Vintage Stanley Iron Surprise

[Mark Ketelsen]

I just ground a primary bevel on a type 11 Stanley plane iron, and to my surprise the iron appears to be laminated. Here is a photo. Notice the line extending from edge to edge in the center area of the bevel. Can anyone elaborate on what I'm seeing?

Thanks.

[Jim Koepke]

Yes, Stanley blades and other makers blades were laminated.

jtk

[David Weaver]

Jim pretty much summed it up.

All of the older stanley irons that I've used are pretty good, laminated or not - they are especially a pleasure to use with oilstones. Forrest gump would say the two are like peas and carrots. Use it and enjoy it.

[Dave Paine]

That is a line of a laminated blade. The lamination is short. Only the laminated portion was heat treated. Stanley was always looking to reduce manufacturing costs.
Not sure of exact length, but I have restored a number of planes where the blade was sharpened sufficient to remove the laminated portion. May be only about 1/2in long.

Some of my planes have had a line on the back where the rust got in between the lamination and the normal steel. In these cases only about 1/8in left of the laminated portion due to decades of sharpening.

[bridger berdel]

i'm pretty sure that all of the old laminated stanley irons I have dealt with had the hard bit ending just about at the beginning of the slot

[Dave Beauchesne]

Mark:

I just sold ( to my good buddy ) a type 11 number 4 - sweet little plane, C/W laminated blade - it sharpened up beautifully and held an edge as well

Literature I have seen says they made them until 1941 IIRC.

Enjoy it!

Dave B

[Graham Haydon]

Early Records were as well.

[Greg Wease]

Check out the Stanley brochure on laminated irons here (second one down):

http://www.tooltrip.com/tooltrip9/index.htm