Stanley no. 4 - the Motherlode

[Bill Sherman]

Hi,
I was looking for an anvil on craigslist and found a guy that had several for sale. When we got there he was around back in an out building. The anvils were right in the front of the shop and I ended up buying a 60 lb. Southern Cresent anvil built about 1920 in Chattanooga,TN. After that transaction I got to looking around his crowded dimly lit space and realized he had the largest collection of old hand planes I have ever seen. Most were Stanley but he had others,too. After much looking I bought this no. 4 for $25.00. I am new to hand planes and very new to old planes. I hope to be able to clean it up and make a user out of it. How did I do picking one out? I thought for $25.00 I couldn't go wrong.

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Bill

[Jim Koepke]

Your #4 was made approximately in the years 1946 - 1948.

I like older ones myself. That is just my preference.

Sharpen the blade and give it a spin. Take some pictures and post them.

jtk

[Don Dorn]

I might consider a new iron as that one seems pretty rusty, but otherwise, it looks like it would be a great user. If you are considering a different blade, you don't have to spend much. Home Depot has Buck Brother 2" irons (which yours uses) for $3. I've purchased one for practicing grinding and found it to be a far better blade than I anticipated. I keep a couple handy for my 4 and 5.

[Jacob Nothstine]

Great looking anvil a lot nicer then my chunk of rail road track. Rust should come right off the #4. I just pick up a LV extra fine wire wheel and it works great for removing rust. This MF#9 was done with just the wire wheel.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=65204&cat=1,43415,43439&ap=1
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[Shawn Pixley]

I like the plane. As Jim said, clean it, sharpen it and give it a spin. I like the small anvil too. Look like a nice one for light work.

[Jim Matthews]

I hope my wife never sees that first picture.

Bad enough that I have to sweep sawdust out of the basement.
This guy must not be able to tune local TV stations for all the metal in the way.

Yikes.

[Bill Sherman]

Thanks, guys. I'll have to look at HD for a Buck Brothers blade. I worked on it a little tonight and it is cleanung up well. I would like to get the black paint off of the tote and nob. It looks like rosewood underneath.

Bill

[Harold Burrell]

I'll have to look at HD for a Buck Brothers blade.

:eek::eek::eek:

What??? NO-O-O-O-O-O!!! What's wrong with the blade that is on it? There is no way the BB blade will be as good. Just clean it all up, polish about 1/4" or so on the back and sharpen it...you'll be good to go.

[Jim Koepke]

There is no way the BB blade will be as good.

Including myself a few of us have ventured forth to the local HD and spent the $3 on the BB blades and have found them to be surprisingly good.

Here is the thread of folks thoughts:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?181726-Brothers-Buck-Meet-the-Frankenplane

jtk

[Harold Burrell]

Including myself a few of us have ventured forth to the local HD and spent the $3 on the BB blades and have found them to be surprisingly good.

Here is the thread of folks thoughts:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?181726-Brothers-Buck-Meet-the-Frankenplane

jtk

hmmm...

well...for $3 (if that is still what they cost) you can't go too wrong, I suppose. Perhaps I will pick one up for myself. You know...just so I can be one of the guys. :D

[Bill Sherman]

Before and after. This is not a restoration, just a cleaning up to get it in working order. I flatened the sole, knocked the rust off of everything,sharpened the blade and sanded th black paint off of the nob and tote. The original blade looks a little ruff but cuts well, no need for that expensive Buck Brothers blade after all ;) . Here it is smoothing a curly maple board ..... sweet! My first vintage plane rehab. I'm happy.


Bill


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[Jim Koepke]

Nice clean up. Shouldn't need another like that for the next 70 years.

jtk

[Tony Shea]

Very nice. The blade looks fine from here. As long as there is no pitting near the cutting edge the honed part of the blade should polish up fine.

[lowell holmes]

A LV iron and breaker will make that plane sing. No chatter and thin translucent shavings. It will perform like a new plane. I ordered one for an old #4 I am cleaning up. I tried it in my 604 Bedrock. It feels like a premium plane. The chip breaker eliminates chatter.