Stanley No4 1902-1907

[midnightlunchbox]

I recently acquired some old tools from an old lady I was working for. Amongst the tools was a Stanley No4 with the corrugated sole, low knob and rosewood handles. I have dated the plane on hyperkitten.com and it says it's a type 9 dating from 1902-1907 which would correspond with the provenance the old lady told me. It had been owned by her husbands father who had been a pattern maker pre WW1.

It has lots of surface rust but nothing major, no great pitting etc. most of the japanning is gone. The knob/handle are tip top. It has a repair to one side of the sole, the high part parallel to the frog. The repair is fairly discreet but there is a small amount of weld on the inside face which gives it away.

Now, what is the best way to clean the plane? Lots of emery paper, steel wool and rubbing?

How far do I go in cleaning it? What finish am I looking to achieve?

Do I paint the japanned bits? Most of the japanning is gone.

What's it worth?

Or do I keep it for my collection (which is becoming silly).

Cheers
Craig

 

[Vann]

Hi Craig,

It has a repair to one side of the sole... The repair is fairly discreet but there is a small amount of weld on the inside face which gives it away.

How far do I go in cleaning it? What finish am I looking to achieve?

Do I paint the japanned bits? Most of the japanning is gone. ...What's it worth?

If it was collectable, the more you tart it up, the more you devalue it.

With a weld repair to the sole casting it's no longer collectable (except for parts). Planes of that era make good users, so you can polish it up, repaint it, or use it as it is - what pleases you. While a bright shiney plane looks great, after a while of working with old tools, the patina of an old unpolished tool begins to look great too (beauty being in the eye of the beholder). You should sharpen the iron and try it out. If it produces shavings to your satisfaction then it's doing what it's designed to do and you need do nothing else. I guess you'll loose some patina getting rid of the surface rust - if it's extensive enough to need attention.

Or you could pull it apart, ensure good mating between frog and base, and generally tart it up. But there's no need, only want...

Cheers, Vann.

 

[jimi43]

I recently culled most of my Bailey type collection to make space for infills and woodies but of three I kept...one was that very model...

I kept the ANCHOR 5 I have because it is simply the best Bailey plane I have ever used with Swedish steel iron and wonderful quality....

I kept a 4 1/2 for sentimental reasons and I kept this one because it is a work of art...way before the cutbacks of WWII and the subsequent slow takeover of the company by accountants.

The engineering is old school and fine...

...it works brilliantly...

....and the lines are the best of Leonard's tradition....

It's the best of all the Stanley Baileys made in my honest opinion.

Keep it...love it and use it.

Jimi

 

[midnightlunchbox]

Wow that is the exact same plane as my one. I have a couple of modern bailey's from when I was an apprentice and the difference in quality is incredible, it's just not there anymore. I have a fondness for old tools but I also have an appreciation for the era, the skill and differing trades that are gone now.

I am going to clean it up as best I can.

And keep it......