I have acquired a STANLEY N0.1 PLANE. If I use your ident chart it’s a type 1 but I don’t believe it’s that old. How do I age a number 1 plane

Are you able to help me identify my plane. All i can workout it is a bailey no4 sweetheart

Would the same type identification process work for the corrugated versions?

Hi guys and ladies I plead total ignorance since I work with steel in my private time. I found a handplane in one of my late Dad’s tool chests. that was unopenend for at least 20+ years. On the “Bottom”, front, it says “Made in USA Bailey” while on the cap it says Stanley. The plane lived on the coast for an unknown time and was rusty. I started to remove rust and old paint and discovered that there was… Read more »

I just got a wooden either jointer or smoothing pane. I collect antique planes This one has *FS&W* stamped into the end but I have been unable to find anything about it or the company. Its pretty beat up but I am going to try and restore it. Have you ever heard of them?

I am an avid woodworker and tool collector.

I’m having a really hard time finding a Stanley no 5 pre wwII for under 50. It’s looking like people are willing to pay closer to $70 plus $20 shipping on ebay and that’s with them in need of refurbishment. Already cleaned up I’m seeing prices of over $100. Is that now the going rate for these even though there are a ton of them for sale?

I am trying to find the value for some of my deceased dad’s tools. He has a lot of Stanley tools, but he has 2 tools that look a lot like hand planes, but have 2 knobs instead of 1 and neither end is raised. Also, the opening at the bottom is 3-3.5″ wide. They are about 10″ long. I don’t see any manufacturer on the tools, but they do say “made in the USA” and each has a number.… Read more »

I have a #4 type 10 bailey that i found out on the listing from this site. However, there is a W machined mark on the right front side with 2 notches on the hump half way up. Can any one tell me what kind of plane I’ve got. A old man gave it to me after i tore down a termite infested car port when i was 23. I am wanting to start using hand tools more and teach… Read more »

“Please be aware: some antique Stanley planes that you buy will be harlequins, or conglomerates of parts from different years” Not quite so. Be warned: there follows a bit of an investigation. I picked up a couple of new/old planes today for $30CAD the pair – one Salmen’s #5, and one battered old Stanley rusted up enough that the blade adjuster wouldn’t turn. Was excited to find a corrugated base though, so first thing I did when I got home… Read more »

I have inherited a Stanley Bailey No 4 1/2 from my father number cast into base is US PAT -19-10 can you give any information.My Father was Apprentice in 1925

Hi, I very recently got into hand plans when I picked up a No. 5 from someone I was buying old license plates from. I used this site to date it as a Type 15, and I’ve been on the hunt for more! Today I got seven more planes, and dated them all from here except one. It’s an early No. 3 – no patent dates, no raised ring at the knob, “No. 3” on the bed’s front – then… Read more »

I have 4 what look like old planes that was in my husband garage as I I’m having a sort out after sad a sad few months a friend said they my be worth a little as we have put a lot on skip ,the numbers on them Stanley Bailey number 4&5
and 1 R B 10 could you let me know how much they may be worth
Thank Shirley Garbett

I have a Stanley No 36 plane. Anyone know how to identify its Type?

Dear Sirs, I just recently purchased an Antique “Stanley Bailey No. 8 Jointer Plane Wood Tool Sweetheart Logo Iron #293632556215“ But, a previous owner rounded off the Tote or sometime referred to simply as the Handle. It’s a dull black painted surface as opposed to the usual high gloss black and also the blade has been substantially had the corners taken off the plane iron, l assume they were trying to avoid “tramlines” when planing. My question would be if… Read more »

Is it the same process for a block plane?

Hi, I believe from your fantastic ID process that I have a 1931/32 Type 15 Stanley Bailey No. 4 plane. It has three triangular notches on the left side of the body (when looking from the toe) beside the frog, above the mouth. I’ve not seen these before and wonder what they are there for?

what is a Stanley c557?

I have an old wooden plane. Are they valuable? It’s around 18” long,and square.

I had a couple questions: I was wondering what occasions called for transitional lever caps and not with the basic Stanley jack planes, And when did Stanley start using other types of wood ( other than rosewood) for their totes & knobs? tx J.C

Hi! I have more than a couple handful of various sizes and types and I’m slowly rehabbing them. Are there better types than others? Is a flat bottom better than corrugated? Is the type 6 no 4-½ better than the no 10? I’d like to refurbish them, keep the best type of a particular size and sell the rest (assuming there’s a market for refurbished vintage Stanley Planes. If not, oh well, I’ll have a bunch refurbished vintage planes.) Thanks!

Where does one get good quality replacement blades for these vintage planes?

Hey everyone, I have a Stanley, #4 with a Type-4 machined base. That is the broad, flat machined area with no sunken reliefs. I also have what appears to be a pre-lateral, 2” wide frog that fits, but offers little-to-no adjustment of the throat opening. That is, I can attach it to the plane, and the iron protrudes from the bottom, but cannot be moved because the frog is as far back as it can be. The frog has a… Read more »

Hi All, New subscriber here. Also new to Stanley planes – seems I’m late to the party. I wonder if I might ask a question and make a comment. Question – I’m only really interested in Type 4s, ATM, so the question refers to them. No guide seems to mention (or, more likely I’ve just missed it), the step at the rear of the plane, under the Tote. I have some planes which are smooth all the way through and… Read more »

I’m confused by this dating guide. I understand the Stanley #5 made from 1885-1888 is the gold standard but most of the Stanley #5 planes I’m seeing for sale out there are made far after that. They have patent dates behind the frog, have a blue body, etc. I even noticed on Home Depot that Stanley is still producing the #5 jack plane. This guide makes it seem like the No 5 Stanley plane was only made from 1885-1888. Any… Read more »

Greetings! I have a #2 missing a blade, chip breaker and lever cap. I follow thru the checklist: no pat’d dates behind the frog, no raised ring at knob mount, it says no.2 on front casting by knob….it says “Stanley” on lever adjustment BUT there are NO pat’d #’s on lever adjustment (and I’m given a choice to pick 1-3 pat’d #’s but not 0). The body length is 7.5″. I’m trying to get an idea to age…and to get… Read more »

Hey guys i was at an antique store the other day a found a little Stanley plane that has stanley sweetheart emblem on it how do I get some one to tell me about it I cant find it on any site

Joshua, I just want to say a heartfelt “Thank you!” for this wonderful resource. I truly appreciate all the time and effort that went into creating it, and for making it available for everyone….for free.

Hello. I was up getting some chests in 2015 which belonged to my great grandfather – Ole Sjursen Helland, my grandfather, Olav Olsen Stensund, and his brother, Henrik Olsen who immigrated in 1906 to Chile to become the world’s fist captain on a commercial cruise line from Chile to the Panama Chanel ND THE US, in Solund in Norway (a community consisting of more than 1600 islands with among 830 inhabitants about 40 minutes with ferry out from Sognefjorden –… Read more »

I found a Stanley number 55 with 4 boxes of planes and cutters any idea of age and value

How do I date my Stanley 55

I have a #4 Stanley smoother with “Made in USA” next to the tote on the bed. Can’t seem to find documentation on this one. Any ideas? Thanks

For those of you looking for a 12-20 tap and die set to service you Stanley planes, I just ordered a set from this supplier individually. The tap was $10.50, the die was $11.50, shipping was less than $5. Call their 800 number, follow the prompts, and Bill will help you. That is who I spoke with. He took my credit card over the phone, and said it would ship Monday and be here in NorCal by Friday. Wholesale Tool… Read more »

Hi guys, I have recently acquired a Bailey corrugated plane.
I cannot identify the model. It’s dimensions do not seem to fit any of the size guides.
It has Bailey cast on the nose and is 17.25″ inches long and 3.25″ inches wide.
There is no number but it does have Pat D and some dates Mar 25-02, Aug 19-02, Apr 19-10
Any help in identifying this plane would be much appreciated.

I have a Stanley 41/2 plane with a brass frog and iron cap. No numbers no made in anywhere but it has an American iron not sweetheart.

I am restoring a Stanley 39 Dado plane. I have the spurs, but need the screws. I need the size(6 ?) and thread spec. I will probably have to go aftermarket to get these once I have the specs. Thanks
geowhiz1@gmail.com

Have used your site multiple times and it has helped a great deal to age a plane. Thank you. Do wish there were additional criteria at times due to my limited understanding of planes.

Last week I got a box with 7 old planes and parts in it for $10.00. I pick it up because it had a nice Shelton number 9 and a Sargent made fulton in it. One plane has no markings on it that I can find but it is a number 4 size and complete. It is a red plane like the later sears planes with a black frog and the latteral adjustment lever looks like the later Stanley. While… Read more »

I just inherited my father’s Stanley No. 5 plane and brought it home to refurbish. I couldn’t help noticing that it didn’t say Bailey on it, which I thought was unusual. I had a vague idea of how old it was (about my age), but thought the absence of “Bailey” and any patent dates made it somewhat unusual, and I wondered how much it was worth. Thanks to your tool, and the e-bay link, I was able to answer all… Read more »

Great resource. I use it all the time

I have acquired a Type 15 Stanley Bailey #4 plane. It keys out perfectly, and is consistent with the previous owner’s history. It has a corrugated base. Most models I see have the smooth base. Is the base inconsistent with the type? Were some simply made that way? Thank you.

I have an old plane, clearly not anything above. No markings other that “Made in the USA” It is a screwdrive like all planes, but the top has a small screw that helps hold tension on the blade and there is a lever that faces downward that moves left to right to actually tension the blade. it is about 8 inches long, at one time I presume it had a front ball handle. The back of the tension plate is… Read more »

I am impressed that there is a Stanley Plane Identification tool. My small plane came out as a type 15. However, it looks like a type 18 but with no ridge on the base under the hand grip. It was made in England and I wondered if the type study tool worked for English tools. As for the question about a rib front and rear, mine has a rib on the rear only so I answered No and ended up… Read more »

I have a Stanley Defiance #4 hand plane model 1204. I know the 1204 was made between 1939 and 1953. Is there a way to narrow it down closer to the exact year it was made? I do see C73 stamped in the base below where the frog mounts. That’s the only other mark I see besides “Made in the USA”

How about a pristine 55 3 rows of cutters, no box?

How to identify a pristine 55 with 3 rows of cutters and no box? Your subscription would not accept my name.