Keen Kutter K5 info

[Daniel Rode]

I've been looking to get a Stanley Bailey #5 in user condition. In that quest, I've come across a Keen Kutter K5. It appears to be in very good condition, knob and tote are replacements but look perfect. It appears to be an exact copy of a Stanley Bedrock 605. I've read that these were made by Stanley for Keen Kutter.

Ignoring resale value, and assuming both are ready to use and cost the same to buy, which would you prefer to USE: The K5 / Bedrock 605 style or a Bailey #5?

[David Weaver]

It would make zero difference to me. The technical improvements that the bedrock has make no actual difference in use.

However, the K5 is technically a better plane because of those improvements, so if they are similar in price, I'd get the K5 for novelty. I wouldn't pay bedrock price for keen kutter 5s, though, they don't command it.

There are people who go for keen kutter stuff, I guess - they marketed a huge range of things, from draw knives to saws to straight razors and straight razor hones, washita stones,... full range, I guess.

[bridger berdel]

Yeah, kind of what David says. I don't have any bedrocks, so if it came cheap enough I'd get it just because.

[Daniel Rode]

I hadn't been looking at Bedrocks at all. I didn't want to pay more just because they are rarer.

The K5 comes in slightly more ($10) than a Bailey in similar condition but the Bailey is a #5c. I don't hate the corrugated sole and I have a 6c that I like a lot but I'd prefer a smooth bottom.

[David Weaver]

Given one is corrugated and one is smooth, I would choose the one with a smooth bottom, and those it's not generally the case that you have to, I'd pay the extra $10 for the smooth bottom, too.

[Jim Koepke]

I would likely pick the one with the better blade.

It also depends on what the total price is. If they are asking $50 for the Bailey, that is too much at the start.

I prefer a smooth bottom myself. I have had a few Bedrocks and have sold them all.

My preference is for Stanley/Bailey smooth bottom planes prior to 1930.

The planes in my most used group are mostly type 9 or earlier. Frog adjusting isn't all it was cracked up to be.

jtk

[Mike Henderson]

I have some Keen Kutter planes. The ones with the single K, such as K5, have the early Bedrock frog mounting. The ones with the double K, such as KK5, have the Stanley Bailey frog mounting. I'd buy the Keen Kutter K5 and get a modern blade for it (such as the LV PM-11V). It will give you excellent service.

Mike

[Tony Parent]

I have some Keen Kutter planes. The ones with the single K, such as K5, have the early Bedrock frog mounting. The ones with the double K, such as KK5, have the Stanley Bailey frog mounting. I'd buy the Keen Kutter K5 and get a modern blade for it (such as the LV PM-11V). It will give you excellent service.

Mike
I second this. I have a K5 that I put a LV A2 blade in. One of the best planes I have. (And yeah, I have the bug, so I while not as many as some, I have a few planes...) The tote is the most comfortable of the various #5's I own.

[Daniel Rode]

The Keen Kutter K5 arrived Saturday. The iron is a replacement that is too thick for the cap iron screw. It had to be forced on every time. Luckily I had one fractionally longer and I was able to swap them out. I really wanted a vintage iron. Maybe I'll pick one up on ebay. The sole and sides are perfectly flat and square to each other which was really important to me because I want to use it primarily for shooting. No rust to speak of but it's been cleaned, de-rusted and repainted.

The plane, after a tiny bit of tuning works well but it's nothing special. I overpaid but it's a good solid user and should last for many more decades.

Somehow in a year, I went from 1 unused (unusable) bench plane to 5 good users...

[bridger berdel]

The Keen Kutter K5 arrived Saturday. The iron is a replacement that is too thick for the cap iron screw. It had to be forced on every time. Luckily I had one fractionally longer and I was able to swap them out. I really wanted a vintage iron. Maybe I'll pick one up on ebay. The sole and sides are perfectly flat and square to each other which was really important to me because I want to use it primarily for shooting. No rust to speak of but it's been cleaned, de-rusted and repainted.

The plane, after a tiny bit of tuning works well but it's nothing special. I overpaid but it's a good solid user and should last for many more decades.

Somehow in a year, I went from 1 unused (unusable) bench plane to 5 good users...


I had a user set of 3 or 4 for about 25 years... in about 5 years I went from that to my current estimated 40 or 50, most of which are up and running.