Any one seen a Japanned Lever Cap on a Stanley No. 1 Plane?

[Peter Travis]

Ever see a Japanned lever cap on a Stanley No. 1 plane?

I picked this plane up at an estate sale today- it looks like a Stanley No. 1 plane, but it has a japanned lever cap (might be a replacement part- doesn't seem to be as nicely machined as the rest). Was this ever an option? So- any of you who are familiar with these- Should I let my kids play with this one- or put it on a shelf?
It says "Stanley New Britain Conn USA" in an triangle shape on the iron- but there are no other markings.
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Also- there looks like some nickel plating on the sole (on the front and rear edges). Did Stanley ever do this?
Thank for all your help!

[James Taglienti]

Nice plane - Dont recall hearing about japanning lever caps. Surely not a catalog option. Might have been painted who knows. The older 1s have really crummy looking lever caps. Just the way they were made. The rivet in the cap does look a little off. Whats the back like? Awesome score I bet worth around 600 bucks.

[george wilson]

It would not have been a practical option: The cap screw would have damaged the Japan right away.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

My first instinct would be that someone stole a lever cap from an early "transitional", but I don't think stanley ever made a transitional with the blade as narrow as a number 1, and it doesn't look like it was ground down narrower.

Would a spot test with various solvents help determine if it was japanning (which would probably be original to the cap, whether it came with this plane or not) or not? I have no idea, just a thought.

[Andrae Covington]

My first instinct would be that someone stole a lever cap from an early "transitional", but I don't think stanley ever made a transitional with the blade as narrow as a number 1, and it doesn't look like it was ground down narrower.

That was my thought as well. Most of the transitional lever caps have a stippled texture, but Patrick Leach notes the earliest ones were smooth (but still japanned). But he also says the smallest transitionals have blades that are 1-3/4" wide, vs. 1-1/4" for the #1. Hard to tell without holding it in person, but the lever cap doesn't look ground down to me.

I found an OldTools thread archive where there was some speculation (but no confirmation) that black lever caps with a rivet may have been a generic replacement, perhaps available at the local hardware store.

[James Bird]

I wonder if this is in fact a stanley. Is there any way to tell for sure without any markings on the actual plane itself? I am definitely not an expert on #1's... never wanted one so never paid much attention to them...

[Mel Miller]

As far as I know, Stanley never offered a #1 size japanned cap although they did on several other planes. That cap looks proportionally different than a Stanley #1 cap. The edges along the neck are too sharp and the top where the lever cap is pinned in looks too bulky. The #1 caps didn't have that bulging rivet either. It looks like some of the caps found on cheaper generic planes, but I don't recall seeing one in a #1 size.
You can find proper cap and have a nice plane if there are no other issues.
Nickel plating was not normally used on the #1 plane bodies, although a few different (normally not plated) Stanley planes have turned up with nickel plating, possibly to dress them up for a tool convention, etc. I once had a Stanley 113 with full nickel plating.
Also, it seems like if your plane had a nickel plated base, the front & back edges would have been the first areas to wear off.

[Rodney Walker]

Pure speculation here. Is it possible Stanley made the plane for one of their toy tool chests they offered? That might explain the japanning and rivet on the lever cap. Regardless, congratulations on a nice find.
Rodney

[Mel Miller]

Pure speculation here. Is it possible Stanley made the plane for one of their toy tool chests they offered? That might explain the japanning and rivet on the lever cap. Regardless, congratulations on a nice find.
Rodney
I don't think a plane that cost as much as that #1 to produce would have been put in a toy tool chest.

[Peter Travis]

Thanks for the info, guys. I suspect it's a replacement cap.
Btw- sorry for the late response- I've been busy with hurricane Isaac.

[Jeff L Miller]

Peter, thats a nice little plane there. I agree with Mel, I don't think the lever cap is a Stanley cap. As for letting your kids play with it, I wouldn't, only because the #1 has gained a cult status as the Stanley plane to have. As far as function and ease us use, they're not as useful as other planes but they are fun to look at. I'd keep an eye out for a proper lever cap and try to make it whole.

Just my opinion.

Jeff