Heirloom Plane: Please Help ID

[Brody Goodwine]

Now that I've taken more than a passing interest in woodworking over the past year my father passed on his grandfather's hand plane to me. I suspect this unit carries no real market value, but quite a bit of centimental value. When he handed it over it was in pretty rough shape with severe dents in the blade, rust pitting, and little if any japanning left. I discusssed with dad and we both agreed it was best to restore and get it back to cutting wood. I honed the blade and put all parts in my electrolysis bath but still have work to do.

Questions:
**1) Can you help me ID this plane? I'd estimate 1920-1940 based upon what little I know. I tried to photograph as well as possible.
2) The rear handle is cracked into 2 pieces and has had a poor glue repair done at another point. Tips to reglue?
3) As part of the full refinish I'd like to lightly sand the wood parts and refinish. Tips?

It's about 9-1/4" long and 2-1/8" wide
The blade is ~.080" thick and 1-11/16" wide

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/BQuicksilver/Plane1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/BQuicksilver/Plane3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/BQuicksilver/Plane2.jpg

[Peter Pedisich]

Looks very similar to a 1930's Stanley Defiance #3 I had.
Mine was not stamped C115 under the lever cap, my iron and rear tote were stamped "Stanley", but all the rest sure does look the same.

-Pete

[steven c newman]

Looks like a Stanley Defiance #3. rear tote (handle) : take a small block plane and pare the joints smooth, you want a good clean glue surface. Put the bolt into the tote to help align the parts. Worried about glue sticking to the bolt? Just rub it with a little hand lotion. You need a few clamps to 1) clamp the parts together, and 2) the others to keep the clamp and parts from shifting around. Glue? I've used just good old titebond wood glue.

Re-finish/ I would use a chemical stripper in a spray can. DO NOT let it over-spray onto you, this stuff will burn you. Hang the two parts by bending an old metal coat hanger. Hang the parts so that they can drip-dry. I did mine OUTSIDE on the clothes line. After the white foam has gone away, start with a wire brush (by hand) and scrape most of the gunk off. After that, sand the "H" out of it. You may, or may not like what is under the old finish. Use a suitable red colour stain to bring back the ORM flavour, or choose one YOU like. The maybe a few coats of shellac. Originals were Lacquerered..

[Greg Wease]

I agree with Pete--Stanley used that shape on lateral adjusters used on Defiance planes and their lever caps lacked springs.

Separate the tote along the crack line if you can and reglue with epoxy. You can also saw through the crack and insert a slice of wood to replace the kerf. I refinished a similar tote with shellac tinted with red aniline dye. It took several coats but worked out well.

[Brody Goodwine]

You guys are great! I'm happy to hear it's a Stanley and not an off brand plane.

Steven: Good idea on using the bolt. Any reason for shellac over just spraying it with lacquer after stripping? I have some gel stripper I used this week. Nasty stuff.

THANK YOU

[steven c newman]

Shellac mainly as a sealer. Some people will just use a mix of Beeswax and Turpentine, rubbed on with steel wool. Boiled Linseed Oil under a few coats of shellac works too. The stripper I used was a spray can, called Klean Stripper. Comes in a copper-coloured can. It will bubble the old finish right off, almost to bare wood.244355 A tote i stripped earlier this year.244356and after the stripper was cleaned off.