Hand Plane Handles

[Dusty]

Evening all On sunday I visited our local "tac a brack" carboot sale which was 99% cant be bothered to take to the dump stuff .......but I managed to buy a cracking Stanley No 4 ..it is a reasonably old ish one and cuts like a dream .The sole is nice and flat and the blade very well honed , it is also very nice to handle . Now this where my problem lies !!........it has the most hideous bakalite handles . I did not really notice it at first as I was too impressed by the rest of the plane and the handles were covered in muck etc ..

So , does anyone know where I can source replacement handles , rear and front .If not does anyone know who could make me some and I would happily part with £ and the timber needed . I know I could have a go myself but time is a premium .Any help would be appreciated to turn it in to a more aesthetically pleasing piece .

Kind regards Sam

 

[Pete W]

If you're patient eBay will turn up some candidates. If you care to swap time for money you can get 'em here:
http://www.1066tools.co.uk/tools/Rosewo ... e_Set.html

 

[beaver]

Axminster sell em, rosewood front and rear as a set.

 

[AndyT]

Have a read of this thread for a comprehensive set of answers: https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/rear-handle-for-plane-t63146.html.

Btw, if they really are bakelite I think you have an undocumented rarity!

 

[Dusty]

Cheers for the replies guys . Thanks Pete for the link , I think it would be a small price to upgrade the plane and thanks Beaver .Andy , I say Bakalite , but I just assumed as it is in a similar state and looks ( texture ) very much like some old bakalite door handles I replaced recently , and I am not standing by my own quote :roll: So it would not suprise me to be plastic , but it would very tired and old plastic ..I thank you for your wisdom ( not being said in a condescending tone ) .....and you are more than welcome to them lol ...I will drill one when I replace the handles too see . It just seems such a crass thing to do , throwing a plastic handle on such a well engineered tool .

Oh and after planing up a job , in oak , I get lovely wafer thin almost transparent shavings off , best plane so far .

Thanks guys ....Sam

 

[AndyT]

Hi Sam - bakelite just happened to be uppermost in my mind at the moment as I was thinking of visiting the Bakelite museum in Williton soon.

I agree that wooden handles are nicer, but I have never got round to replacing the plastic handles on my 1970s Stanley no 4 - which is also an excellent tool.

 

[Mike Wingate]

If the plastic ones fit your hands and are not broken, fine keep them. I have just seen a late 80's 5 1/2 with red marbleing running through the dark brown plastic. I make my own handles because I like to.[url

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http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p244 ... %20Planes/

 

[woodbloke]

Easy enough to do. These ones on this No4:

...are in English Walnut. A lathe helps though :-" - Rob