Hand Plane Question

[Clint Olver]

I just inherited a block plane from my wife's grandfather. It looks old and "well-used".

It has the following markings:

Stanley
Made in England
No 60 1/2
C322
3
0
X1

Does anyone know anything about this plane? Is it worth cleaning up? Is it any good? Is it worth anything?

C

[Andrew Gibson]

Yes the 60-1/2 is one of the best block planes out there. It is a Stanley.
a Picture would help to see the condition. They can be tuned up and would be a great user as long as there is no significant damage.

[Bill Houghton]

As far as value, there are lots of them out there - if you're a woodworker, it's worth more to you as a useful little user plane than as an investment.

[Clint Olver]

It say Stanley Made in ENG. Here are some pics:

[Matt Evans]

Looks like a nice user to me. A little cleaning, a good sharpening and you should be good to go. . .

*Amazing how you can miss something so obvious like a lever. I noticed the washer, but have things like that on my planes so wasn't really concerned with it too much. The lever might be a little trickier to manufacture, but still not impossible with a little ingenuity. (Think about a thick washer, file it at an angle eccentrically, and add a little handle on it to engage it.)

[Jim Koepke]

The cap is missing its lever. The caps show up often on ebay. Just make sure it isn't for one of the wider planes like a #220 or #9-1/2.

You may also be able to rig up another way to put a new lever on the pin.

It also looks like the blade engagement is turned down.

Bob Smalser wrote a piece on selection and rehabbing block planes:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=60970&highlight=chisel

Here is my piece on low angle block planes:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1246005#post1246005

Since then I have acquired the Lie-Nielsen version of the #60-1/2. It is a fantastic plane. I have also done a bit of work on the maroon #60-1/2 and it is also a respectable plane, but the LN is a bit heavier and of better construction making a bit above the later Stanleys.

From what I can see of yours it looks like it may be of the later design with the short bedding for the blade at the mouth. I am not up on all the variations. Especially those that were made in England. I have found that most of them can be turned into very good users.

I have also found that even as well made as LN planes may be, they can still benefit from a little refinement.

May be it is just that I like to fettle. You can't keep an old fettler down.

jtk

[James Scheffler]

I Is it worth cleaning up? Is it any good? Is it worth anything?

C

Given the damage to the lever cap as already pointed out, it might be better not to spend too much time or money on this. (Unless you really want to for sentimental reasons). I also notice that there is a washer under the lever cap screw, which is not original equipment & may indicate that the lever cap was worn out in that area.

A similar brand-new Stanley is available for $34.50 at Lee Valley. However, there are better choices in block planes out there (but for more money).

Jim

Jim S.

[David Weaver]

I would also set it aside for future parts, unless you run across a parts plane that has the lever cap.

The new plane is made in mexico. I had to buy one of them to test a replacement iron. It made for a plane that could be used, but the lever cap wanted to work itself loose often. I haven't had that happen with an old plane.

The new iron was soft (likely so is the one in an english plane), and the milling marks were extremely coarse. I would rather start from a complete unbroken version of the vintage in the picture above, because the new one is always going to have a lever cap working itself loose. Trouble is, that one pictured is not complete and unbroken.

At any rate, I would recommend against getting the mexico made contractor's version of the 60 1/2 unless you intended to put it in a toolbox and do construction work with it where you only use it a little here and there.

[Bill Houghton]

You can get the lever and rivet from Stanley, still.

General website for Stanley parts: http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/

Specific for that part: http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/leverfor12060.html
or possibly: http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/camrifor122.html

Stanley used to, and still may, have an old parts goddess named Lori Goucher. I used to have her phone, but it's hiding. The last e-mail I had for her was lgoucher@stanleyworks.com If that's still a valid address, you might contact her, and see if the cam/rivet from the 220 (the second specific URL I gave you) will fit the lever cap for the 60-1/2 you've got. The first specific URL looks like it might be the entire cap, and that lever cap you've got is a nice old veteran.

These are very useful little planes. I've got fairly large hands, and even I find its small size handy.