Stanley LA Block Plane Age

[Dan Bayliss]

I had the good luck to recently pick up an older Stanley low angle block plane at a yard sale. I was told it was from the 1920s and it appears in good but used condition; no pitting and it still has some of its black finish. It has the old style cast adj. knob with coarse knurling and Stanley molded into it and the cap has checkering on its face. On the underside of the adjustable throat piece is the number 8; otherwise there are no other markings. It is 6 in. long and 1-11/16 in. wide, so I guess it is a 60-1/2.

Does anyone have any suggestions on dating this plane? Is it a user, or does it have collector value that should be appreciated above use. Thanks for your help.

After a bit of honing it sure cut a wisp of a curl from an old piece of pine. I wonder if I should start to clean up the Bailey #3 type 11 and #5 type 13 I picked up at the same time? Sorry for the gloat- actually these two are in worse condition- but much easier to date.

Thanks again

[John Wadsworth]

Dan,

I can't tell exactly from either John Walter's Stanley tools guidebook or Patrick Leach's "Stanley Blood and Gore" website (http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan9.htm)
but it appears that the 60-1/2s were much like the 60s except for japanned trim. The 60s had a Type 1, made from 1898 to 1902. Walter writes, "Type 1 has a rosewood front knob and does not have an adjustable throat as featured in later types. Early models have Traut's 8/3/1897 patent date in the casting."

What's not clear to me is whether the 60-1/2s also had a Type 1 with the same features.

Experts out there, chime in!

John W.

[Thomas Penrose]

I appear to have found the same low angle plane that Dan Bayliss described in 2003. It has the 8 on the bottom of the throat piece, a Stanley adjustment knob, and no other markings, other than a number on the frog that could be a 69 or a 691. The 69 is legible and clear though. It is 6" long, and 1 11/16" wide (actually, I found this thread by searching for 1 11/16" width block planes, and this is all I found). I will try to attach an image. I could not find anything at Patrick's Blood and Gore that matched these dimensions.

[Jim Koepke]

I appear to have found the same low angle plane that Dan Bayliss described in 2003. It has the 8 on the bottom of the throat piece, a Stanley adjustment knob, and no other markings, other than a number on the frog that could be a 69 or a 691. The 69 is legible and clear though. It is 6" long, and 1 11/16" wide (actually, I found this thread by searching for 1 11/16" width block planes, and this is all I found). I will try to attach an image. I could not find anything at Patrick's Blood and Gore that matched these dimensions.

Blood and Gore list the width of the blade, not the width of the plane.
The turned up throat adjuster began to appear after 1952.

The black Japanning on the lever cap would indicate a 60-1/2.

According to Patrick Leach, the adjuster was changed to a machine knurled one some time in the 1930s.

The turned up adjusters supposedly started showing up in the 1950's.

Blood & Gore shows a #60 with a turned up throat adjuster and they were supposedly discontinued in 1950.

So, either your plane has mixed parts or the type studies may have some errors here and there. I know of a few, it would not surprise me to learn of more. Type studies is one of those fields that are always subject to revisions and new discoveries.

The trade mark on the blade may help to date the time of manufacture.

jim

[Thomas Penrose]

Thank you for pointing out that it was the width of the blade.

The throat adjustment lever might well be incorrect, as it could offer more range of movement that it does, at least compared to other block planes I have.

My blade is unmarked.

[Dan Bayliss]

Thomas,

Your pictures could have been taken of my plane, just a few decades earlier, but my blade is stamped Stanley (not with a sweetheart heart).

Everything looks exactly like mine, including the throat adj. lever as it appears turned up only at the tip end like mine. Mine too limits the throat travel, enough so that I flipped the lever over to free the captive pin and let the mouth close tighter than the adjuster allowed.

I had forgotten about this post and was surprised to see my name pop up unexpectedly. Thanks for the reminder.

Dan

[Jim Koepke]

Everything looks exactly like mine, including the throat adj. lever as it appears turned up only at the tip end like mine. Mine too limits the throat travel, enough so that I flipped the lever over to free the captive pin and let the mouth close tighter than the adjuster allowed.
Dan

The possible mouth plate movement being more than the lever allows is common. My solution is to use a small chain saw file to modify the slot in the "harp" to allow for more movement. Be careful, as it is possible to make the movable edge hit the blade. This is the only direction that I worry about modifying as full open is usually not as important. Once it is wide open, another 1/16 inch won't make much difference.

I am going to have to check now to see if the "harp" was just flipped when they made the change to bent up from bent down. That would possibly explain a few things.

jim