Woody Collectors, Wax or No Wax???

[Johnny Kleso]

I just won this mint unused Marples 2 1/8" Woody Smooth Plane

http://stanleytools.home.comcast.net/woody2/woody-1.jpg

http://stanleytools.home.comcast.net/woody2/woody-2.jpg

http://stanleytools.home.comcast.net/woody2/woody-3.jpg

Blade has a little minor rust but plane is unused 100%

I would like to Wax the body but something tells me to keep it as it came from the factory..

Would waxing help the plane over the next 50 years more than not waxing it..

Or am I crazy to consider waxing it at all..

I can't believe I won this for the price of a nice No.5 Bailey :)

Thanks

[Jamie Cowan]

My instinct is to wax the sole, but then again, everything I know about planes I learned from your website and the Blood and Gore site. I was hoping you'd know.

[Robert Rozaieski]

WOW! Nice score. I'm still waiting for a nice smoother like that one. Wax or linseed oil would be fine. Wax is only a surface treatment and will wear off in time. I like linseed oil straight up or thinned with turps (thanks Stephen). But really, you don't need to put anything on it if you don't want. The oils from your hands will work into the wood and give it a nice patina as you use it. You are going to use it aren't you ;)?

[David Keller NC]

Depends - if you're going to use it, WAX IT, at least the sole. Using an unwaxed woody on hard wood can really mess up the sole.

However, I'm going to suggest that what you have is an incredibly collectible tool that's worth about $150-$200 at one of the major auctions. You might choose to purchase a good condition but used wooden smoother, which you can get for about $50, and keep this one for display (or sell it). That's an incredible find - though Marples made wooden planes long after most of the other wooden plane makers had shut down, finding one in that condition with the box is very rare indeed.

If you're going to keep or sell it as a collector's piece - do absolutely nothing to it at all, including honing the blade. It would also be best to store it with the blade and wedge out of the plane unless you're going to display it, in which case leave it loose. England's damp, and if you reside in a dry climate, shrinkage of the body around the unmoving iron might split the cheeks.

[Dave Anderson NH]

If you decide to oil and wax it Johnny make sure you do not wax the areas where the wedge fits or the bottom or cheeks of the wedge itself. Both will make it harder to keep the wedge set when using the plane.

[Johnny Kleso]

Thanks Guys,
I have about a dozen wood smoothers so I think I'm just the care taker of this plane for the next 30 years..

It will stay as is, in Factoy Condition than to alter it..