Vintage vs. New

[Greg Muller]

Is there a specific reason that I keep getting recommendations to buy 'vintage' Stanley planes? Are they really better than new ones from Amazon or another store?

What years are considered vintage?

In any condition?


Greg

[Sam Yerardi]

The quality of older Stanley planes is in a lot of cases much better than anything made today (at least from Stanley). For example, you have cast iron vs. sheet metal in some areas, items such as frogs, etc., were machined with much greater tolerances, etc. If you caompare older planes side by side with newer versions you can plainly see the difference. The woods used for the handles were typically Brazillian rosewood which is next to non-existent today unless you're paying top dollar to some of the plane makers available. Another testimony to the quality of old Stanley tools is that makers such as Lie-Nielsen reproduce the designs of some of these planes, albeit with finer materials in some cases. It's hard to beat something that works.

[Greg Muller]

So, Stanley has changed to using an inferior design? Or just inferior metals and handles?

Greg

[Don C Peterson]

Both, new Stanley planes are made from inferior materials using inferior quality control.

I'd say either buy vintage stock or buy new Lie Nielsen or Lee Valley planes. There are other, smaller plane makers that make great planes, but you'll pay for them...

[Greg Muller]

What years are "vintage"?

[Clint Jones]

Type 19 (1961 and earlier) are all good planes.

[Don C Peterson]

If you are going to enter the vintage Stanley plane market, do yourself a favor, either find a reputable dealer and/or do some reading here: http://supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan1.htm

That site has lots of information about the history and evolution of the Stanley planes, so that you'll know what you're looking at when shopping around.

[andy brown]

Hi Greg,
If you see a plane that seems a nice looking one and it's only $20, buy it. If it feels 'right', then it probably is.
You may have to lap the base and tickle it up a bit, but that just makes it more yours. In these days of instant gratification that may serve you better than a $250 phosphor bronze special you might not want to take out of it's box, for fear of scratching it!
I should add here that I do have a couple of LN planes which I like, but I also have Victor compass plane found in a skip (dumpster?) here in England.
Variety is the spice of life, so buy what you can afford and what you can't! But mainly, I guess, buy them because you like them.
All the best in your searching.

Andy

[Jim Koepke]

Type 19 (1961 and earlier) are all good planes.

For full feature planes, I like the Stanley's type 10 & 11. I do have great user planes from type 5 - 14. I like the large adjuster of the later planes but the low knob on the earlier planes.

Each person has their own wants and needs.

Yesterday, while looking at rust on the auction site that must not be named, it came to me that as an aid to newbies we could use the planes up for auction to point out how we spot cracks, short blades, mismatched parts and such. I am not sure if we could just copy over the images or include the auction number.

I have seen many planes in antique shops that are made up of parts from not only different eras, but multiple makers. Avoid these like the plague unless there is a part needed for something else.

One problem is as the thread ages, a lot of the auctions and images would expire.

Another aid may be what questions to ask a seller before bidding. Especially on specialty items like 98 & 99 side rabbet planes. For those, one wants to be sure the screw holding the nose on turns freely and the nose is not rusted in place. Of course, the depth stops should be there. I have only seen a depth stop and its screw listed once.

One should not bid on a 65 or other low angle block plane without assurance the mouth does not have cracks at the sides. Also, the depth adjusting screw should not be stripped.

More thoughts on this can only be of help.

jim

When everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking.
--Gen. George Patton

[James Carmichael]

Don pretty well nailed it: for decent planes, your choices are vintage, or Lie Nielsen, Veritas (Lee Valley), or Clifton. Then theres some smaller makers of infill and wooden planes.