#5 Planes

[ken hatch]

I normally just keep a couple of #5 planes in the tool cabinet behind the main workbench. A (I think) type 11 to 13 Stanley with a cutter sharpened as a Jack plane and a LN with Veritas O1 iron sharpened with less camber. The LN with the thinner Veritas iron is still a heavy sucker. I also have a stack of #5 Japanese bi-metal replacement irons and a few Stanley #5 stuck in various cubbly holes in the shop, not many like some have but a few. I haven't rust hunted in a number of years. Nothing wrong with hunting and restoring rust but I'd rather make thing. BTW I weighted the planes and all the Stanleys came in around 2100 g. while the LN is a hefty over 2500g. even with the lighter Veritas iron. Four hundred grams doesn't sound like much but it feels like a lot.

The line up. The Stanleys run from a Type 9 to type 11 and 13 with one Bedrock in the mix. I expect to work through the bunch picking the best to replace the LN in the tool cabinet. While some have OEM cutters, the OEM cutters will be replaced with Japanese irons.

planes#5.jpg

The Japanese irons come with very flat backs, are easy to sharpen, being high carbon steel get very sharp and hold the edge very well. Here is a photo of the back of one of the Japanese replacement irons after just a few swipes on a 600 grit diamond stone. It is ready to go to the finishing stones.

japaneseReplacementCutter.jpg

ken

[Jason Buresh]

Looks like a great line up! Where do you order the replacement irons from?

[ken hatch]

Looks like a great line up! Where do you order the replacement irons from?

Jason,

They came from "Tools from Japan" which is no longer in business. I'm sure one of the other importers will have them. Look for Japanese Stanley replacement irons.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

One or the great things about some of these old planes they are easy to find inexpensively and fix up to sell for a profit.

That is how the coin came my way to purchase a few better planes like an LN #62.

jtk

[Winston Chang]

Jason,

They came from "Tools from Japan" which is no longer in business. I'm sure one of the other importers will have them. Look for Japanese Stanley replacement irons.

ken

I think you can get the same blades from Axminster in the UK:

https://www.axminster.co.uk/japanese...blades-ax22303

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks Winston.

[Mike Brady]

Ken, I'm trying to follow your thinking regarding No. 5 sized planes. You stated that you don't want to spend your time fixing old tools, but that seems to be what you are doing. You also seem to be wanting to replace a Lie-Nielsen No. 5. Is that because of extra weight of that plane? Most, including myself, would favor the quality build of the modern planes. Over the years I rehabbed many many planes; to the point that I decided, like you, I didn't want to be a metalworker instead of a woodworker. I also never found a Stanley plane that worked best, even with aftermarket cutters. If you asked; and you didn't; I would say don't get rid of that Lie-Nielsen just yet.

[Mike Brady]

I think you can get the same blades from Axminster in the UK:

https://www.axminster.co.uk/japanese...blades-ax22303

Hock replacement irons are quite popular too, although they have that squared-off shape that I found my self grinding off.

[ken hatch]

Ken, I'm trying to follow your thinking regarding No. 5 sized planes. You stated that you don't want to spend your time fixing old tools, but that seems to be what you are doing. You also seem to be wanting to replace a Lie-Nielsen No. 5. Is that because of extra weight of that plane? Most, including myself, would favor the quality build of the modern planes. Over the years I rehabbed many many planes; to the point that I decided, like you, I didn't want to be a metalworker instead of a woodworker. I also never found a Stanley plane that worked best, even with aftermarket cutters. If you asked; and you didn't; I would say don't get rid of that Lie-Nielsen just yet.

Mike,

You are correct, I'm not a metal worker either but and it is a big but, LN planes are just too damn heavy for this OF to use as a Jack plane. LV planes are slightly lighter but with another big but, I can't find a way to love Norris adjusters and I've tried. Then the deciding factor, a Jack plane is not a precision instrument nor does it need to be. A pre-war Stanley works fine as a Jack, a LN #5 is a waste and in my opinion a Stanley #5 works better mostly because it is lighter and the thin HC steel irons are easier to sharpen with a good camber. Of course YMMV. BTW, just like the LV planes I've tried to love the LN #5 which is a beautiful well made plane. That's the reason it has spent so much time in the main tool cabinet. Bottom line though, if I'm honest with myself the Stanley is a better Jack plane than the LN. All that said, my LN #4 and #3 planes are staying in the tool cabinet, they are still too heavy but for smoothing the precision and quality of build make putting up with the weight worth while.

The LN will not be sold, just moved to a place where it is out of the way unless needed.

Anyway those are my reasons,

ken

[ken hatch]

Hock replacement irons are quite popular too, although they have that squared-off shape that I found my self grinding off.

Mike,

That bring a smile, while I've never done it I sure have thought about it.

ken

[Rob Luter]

I've had a number of Stanley #5 over the years, but don't currently have one in the arsenal. As is usually the case, I didn't realize how handy they could be until they were gone. I could use a Jack with a cambered iron. Keep me in mind if you decide to divest yourself of the LN. I like the heft.

[Jason Buresh]

Hock replacement irons are quite popular too, although they have that squared-off shape that I found my self grinding off.

Do the hock irons require opening up the mouth at all? That's the only thing that has made me nervous about trying one.

[Rob Luter]

I put Hock Irons in all my Stanley planes, The only issue I had was with a really old #6. Rather than file the mouth I sold it. The Hock Iron now lives in my #7.

[David Bassett]

Do the hock irons require opening up the mouth at all? That's the only thing that has made me nervous about trying one.

I suppose it depends on the plane. But with the adjustable frog in my Stanley #3 w/Hock iron (Bailey, type 14, 1928-30, I'm told) there was plenty of room. No mods, not even an adjustment really because I had it apart for cleaning.

And, grinding off the (not quite) sharp corners of the Hock iron is on my to do list too! (Not that I'll actually get around to it.)

[Jim Koepke]

Only one or two of my planes have had a mouth too tight for a Hock blade with the frog moved back.

The Hock and other after market blades are nice. For my needs the stock Stanley blades seem to work fine if they weren't rusted & pitted beyond use.

Some of the modern plane are gems to behold. Just the same, one of my Stanley/Bailey planes can do just as good a job even with a full turn or two of backlash in the depth adjuster or a floppy lateral adjuster.

jtk