Grandfather's Planes, What do I have

[Lisa Starr]

Like the title says, I was given these over the weekend and was told "these were your Grandpa's". I have no idea if that statement is true, but he was a locally prominent finish carpenter. He died the year I was born, so I have no actual knowledge of the man.
Resized_20210308_141335_8075.jpg

They are from left to right:

#607 Bedrock, high knob, Apr 19, 10 on body

#6 No markings, low knob

#6 Bailey, Low Knob, dates of Mar 25 02 and Aug 19 02 on the body, small hole in rear of body

#5 Bailey, High Knob, No dates and Red Stanley Logo on Cap

#4 Bailey, High Knob, No dates and Red Stanley Logo on Cap

What can you tell me about these? Can you point to approximate dates these were made? My grandfather died in 1960 and worked right up until then. Could these have actually been his?

[Marc Fenneuff]

I've had luck dating stanley planes with this site.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

You should have posted this on the Neanderthal forum. Maybe an administrator can move it. This is a very helpful and comprehensive site: http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

You’ve got some nice planes (especially the Bedrock) and, yes, your grandfather likely used them all.

[Dennis Peacock]

Moved the tread here for better exposure.

[Jim Koepke]

This is my preferred site for determining the date of Stanley/Bailey plane manufacture > http://www.rexmill.com/planes101/typing/typing.htm < Lots of information and pictures to help.

For the Bedrock plane, this site might be better > https://www.antique-used-tools.com/brtypes.htm

Without more information;

#6 No markings, low knob is made before 1902. Would have to see the frog without blade. Might have to see other parts. If there is an 'S' or a 'B' on the lever cap that could be a type 7 or 8 respectively.

The #6 with the patent dates is most likely a type 9. Would need to see the frog without a blade to tell if it is an early or late type 9. If it has a frog adjustment screw on the back of the frog it is a type 10.

jtk

[Phil Mueller]

Although you did not know your grandfather, what a wonderful memory of him. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the sense of him every time you use them.

[Scott Winners]

My guess is you will need to replace at least two of those irons, but in general you're starting with what I can get at the local antique store. At first glance those can all be gotten back into good working order, but closer inspection is warranted.

[Stew Denton]

Hi Lisa,

The type 9, as identified by Jim above, shows it was made between 1902 and 1907.

The #4 and #5 with no dates and high knobs might be type 19s, but more photos would be needed to tell, were made in the late 1940s up until the late 1950s and maybe into 1960 or so.

Your 607 Bedrock appears to be a Bedrock type 7. As such it would have been made between 1927 and 1930.

These are the best I can guess, but some of the types overlap, so it is difficult to tell with certainty some times. However, I do believe the dates above are very much in the ball park so should be very close.

Pictures of the logo on the irons would help.

Regards,

Stew

[Lisa Starr]

Thank you all for your replies. You've all been so helpful, and it does appear that these planes probably were my actually my Grandfather's. He died in 1960, so these planes are old enough to have been his. I'll try to take the needed photos to better identify the types, but truly it matters much more that they were his.

[Stew Denton]

Lisa,

Jim and I both use the same two sites for our main Stanley Plane identifications. Jim and I are both pretty certain about the type 9 as to ID and date. I am fairly certain about the 607 Bedrock. By the way, 607s like yours, in the shape yours is in, currently bring $250 and $250+ on the auction site.

The real photos that can help with the ID are on the two old planes, the ones Jim gave ID as being prior to 1902. On those two photos would help. 1. the picture of the bed of the body where the frog sets, after the frog has been removed. 2. A photo of the logo on the top of the iron, but it may be necessary to lightly sand that spot on the iron with very fine sandpaper to see the logo, but if too rusted you won't be able to get the logo readable. Finally, if there are any patent dates on the top of the horizontal adjuster lever, letting us know what the dates are would also help to ID the type and date.

If you have trouble with the machine screws that hold the frog to the bed of the plane, don't fight it. You can break the screws on a plane that old. It is not worth fighting it to get the screws out. Don't take a chance on tearing something up.

With the two newer planes, I am a little unsure of the dates, but the uncertainty is limited. They are post WWII planes if the irons are original to the planes. I do not believe that they are pre-WWII, nor are they WWII vintage. The irons appear to be a much newer type that did not show up until they were incorporated into the type 19s, these have rounded top ends. They made type 19s until 1961, and because he passed away in 1960, they could not be a later type than the type 19. If type 19s, and I think the evidence is pretty strong that they are, then they were made between 1948 and 1961.

I have a type 19 that was my dads plane. It does not have a frog adjustment screw on the back of the frog.

After the type 19s, Stanley planes went south in a tremendous hurry. Yours are definitely not that type because of the date, and they are a type 19 or earlier.

Regards,

Stew

[Joe A Faulkner]

Given this collection of planes, he probably had many other quality vintage tools, including braces, chisels and hand saws. Maybe some of those are sitting around somewhere just waiting to be appreciated. I have to think he likely had a couple of block planes as well. Enjoy these family treasures. I hope my tools someday find their way to someone who will use them and appreciate their value. It would be great for it to be a grand child. Very cool.

[Jim Koepke]

Finally, if there are any patent dates on the top of the horizontal adjuster lever, letting us know what the dates are would also help to ID the type and date.

There could also be a couple of patent dates inside the brass depth adjuster:

Depth Adjuster Patent.JPG

The lever cap may have an 'S' or a 'B' on the under side:

Blade Cap & Lever.jpg

Flip the lever forward and there may be a letter imprinted there also where the arrow is pointing.

One of my Stanley/Bailey planes is 140 years old and still working fine. There are a few in the 125 and 110 year range. Hopefully some my grandchildren and their grandchildren will be using them in another 100 years.

jtk

[Andrew Seemann]

Those look nice, and appear to be in pretty good condition. As long as they don't have any seized screws or parts they should clean up well. If the irons don't have any pitting on the backs by the cutting edge they should be fine. Myself, I prefer the stock Bailey's blades to modern replacements.

The Bedrock looks to be in really nice condition, and even with a value of $250 on the auction site, is is still much cheaper than a LN #7. The #4 and #5 planes don't need much clean up and make perfectly good users. I have a couple from that timeframe that are two of my most used planes. The #6s show their age in patina, but hopefully not in seized up parts. They are probably the less useful size of the batch, so if they ended up as sentimental on a shelf, it wouldn't be the worst thing. I have my great grandfathers #6. I tend to use it as a panel smoother. My #4 and #5 and #7 definitely get more use than the #6.

[Jim Koepke]

The Bedrock looks to be in really nice condition, and even with a value of $250 on the auction site, is is still much cheaper than a LN #7.

Currently Lie-Nielsen doesn't have any bench planes in stock. This may be part of the cause of the high prices currently seen for Bedrocks and even Bailey style planes.

I have my great grandfathers #6. I tend to use it as a panel smoother. My #4 and #5 and #7 definitely get more use than the #6.

My #6 tends to get used more often than my longer planes. It is easier to push around than the #7 or #8. Different strokes for different folks.

A #6 can be used like an uncambered scrub plane on a cupped board to help flatten it.

jtk

[Tom Bender]

Hi Lisa

A find like this would have me looking for more information, maybe a photo album, or as Joe says, maybe more tools.

Did your grandfather grow up in a carpentry family?

This might be the start of a project to collect some history, maybe in a tool chest with photos etc.