Is a Sargent plane worth having?

[Frederick Skelly]

Found a Sargent bench plane at an antique mall for $20 today. Was sitting right next to a trashed Stanley #5 and was the same size, so Im guessing they are equivalent though I cant recall the number on the Sargent.

Needs cleaned up. Has a thick blade that doesnt seem to fit right - when you extend it, it totally blocks the mouth. So Id have to replace it or grind it a bit shorter. Everything is there and works. Bed is rusty but seems flat.

Is this a good tool or an off brand?
Thanks,
Fred

[Rick McQuay]

Sargent is a well known brand but I know little of them. My impression is they are good user planes but not generally collectable.

[Bill Houghton]

Their bench planes are pretty decent. If you buy it, don't throw out that thick blade right away. The aftermarket blades are all thick, and people pay premium prices for them. You should be able to move the frog back, and that might be enough to open up the mouth.

[James Scheffler]

Needs cleaned up. Has a thick blade that doesnt seem to fit right - when you extend it, it totally blocks the mouth. So Id have to replace it or grind it a bit shorter.

What you probably need to do is move the frog back. Grinding the blade shorter won't help.

Edit: Sorry, Bill just got there first.

[Archie England]

Found a Sargent bench plane at an antique mall for $20 today. Was sitting right next to a trashed Stanley #5 and was the same size, so Im guessing they are equivalent though I cant recall the number on the Sargent.

Needs cleaned up. Has a thick blade that doesnt seem to fit right - when you extend it, it totally blocks the mouth. So Id have to replace it or grind it a bit shorter. Everything is there and works. Bed is rusty but seems flat.

Is this a good tool or an off brand?
Thanks,
Fred

Yes, Sargents can be quality users. Congrats on the find.

[george wilson]

The LN skew block plane is based on a Sargent,right down to the flat topped front grip. I have one that I made upgrades for,such as a more attractive front grip. They sure like to copy designs,but improve parts.

[Frederick Skelly]

Hey, thats neat! My first hand tool find! Thanks guys!

Yes, I plan to use it so I dont mind that it isnt collectable. I just didnt want to end up with a cheap tool that wasnt very usable even when new. I didnt even think of moving the frog (newbie) but with a thick blade thats a real possibility.

Thank you!
Fred

[Dan Carroll]

Buy it quick. Most of my users are Sargent's or Miller Falls. Especially the VBM line of Sargent if you find one is well worth the money. I got started with Sargent because that is what my great grandfather had and they came down to me. Side by side with Stanley's they more than hold there own. I would not trade my Sargent 506 block plane for anything.

[Peter Pedisich]

Fred,
One of the first planes (other than a block plane) that I bought was a Sargent-built 18" fore plane, branded as a Craftsman. I feel that the handle, casting, and frog are very solid - just like my Millers Falls planes, but the adjuster has a lot of slack. This probably has more to do with the date of manufacture than it does with the fact it's a Sargent, as the early Sargent's were made better than the later ones from what I've read... yes the same thing is true for most hand tools, but Sargent's decline happened earlier and quicker. Having said that, even my late-model fore plane works very well after tuning, and has become my most used plane, always on my bench ready to use.
-Pete

before:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pUYCMz_xXjs/UF-rzHHWtwI/AAAAAAAABH0/NFZqsCVhysU/s640/05craftsforea.jpg

after: (most credit must go to tablesawtom)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nXuZuU-wfX8/UF-o48M6xBI/AAAAAAAABG4/4AaXGooNrkc/s640/IMG_7229.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9RE9DeOA7O8/UF-oyJIOICI/AAAAAAAABG4/yFud2O4jT20/s640/IMG_7236.JPG

[george wilson]

Love that hammer and handle!!

[Peter Pedisich]

Love that hammer and handle!!

Thanks George. The cherry handle was probably made right before I bought it from Jim Bode, and the head is stamped "Brady".

[Frederick Skelly]

Just went back and bought it! Cant wait to clean it up. Peter, Im going to try and make it look like yours. Also, oddly enough I made a mallet exactly like the one in your last pic. I had to do a double take when I noticed that.

On my way to the antique store I stopped at an estate sale and picked up a newer stanley for $20. Looks like a #4. Got to measure it and see. I passed on a mint Stanley router plane at the antique store for $295. Im not collecting, so I could spend less buying a Veritas for a user.

Wow, this stuff is becoming addictive, even buying users. Now if I can just find #7 and a #93, I can stop. I hope.

Fred

[Sam Takeuchi]

Mint router plane doesn't cost that much either, so you are wise to pass it up. Decent user Stanley router plane can be had in the $30 range, so if you need one, look around in that price range.

Just be careful with what you buy. There are a lot of planes out there are that just made like crap that no amount of tuning will improve it. Don't rush to buy them, take your time, learn about planes before venture out to purchase more.

[Archie England]

Mint router plane doesn't cost that much either, so you are wise to pass it up. Decent user Stanley router plane can be had in the $30 range, so if you need one, look around in that price range.

Just be careful with what you buy. There are a lot of planes out there are that just made like crap that no amount of tuning will improve it. Don't rush to buy them, take your time, learn about planes before venture out to purchase more.

+1, wise counsel!!!!

[Joe Bailey]

Now if I can just find #7 and a #93, I can stop. I hope.

Fred
Now that's funny!

[george wilson]

I want to make some hammer handles like that,an old style. Not a hammer expert,but it looks 18th.C. to me.

I have had a long piece of Swedish tool steel about 1 1/2" square and maybe 4' long for years. I don't know exactly what steel it is. I believe it hardens in oil. Been a long time since I made something from it. Anyway,it is tough as blazes as well as very hard. I want to get around to making some larger hammers than I have so far.

[Jim Koepke]

My impression is they are good user planes but not generally collectable.

Some of their planes are very collectable. Run a search on the Sargent shoulder plane, AKA the Sargent lady bug plane.

Though almost all of my planes are Stanley, there are others who feel Sargent is a better plane. I haven't handled any other than my Sargent router plane, but it is a fine plane.


Was sitting right next to a trashed Stanley #5 and was the same size, so Im guessing they are equivalent though I cant recall the number on the Sargent.

I am not sure on the Sargent numbering system. A quick search on > Sargent bench planes < turned up this:

http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/sargent-planes-by-the-numberwith-pictures/

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Thank you for that caution Sam. I understand your point. I'll learn a lot tuning these 2 and that will make me a little smarter. But I will go slowly. Thank you.
Fred

[Chris Hachet]

Sweet cleanup job on the fore plane...good to know Sargent planes can be made to work...I
ve got an older craftsman number 5 that looks like that Sargent plane.

[Chris Griggs]

Sargent planes can be quite good. Especially the VBMs form the early 20th century. Here is an old thread (http://http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?174281-Ebay-Win-Part-2-VBM-424-The-Good-The-Bad-amp-The-Pudding&highlight=)from when I got my Sargent jointer (VBM 424). It has some good info in it. Its a pretty nice plane.