Different Bailey font?

[Matt Day]

I haven’t seen this font before. Is there any significance to it?

[Philip Glover]

I am not an expert here, however, this looks like a type 15 (1931-32).
You can date Stanley Bailey planes here https://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/stanley_bench_plane/ and here http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan1.htm

Regards,

Phil

[Matt Day]

Maybe I just needed to see an example - I’ve never come across this type. Appears to be a type 16. Thanks

[Rob Luter]

It looks a bit like a Frankenplane. The condition of the iron and chipbreaker seems poor compared to the plane body and lever cap suggesting they were donor parts. Also, a Type 15 would have rosewood tote and knob and these appear to be hardwood of another species. Seems to me the nut on the knob should be brass too.

All that said, I like the font they used for the BAILEY mark.

[Matt Day]

Thanks Rob, I agree on all accounts. I have another knife/chip breaker set that is much nicer and labeled Stanley Rule and Level that will be used.

[Philip Glover]

I missed the raised flat area under the tote making it a Type 16.
It certainly looks like a Frankenplane. The depth adjusting knob looks like it may be plastic.
All that said, with a good iron it can be a good user.

Phil

[steven c newman]

Has a WW2 smell to it? As that was the hardest plane to "type" Stanley used whatever they had on-hand.....that did not include most Brass items, and non-domestic wood....so, it might just be a Stanley made "Frankie" plane...

[Matt Day]

It smell like war! Thanks for that info Steven.

[Jim Koepke]

It smell like war! Thanks for that info Steven.

Yes, it looks to be a type 17, 1942-1945.

Johny Kleso's site, Rex Mill, is only around as an archive that seems to load slowly > https://web.archive.org/web/20191222134355/http://www.rexmill.com/planes101/typing/typing.htm

You may be able to make a web archive of this to store in you files to get it to load faster.

Here is a partial of the page:

486569

An interesting type that occasionally shows up is the type 18, 1946-1947. It is not much different from pre-war models except for the diagonal knurling on the depth adjuster. It has at times been a struggle to fight my urge to collect this type.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Count me as one more WW2 guy.

The adjuster knob is black plastic, and I think it is likely Bakelite. To my knowledge, Stanley only made that type of knob during WW2, because all of the brass was needed for the war effort. I haven't looked at any Stanley plane "type" stuff in quite a while, but my recollection is that such is the case.

I only have one Bailey plane from the 1930s, as almost all of my Stanley bench planes are older, except for one that was my dads and it is probably from the 1950s. That one Bailey plane from the 1930s has the same font as the photo, with the "B" being larger than the other letters with the base of the letter being somewhat slanted. Thus it may be that Stanley switched to that Font beginning in the 30s and continuing for whatever time period.

Regards,

Stew

[Matt Day]

Thanks Stew