Ruined

[twothumbs]

I am ruined by this forum. I have just bought a 4 ½ Stanley plane I don’t need at a sale for £5.
A bit grotty but on closer inspection I suspect it may be a 16 made in the USA in 1933 - 1941. It has Bailey at the front made in USA behind the frog a Rosewood front knob. The handle is much later and broken. Rust is only surface from splashes. Blade is Made in England and thin as is the cap. I liked the look of it....so much better than my 60’s chrome lever cap with the chrome coming off. Perhasp not so bad after all.

 

[dm65]

Looks the same as mine but mine cost me £5.50 so I feel cheated

I notice the angle lever behind the blade is swung right over - I have to do the same

Does you frog sit off square as well ? mine does hence the adjustment

EDIT: Hang on, mines a 4 - sorry

 

[condeesteso]

Very promising indeed I think. The 4 1/2s are not so common so a good find. I am personally a massive fan of the US Stanleys, and I reckon that one of yours could be got back to excellent fairly quickly. Cannot guess what the blade may be like, but I suspect a Quangsheng from Workshop Heaven would transform this plane... amazing blades, excellent steels, and bargain price too. Well bought!

 

[Dangermouse]

A very good buy, I got mine from a bootsale in similar condition, fettled it and its a joy to use.

 

[Richard T]

Archhh! Far from ruined - looks like your'e on to a profit.

 

[twothumbs]

Thank you everyone for your help and thoughts.
A preliminary clean up shows it to be in good nick and I will not do much other than re-assemble it, a new handle, and a new blade from Workshop Heaven. I have glued up the handle and straightened the screw rod and will try the present beech one first just to see how it is. Getting happier by the muinute A bit of fettling will also not go amiss. Best wishes.

Now where is the next tool sales about?......ruined, ruined..........

 

[AndyT]

A bit late as it sounds like you've already done all this, but here's the before and after on my 4 1/2 showing that a rough-looking plane can often be entirely sound:

 

[condeesteso]

That is very sympathetically restored Andy. The tote looks excellent too. I may need to seek out an old US Stanley 4 1/2 now. I have a Record SS but my Stanley line-up is missing this one (and a No1 of course - I'll manage without that one, or the 2 for that matter).

 

[AndyT]

It's old enough to have Rosewood handles; I think I just gave them a light clean with very fine wire wool and wiped them over with boiled linseed oil. I always aim to remove neglect but keep the signs of natural ageing.

 

[condeesteso]

Hi Andy, talking of 'old', I was showing jimi43 (Sputnik these days) my US Stanley No 6 today. I am still researching this one, but the v early ones had American beech handles (walnut is considered 'modern' :lol: ).
It's easier to date the mainstream ones (the 4s etc) but I strongly suspect this is a really early No6, maybe around 1882. To think: 17 years after the end of the Civil War, and around the time Billy the Kid met Pat Garrett for the last time. I hold that plane with care, reverence... and a quiet reflection.
Nowt at all wrong with a well-made Bailey in my own humble opinion.
That's it of course, on the hunt for a US Stanley 4 1/2 now. Addicted??

 

[AndyT]

Now then Douglas there's a very predictable response to a forum post like that. SHOW US SOME PICTURES!
(And let us know if it was one of Jim's boot fair trophies or whether you are shopping in more conventional places. )

 

[condeesteso]

OK Andy, I think this one is worth a post... I'll get some pics done, maybe a few here can help date as it has an unusual screw fixing for the knob, no frog adjuster of course (new fangled things) and the S mark for the casting. Wait and see