Type 13 Stanleys: Good Users?

[Joe Vincent]

I understand the type 11 Stanley bench planes are preferred as users by many folks. Any thoughts good or bad about type 13 planes as users? Thanks

[James G. Jones]

I have a #4 and a #7 type 13. Both work excellently for me. The #7 is probably the best performer of all my Bailey planes, including some type 11's. I think what is more important than type is the condition and tuning of any plane. Even a Norris infill would be hard pressed to perform if badly pitted, with a dull blade or cracks in the mouth. (That just gave me a visual that is downright painful!)

James

[Mike Henderson]

Type 13's can be excellent planes. All depends on the condition and how you set it up.

One aspect of "condition" is whether everything is original. Just check out the plane before you buy.

Mike

[Joe Vincent]

Sounds good. Thanks

[Johnny Kleso]

Almost everyone agrees that Type 10 to 15 are the best planes Stanley ever made..

I like Type 14 and 15s they people that say Type 10 is the best I bet they collect Type 10s

Type 13s are good planes the only big difference between a 10,11 and 12 is the Lever Cap says Stanley and it has one or two less patent dates..

OH and it doesnt have a Low Knob and I bet the 10 fans like that a lot

[Jim Koepke]

All my Stanley bench planes are from type 6 to 12.

Though, the type 6 has the adjuster knob turning in the opposite direction of all the later planes, they all work very well.

The #4 type 6 is my go to smoother. Somewhere in all the boxes, there are enough parts to build up another #4 type 6. Just haven't gotten one of them round tuits. Of course, I do not have original type 6 blades for the #4s. That would not improve the plane any, but it would be neat to have it all original era parts.

jim

[Steve Clardy]

My user set [2 through 8] are all type 13's

[Rob Luter]

I have a #3, #4, and #5 that are all type 13. They all required a good scrubbing and proper tuning, but work great. All were found in the wild at estate sales, flea markets, etc.

[Joe Vincent]

Why is it that some folks prefer the type 11s? What would make it preferable to a 13?

[Phillip Pattee]

Joe,

Beats the heck out of me. Some insist that the Sweet Heart planes are the best Stanley ever made. These are type 12 through type 15. Others just like the ones after the frog adjustment screw was added, type 10 I believe. You can go to a stanley plane type study and find all of the specific differences, but by and large the changes made by Stanley from type 10 through type 15 are small. Just about any pre-war stanley in good condition is a good plane.

Phil

[Pedro Reyes]

Why is it that some folks prefer the type 11s? What would make it preferable to a 13?

They have a low knob, which to some may seem better. Types 12 and on have the higher knob, but I believe that they suffered from it splitting, this was not fixed on type 13 but only until type 14.

just a guess

/p

PS: second guess is that there is a supersticious crowd out there

[Mike Brady]

Is a type 13 Stanley a desirable plane? You bet. Is the type 11, type 14, Bedrock, type 17, type 19 a good plane? Yup. The Bailey and Bedrock planes made during those 50 years by Stanley can all deliver very nice results. All are tunable and all would benefit tremendously from an after-market iron. If you have a favorite type, as some of the posters do, go for that; but I have used well set-up planes from all of the above groups. The woodworking master, David Charlesworth, uses a made-in-England, 1970's era, #5-1/2 plane with an after market blade, and a low front knob from a plane made decades earlier. Any of us would consider it a priviledge to take a few shavings with that plane, yet few of us would pick it as one to acquire if it was sitting amongst a group of vintage Stanleys at a tool sale.