A brace of Stanley type 15s

[Mikey RR]

I've just taken delivery of these two planes. Both Stanley type 15s, from 1931/32.

The tote on the 5 1/2 has an owner's stamp, C.E. Rance, or possibly Range. They've a little surface rust but no pitting.

I'm so happy to have these, but I'm honestly not sure if I should use them or put them on my bookcase.

 

[Mikey RR]

If I decide to use them, then I'll have to get new irons for them. Probably Ray Iles.

 

[Mikey RR]

Couple more photos. These don't have the kidney shaped holes on the lever caps, and they've the full contact bed to the frogs, so I am wondering if they're actually earlier than type 15? I'll have to do some more reading.

 

[Trafalgar]

Light cleaning, hone the irons, and put them to work.

 

[kwigly]

Yes, you'll need new blades, as those old ones probably only have 50 to 100 years of casual use left in them. AND you'll need to flatten the soles to within 500 microns of flat (also the sides MUST be absolutely square to the sole, etc, etc). I mean, how can you possibly do good work with them, if you just use the tools the Master Craftsmen of the last century used?
Or you could put them on a shelf for display, to show that you too have examples of the millions of Stanley bench planes made.
Or you could clean, sharpen, and use them.

Sarcasm aside, those are good planes, made when Stanley produced quality products, with some wear that indicates previous Owners found them useful, and you should be able to make them excellent users for your workshop.
Making them pretty and displaying them on a shelf is also acceptable.
Your planes, your choice.

 

[pe2dave]

Suggestion. Clean up. Use for 50 years. Then put them in the bookcase?
;-)

 

[sploo]

Almost certainly Type 14 or 15 (there wasn't a sharp transition; Stanley planes just "evolved" over time).

As kwigly advised; the irons should be good from that era (though the No 4 has an iron that's newer than the plane). Both should be excellent users. Clean up, oil, sharpen, enjoy.

 

[IWW]

As Sploo sez. They are certainly later than my examples, which are both type 11. The raised ring around the high front knob came in in 1919/30 so they have to be at least that age....
Cheers,

 

[Mikey RR]

I'm pretty certain these are type 15s from the early '30s. I've got a few rough carpentry projects to tackle before I put these to use on something finer.

 

[IWW]

....... The raised ring around the high front knob came in in 1919/30 ....

Woops, typo, I meant 1919/20, not 30....

And I didn't word my reply very clearly, what I meant was that the high knob/base ring indicates that as the earliest potential date, but of course they can be later, as appears to have been established.

A nice pair in any case....

Cheers,