Red Knob and Tote

[ajayre]

At the weekend I picked up a cruddy looking Stanley Bailey No 4 for £2.50 =P~ =P~

The knob and tote had the remains of red paint on them - see pic. Did the factory ever paint them red or must it have been done by an owner?

Thanks, Andy

 

[AndyT]

Not certain about whether it applied to handles but Stanley set up in the UK by taking over Acorn Tools of Sheffield in the 1930s and Acorn tools had red as their trademark colour. So it could be from the transitional period.

That said, repainting was always popular to identify tools on site or as belonging to a school or college.

 

[Vann]

The knob and tote had the remains of red paint on them - see pic. Did the factory ever paint them red or must it have been done by an owner?

I can't be sure, but I've never heard of red handles on a Stanley. If I was a betting man I'd put my money on a previous owner having applied that paint.

Stanley set up in the UK by taking over Acorn Tools of Sheffield in the 1930s and Acorn tools had red as their trademark colour. So it could be from the transitional period.

I believe it was JA Chapman that Stanley took over in 1936. Chapman made a line of planes labelled "Acorn". Again I'm not sure, but I believe they were painted black. After the Stanley takeover "Acorn" was retained as a name for their economy line of planes, but different castings were used and they were painted red (as AndyT says). The handles were varnished (not stained) beech. The "Acorn" line was later superceded by Stanleys Handyman range.

If it wasn't so late, and so cold (it's winter over here), I'd go out to the garage to verify all the above (I have two "Acorns", one pre and one post the Stanley takeover), but I won't until morning (when you guys are all heading for bed) (hammer)

Cheers, Vann.

 

[MIGNAL]

I have an acorn Plane. No red handles and no sign that they ever were red. I can see the last bits of red paint on parts of the casting though.

 

[Vann]

Ahh, here we go. No need to get cold - I took a few photos last September.

Firstly, I was wrong about the colour of the early "Acorns" - seems they were brown.

note the difference in the frog seats. The later (red - RH) Acorn has frog seats like the second Bailey type (horizontal, all on one plane, with the frog cantilevered out over the mouth). The earlier Acorn (brown - LH) has the frog seats angled - like a Bedrock.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[whiskywill]

, but different castings were used and they were painted red (as AndyT says). The handles were varnished (not stained) beech.

I have a Stanley No. 4 which matches that description. Could it be an intermediate between Acorn and the Stanley Handyman?

 

[AndyT]

Thanks Vann for the correction - Acorn was the brand but Chapman was the company. Serves me right for posting from memory without checking!

Also, now I see the picture on a full size screen, it looks very much as if the handle was originally covered in that familar thick, crisp brown varnish which so readily cracks and falls off, with the red paint applied over the top of it. So it does look like an owner's work, possibly an institution, or just someone wanting not to lose his tools.

 

[JohnPW]

I would think the red paint has been put on by a user, you can still see some of the original dark varnish underneath the red paint.

I don't think I've ever seen a painted wooden handle on a Bailey type plane.

Edit: cross posted with AndyT!

 

[MIGNAL]

Thanks Vann for the correction - Acorn was the brand but Chapman was the company. Serves me right for posting from memory without checking!

Also, now I see the picture on a full size screen, it looks very much as if the handle was originally covered in that familar thick, crisp brown varnish which so readily cracks and falls off, with the red paint applied over the top of it. So it does look like an owner's work, possibly an institution, or just someone wanting not to lose his tools.

. . . or someone who really loved bright red handles!

 

[Vann]

I don't think I've ever seen a painted wooden handle on a Bailey type plane.

Aha, that stirs another recollection. Rexmill, a site for dating USA made Stanleys says...

Handle and knob are hardwood stained red or painted black.

...refering to type 17 planes made 1942-1945 (WW2). But I'm assuming the OP is refering to a UK made plane?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[ajayre]

Yes, it's made in England. I did see that Rexmill reference but I assumed stained was not the same as painted so I discounted it.

Thanks for all the replies! When restoring it I will just strip and varnish rather than repaint it red.

 

[Vann]

When restoring it I will just strip and varnish rather than repaint it red.

Rather than varnish, consider oiling (BLO) and waxing. Varnish looks good, oil and wax feels good. I've only tried it on my rough old No.4 so far, but I like the result.

Something to think about anyway...

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Just a soak in linseed and a wipe - far more comfortable in use than varnish. Paint stripper to remove the crud, then linseed.