Need Advice on a Sargent VBM 409 Plane missing lateral adjustment lever

[evan yu]

Hello, people are saying southern California is not a great place to find old tools, but I found some nice planes at local sales, unless..

When I see this plane, I did a quick search here and good words were said about this model and I think it's kind of unique from all the stanley ones, so I took it home. I dissembled it, soak the parts in citric acid, I didn't even realize that it's missing lateral adjustment lever until I was about the reassemble it...guess I'm blind or too excited...
IMG_2773.jpgIMG_2772.jpgIMG_2785.jpgIMG_2788.jpg

What should I do, I am thinking just using a hammer to adjust the blade? I'd like to make or buy the lever, but all I can find are stanley typed ones, which doesn't fit this sargent, because it has a smaller concave area at the frog, and need a 'step' after the rivet to fit(last picture I found online). Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Evan,

There are options. You mentioned using a hammer to adjust the lateral settings. This works well for me on a type 4 Stanley #6. Over time my fingers have become adept at setting the blade in place after sharpening with little need to adjust the lateral.

Another option would be to make your own lateral adjuster lever. If you do not have experience or skills at metal work, you may live near someone, like myself, who would be happy to help you with this.

jtk

[Rafael Herrera]

Evan, a small soft metal or hard rubber hammer should get you up and running. You may end up not missing the lever after all.

[evan yu]

Thank you guys for the inputs! I'll work on my hammer skills on the lateral adjustment then.

[Jim Koepke]

Thank you guys for the inputs! I'll work on my hammer skills on the lateral adjustment then.

Use a small hammer, my favorite is an upholsterer's hammer or a wooden mallet made on my lathe:

Plane Hammer.jpg

Use a light hand to tap the blade.

jtk

[evan yu]

Use a small hammer, my favorite is an upholsterer's hammer or a wooden mallet made on my lathe:

Plane Hammer.jpg

Use a light hand to tap the blade.

jtk

Nice hammer, I don’t really have one of these softer material hammer, woodworking seems require so many tools lol.

Btw, somehow I remember I saw some videos that hammer tapping were used for the final fine adjustment even with the lever.

[mike stenson]

I find a hammer easier than the lever.

[steven c newman]

There IS one good use for a Stanley Handyman plane.....remove the lever from it's frog, and re-install on the Sargent frog.....May have to adjust the size of the tab to fit the slot in the iron....then, just toss the Handyman plane away.....

[Jim Koepke]

Nice hammer, I don’t really have one of these softer material hammer, woodworking seems require so many tools lol.

Btw, somehow I remember I saw some videos that hammer tapping were used for the final fine adjustment even with the lever.

About 40 years ago or so a hobby shop (are there any of those still around?) in my area had a small hammer kit. The heads had threads so they could be changed. one of them was a nylon head and there were also steel and brass heads in the kit. Guess one of my chores today is to see if that thing can be found.

As to all the tools one needs, that is a matter of opinion. Some woodworkers are minimalists and get by with very few tools. Others among us (like me) can't seem to enjoy life without almost every tool that crosses our path.

One answer is to make your own. Hammers and mallets are easy. Converting an old plane blade to a marking knife isn't much more difficult.

Every time my tack hammer is used to adjust a blade my mind wanders to grabbing a hunk of metal in my accumulated piles, drill it through, do a little filing and add a handle.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Guess one of my chores today is to see if that thing can be found.

Found it in the first drawer opened in the toolbox:

Watchmaker's Hammer.jpg

All the spare heads fit in an old 35mm film can. The top head is a flat peen head. It tapers to about a 3/32" by 1/2" flat area. The threaded nut can be used to set it for vertical, horizontal or angled use.

Harbor Freight has a similar hammer listed for ~$5. There are other vendors listed for various prices.

jtk

[evan yu]

Found it in the first drawer opened in the toolbox:

Watchmaker's Hammer.jpg

All the spare heads fit in an old 35mm film can. The top head is a flat peen head. It tapers to about a 3/32" by 1/2" flat area. The threaded nut can be used to set it for vertical, horizontal or angled use.

Harbor Freight has a similar hammer listed for ~$5. There are other vendors listed for various prices.

jtk

watcher maker's hammer set? Thanks again for the information. You know I was a little mad at myself for not seeing the missing part, but now I'm feeling much better