Is this a Stanley #3 or #4 Smooth Plane?

[luis veloso]

I can't seem to figure it out. What do you guys think? 179197179198179194

[Joel Goodman]

How wide is the blade? -- if it's 1 3/4" then it's either a #3 or a #5 1/4 (which is a "mini" jack plane). If it's 2" then it's a #4 or #5 (which is a jack). A #3 is 8" long; a #4 is 9" long. A #5 1/4 is 11 1/2"; a #5 is 14".

[Bill Houghton]

It looks like a Defiance plane, a VERY secondary (maybe even tertiary) line by Stanley. The clue is the fixed, nearly vestigial frog. Cutting iron, chipbreaker, and lever cap are all smaller (and, in the case of the cutting iron, thinner) than on a standard Stanley plane. I have two examples, with irons 2" wide and 1-9/16" (or so) wide, but haven't had a chance to try them out on actual wood. I suspect performance would be marginal, which is too bad, because they're cute. I suffered a brief moment of thinking about how to adapt a block plane iron to the narrower one (to get a thicker iron) before my good sense returned.

Do you have the other parts?

[Jim Koepke]

+1 on what Bill said about it being a Defiance. It might be good for adapting to a scrub plane.

jtk

[luis veloso]

Thanks a lot for your help guys. It's pretty difficult to find info around on the web.

Bill: I don't have any other parts, which probably makes it more difficult to I.D.

[Jim Koepke]

Luis,

I did not realize you were new to the Creek, welcome and hopefully we can help you slide down the slope of hand tools with glee.

How wide is the opening in the bottom of the plane? If it is about 2" or less, then it is most likely a #3. If it is about 2-1/4" it is likely a #4.

Try looking in this post:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

There is a lot of information that you may find helpful in there.

Also, your profile does not show your location. You may live close to another member who would be happy to help you learn a bit more about woodworking or tool selection.

jtk

[Bill Houghton]

Parts may be hard to come by, and it may be a lot of work for not a lot of plane. I suspect there's not much info on the web because these aren't seen as lustworthy planes. All of which leaves me questioning why I have the two I have, but that's a different matter.