be able to tell those by a little adjusting knob on one of the fences.

The Bailey 26 (http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan4.htm#num26) - a common plane, I'm afraid it isn't too much of a collector. I have this fellow I really like - it was my grandfather's:

http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/img/planes/marshplane.jpg

I think transitionals can be great planes. Sure, there not as prized as some, but they can still cut wood. But I use it all the time... I think Granddad would be proud. I bet yours would be too...

The rabbet plane looks to me like a Stanley 78 (http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan10.htm#num78) too, but like most old ones missing the depth stop and fence. You can order new parts for them from Stanley Tools (http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?TYPE=STATICLEFT&PAGE=partsservice.htm&LEFT=left_partsservice.htm) directly, and I think that Highland Hardware might also sell the parts, but you would have to look in their catalog - I don't know if they list them on the web. It's stamped Wards Master most likely because Montgomery Wards had Stanley and other major toolmakers make their line of planes for them... Sears and others did this as well. More information can be found on this practice at The Hardware Kompanies Kollector's (http://www.thckk.org/) Club web site.

There's also a page at that site giving a brief history of the Sargent & Company (http://www.thckk.org/sargent.html)'s history. They were competitors to Stanley (among many, many others), and produced equivalent planes. I have a Sargent #4 equivalent that's a great plane... The one you have is an "auto-set" plane, made to compete against Stanley's "Gage" line of planes. I don't know how useable they really are - I have no experience with them. A bit of gizmocity involved, I think... they might be great, though, I don't know. I believe that one might be closer to a #5 than a #6 in size... It'll be interesting to see what you think of it when you get it fixed up.

I can't seem to find the web site Dan refers to - Jim Barker's plane model cross reference page, though WoodCentral (http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/planexref.pdf)has a pdf of the bench planes.

John's got a great page on some of the stuff involved in refurbishing planes on his website (http://www.johnswoodshop.us/), proven by some of the spectacular results of his work. Good info there.

I'll stop now, I'm sure I've gone on much to long already :o .

HTH

Leif

[Jim Dunn]

Leif your link to your web site is down. Any way I can't access it. Any ideas when it will be back up. I love looking at other peoples web sites.

Merry Christmas

[Jim DeLaney]

Leif

__________________
http://www.norsewoodmith.com



Lief, your link to your site doesn't work because you've mis-spelled it. You left out the 's' in woodsmith...

[Jim Becker]

The #26 looks to be identical to the one I picked up at a flea market a couple years ago. I bet these will clean up nicely and hopefully be good users. Should be a fun project!

[Dan Moening]

I've searched my bookmarks and must admit I do not have a link for Sargent planes...I think I was confused about a Millers Falls link that I was reading over recently for another friend... oops...

JimD... that's actually rather funny when you think about it:

norsewoodmyth :D

Lots of legends of that land...and Leif is no exception ;)

[Leif Hanson]

"Lief, your link to your site doesn't work because you've mis-spelled it. You left out the 's' in woodsmith..."

Fixed it - thanks!

Leif

[Tyler Howell]

Scott, I have had a ball Rust Hunting. The characters I have met along the way have been a great resource. Enjoy.

[Steve Kubien]

Hi Scott,

I am of the opinion "clean 'em and use 'em". Whoever made them these tools meant for them to be used for their entire life. Some feel that rarer tools should be cared for and put behind glass. They're entitled to that view but I like to use mine.

I'm not sure if you've got much in the way of 'valuable' tools in this collection, but I'm no expert. Use 'em and enjoy the warmth fuzzy feeling of using your grandfather's tools.

Kindest regards,
Steve Kubien
Ajax, Ontario