The block plane was mentioned in the thread about a Chips Under the Chip Breaker.
For many years my attempts at buying an early model Stanley #60 or 60-1/2 low angle block plane on ebay were always lost to higher bids. My max bid was about $50. Tom lives across the river in Oregon. He saw my name here on SMC and contacted me with some questions about using planes. Last Wednesday we got together and went out looking for items of interest at a few of the local purveyors of all things old.
Tom handed me this plane and asked for my thoughts:
#60-1:2 LA Block.jpg
My reply was if he didn't want it, it was going home with me. At $25, it seemed like a good deal even if it was a little rusty.
It didn't take a lot of work to clean it. Some areas did need a little bit of soaking with oil. A gentle tap on a punch was needed to get the toe plate to let go.
My main reason for wanting an older one like this is the full length of the blade supporting ramp at the mouth:
#60-1:2 Disassembled.jpg
To my knowledge there isn't a type study on this model of plane. The mark on the blade indicates it was made between 1923 and 1935, the SW and heart are a bit weakly stamped.
It works well on ash end grain:
#60-1:2 In Action.jpg
FWIW, the difference between a #60 and a #60-1/2 is the #60 has a nickel plated lever cap and the #60-1/2 has a Japanned lever cap.
Yesterday while with the wife out shopping we stopped by one of my other favorite old stuff emporiums and found a full assortment of a dozen NOS looking Nicholson files:
Nicholson File Assortment.jpg
There are 12 different files in the set. They looked like they would be easier to use in a caddy instead of stuffed in a box, so one was quickly made.
It looks like someone set a cigarette on the box at one time in the past.
jtk
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