Stanley bedrock 607 restore or not?

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jordec66

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Hi all , I have just bought a bedrock 607 flat top , smooth sole and would love to restore it to 'showroom'
condition. I propose get it machined shiny and flat , refinish tote and knob , all in all the full monty. My question is would this be sacrilige and an exercise in tool devaluation , or as I picture , a beautiful old tool brought back to life. your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Declan.
 
Are you going to use it, or sell it? If you're going to use it, go for it. These were meant to be used. A good tuneup will help. And you'll be personally invested in the tool, so you'll treat it better.

If you're just going to flip it, I don't know if you'll get more or not.

Kirk
 
I had the same idea, so i flatened mine and stripped it all off. But that took enough time and i was at college so time was running out of time for my projects, so i just left the casting bare and over the last year it has really grown on me. Its an excellent plane espacialally when you put a ron hock iron and chip breaker in it.
:wink:
Adidat
 
hi again

just took this piccy for you,

P1010237.jpg


no.607 and no.604 the 607 is very usable and i love it dearly it lives 2 feet from my bed :lol:, i dont no if you can see the bare surface, i like it because it shows all the marking and patent dates very clearly. also its the same surface that a craftsman in 1911 may have touched not long after it was poured. the only thing i would like to do with this one is flatten on higher grits to polish the side and soles .

the 604 hasnt had much done when i first received it i dismantled it and sadly the front knob just crumbled so im trying to get a replacement sorted fingers crossed for sunday. i have almost stripped all the japanning off, but i have discovered just how useless nitromores is :evil: .

im hoping to expand the set one day to get all the numbers a 5 1/2 is next

adidat
 
I did a No 8 a couple of years ago

DSCF1376.jpg


Here is the original post.

You may find something of interest in there. I did a No 6 too.

Cheers

Karl
 
jordec66":1ca620wp said:
Hi all , I have just bought a bedrock 607 flat top , smooth sole and would love to restore it to 'showroom'
condition. I propose get it machined shiny and flat , refinish tote and knob , all in all the full monty. My question is would this be sacrilige and an exercise in tool devaluation , or as I picture , a beautiful old tool brought back to life. your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Declan.

It's not rare enough to be super collectible, or precious enough that the existing wear/usage should be preserved as in a museum.

So do what you wish - it's your plane.

My personal preference is not "as new", but as if a tool had spent its life being used, but also perfectly maintained, by a master craftsman.

Such a condition can often be achieved even if the tool has been (in fact) used and/or ignored by a complete butcher!

BugBear
 
Karl":2546omkp said:
I did a No 8 a couple of years ago

DSCF1376.jpg


Here is the original post.

You may find something of interest in there. I did a No 6 too.

Cheers

Karl

Hey Karl, that's a REALLY nice job you have done and a beautiful plane.

Edit , It is a type 5 , I was forgetting it was a bedrock... D'oh!!


I love the bedrocks, and would agree exactly with the style and level of refinishing you done.

Cheers, Mark
 
bugbear":2keycpc7 said:
jordec66":2keycpc7 said:
Hi all , I have just bought a bedrock 607 flat top , smooth sole and would love to restore it to 'showroom'
condition. I propose get it machined shiny and flat , refinish tote and knob , all in all the full monty. My question is would this be sacrilige and an exercise in tool devaluation , or as I picture , a beautiful old tool brought back to life. your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Declan.

It's not rare enough to be super collectible, or precious enough that the existing wear/usage should be preserved as in a museum.

So do what you wish - it's your plane.

My personal preference is not "as new", but as if a tool had spent its life being used, but also perfectly maintained, by a master craftsman.

Such a condition can often be achieved even if the tool has been (in fact) used and/or ignored by a complete butcher!

BugBear

110% agree....spot on!

Jim
 
Hey Karl , that is a superb refurb , thanks for link to your original post , I'll pick up some tips there.
I will post my pics when finished.

Declan.
 
Karl":3c26tmjr said:
I did a No 8 a couple of years ago

DSCF1376.jpg
Hi Karl,

I note that picture dates back to your 2009 thread. Did you ever track down a No.8 sized lever-cap?

Cheers, Vann.
 
Hi Vann

No, I never did find one. I looked round for a bit, but quickly became bored. It worked perfectly fine as it was anyway.

Cheers

Karl
 

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