# Identifying this English Stanley Block Plane



## woodgeekess

So I picked up this Stanley block plane for $5 at a local garage sell here in the USA. It was rusted, dirty, etc.. -- it cleaned up really well with some elbow grease. When I took it apart to clean it I noticed the "ENGLAND" on the base bed below the blade.

I don't see any number on it and I was wondering if someone couldn't tell me what model this plane is?

I got the sole very flat (was pretty flat to begin with, with some surface rust on it that came off pretty quickly). Spent about an hour on the blade grinding, sanding, polishing & honing it. It cuts really nicely -- nice thin shavings.

This plane along with my recently acquired #5 bailey jack are my only two planes at the moment. Maybe I can get by with this block plane instead of purchasing a #4 since I already have the #5. Then get a #7 or #8 for jointing bigger stuff.

Any help identifying this block plane or advice would be appreciated.

This plane doesn't have an adjustable mouth so I don't know if that is going to be a problem for me. WHen the blade is adjusted to smoothing depth (thin shavings) the edge of the blade is about in the middle of the mouth.


----------



## joesbucketorust

without a picture it can only be one of 20 different Stanley models. You might try going to Stanley blood gore (Mr. Leach's site) and work your way through the pics from 1 to 444. Generally the England made ones are newer but they mimic the style of the American ones except that some have a funkier looking lateral adjustment thingamabob that sits under the blade and is very shiny. It's hard to describe, easy to notice. A lot of newer planes had the model # worked into the cutter logo too, but I suppose you'd have mentioned if the blade had numbers on it....
EDIT: And as soon as I hit "post" the pics show up. My bad. I see if does have the funkier looking lateral adjustment thingamabob though.
EDIT 2: A block plane doesn't replace a #4, A block plane helps you with end-grain or edge cleanup. A 4 is for smoothing, although some ham-fisted wood-dorkers prefer a beefier 4-1/2 or 5-1/2, and us more genteel folks prefer a #3 or #4, it's all in what fits your hand.


----------



## Wrangler02

joesbucketorust said:


> A 4 is for smoothing, although some ham-fisted wood-dorkers prefer a beefier 4-1/2 or 5-1/2, and us more genteel folks prefer a #3 or #4, it's all in what fits your hand.


As a ham-fisted wood-dork; I do like my 4 1/2. However; there are places that I couldn't get by without my "#3" sized Sargent or my "#2" sized Dunlop. 

Seriously; OP, if you could have only two planes, you have the right two sizes. A Jack plane can be adjusted to do flattening, joining, or smoothing.


----------



## lawrence

looks like a newer 220 to me.....now you have a "shooter" plane


----------



## autre

Any way you look at it, $5 is a pretty nice price for what you got there. Keep it tuned-up and it should serve you well.

I still think you would really like to add a #3 or #4 to your arsenal, but no need to rush into it. And FWIW I use my #6 for jointing. I rarely need to joint-up any thing larger than a 4' board, and it seems a little silly to me to heft a twelve pound, three-foot-long behemoth number 7 or 8 to do so (I weigh 160. Not a lot of leverage there).


----------



## woodgeekess

autre said:


> Any way you look at it, $5 is a pretty nice price for what you got there. Keep it tuned-up and it should serve you well.
> 
> I still think you would really like to add a #3 or #4 to your arsenal, but no need to rush into it. And FWIW I use my #6 for jointing. I rarely need to joint-up any thing larger than a 4' board, and it seems a little silly to me to heft a twelve pound, three-foot-long behemoth number 7 or 8 to do so (I weigh 160. Not a lot of leverage there).


Yeah I think I eventually want to get all the planes--I'll just keep a look out on Craigslist.

Btw, I just found a #6 on Craigslist -- a type 16 along with a stanley 14" plane (jack).. supposedlly both in great shape.. no rust and well taken care of.. both for $35. Looking at them later on today and picking them up--he's holding them for me, yay!

Btw, craigslist does seem like a good way to go on the planes. I tried the garage sale thing yesterday and found 2 planes, 8 of the 10 sales I went to said there were early birds there to snatch up all the tools--dealers. Looks like if I am going to get tools from garage sales I need to be an early bird as well--well now I know.

The two planes I got yesterday at the garages sales were from the first two sales I went to, that hadn't been yet hit by the early birds: that english one and a 220. The english one does look like the 220 a bit, about the same length.. however the english one is heavier (feels really solid), slightly lower angle and the sides are square to the sole (at least on the one I got)--it also cleaned up a lot more quickly than the 220.. everything was very flat. Although the blade was very roughly machined in England--which I fixed--, the steel seems very good perhaps better than the american steel? Gotta love British steel? Anyways I didn't post any pics of the 220 cause I am not really impressed with it. Most of the japaning is gone from the lever cap, was more rusted and I didn't get the sole finished. The blade at smoothing depth leaves 80% of the mouth open compared to the 50% on the british one.


----------



## woodgeekess

Okay I finally found out the full model number for this English one: G12-220.

Btw, I think I am starting to get PBA (Plane Buying Addiction).


----------



## Brink

woodgeekess said:


> Okay I finally found out the full model number for this English one: G12-220.
> 
> Btw, I think I am starting to get PBA (Plane Buying Addiction).


Starting to get?! I think you're hooked! 

Isn't this fun?


----------



## woodgeekess

Brink said:


> Starting to get?! I think you're hooked!
> 
> Isn't this fun?


Yeah, lol. I have a lot of fun taking a rusted, poorly tuned, uneven, dull & dirty plane and making it into a pretty precision instrument--I got serious issues!


----------



## Brink

woodgeekess said:


> Yeah, lol. I have a lot of fun taking a rusted, poorly tuned, uneven, dull & dirty plane and making it into a pretty precision instrument--I got serious issues!


Then I guess a lot of us have issues  I'm right there with you on rehabbing old tools. I've never used a brand new plane, I've never even held a Veritas or Lie Nielsen, I do enjoy my Stanleys.


----------



## firemedic

Did you get the planes (#5 & #6) you mentioned from CL?

...build n burn - live n learn...


----------



## woodgeekess

firemedic said:


> Did you get the planes (#5 & #6) you mentioned from CL?
> 
> ...build n burn - live n learn...


They were junk. The #6 had a tapped sole, not standard tote screw, a broken tote that was too small (this is why it broke).. the knob wasn't teh original although it fit well. The base was painted--along with the frog, lateral lever, chipbreaker.. the lever cap was chipped. and he said it was in great condition over the phone lol. 

So i passed.. tghe #5 was a two tone stanley with missing parts.. total junk.


----------



## firemedic

woodgeekess said:


> They were junk. The #6 had a tapped sole, not standard tote screw, a broken tote that was too small (this is why it broke).. the knob wasn't teh original although it fit well. The base was painted--along with the frog, lateral lever, chipbreaker.. the lever cap was chipped. and he said it was in great condition over the phone lol.
> 
> So i passed.. tghe #5 was a two tone stanley with missing parts.. total junk.


Ahh well that's too bad... Never know till ya go look though! Part of the thrill of the hunt :yes:


----------

