# Old Stanley Bench Planes



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

I have several old Stanley bench planes and have made a few observations. I wonder if anyone agrees with me. 

I have a #5 Bailey (early 1900's) and a #605 Bed Rock. Except for being able to adjust the throat without removing the frog; I don't see an advantage. I will not pay another premium for a Bed Rock.

I have a #4 1/2 C (Grooved sole). I think Stanley missed on this one and find that; given a good wax job, the plain sole slides more easily. With out wax; it is a wash. 

Has anyone else made similar observations?


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## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

I'm right there with ya'. I will take my old stanleys, and one Baily, with a Hock blade and chip breaker over any thing.

I have one with a corrugated sole. I never saw the advantage, if any. Supposedly, they push with less friction. I think marketers came up with a new sole so folks would upgrade. Maybe on wet wood they work better, but then, why plane wet wood?


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I've only had one Bedrock and never thought there was enough physical difference to justify the cost difference. There are more adjustments on the Bedrock, and I think there might be a little more machining to the frog, but the price difference is out of whack IMHO. 

I bought my Bedrock 605 for $6 ...it's was really rough. I refurbed it, sold it for $85 (probably could have gotten more than $100), and with the proceeds I bought a Record 05-1/2 that I wanted....the Bedrock was nice, but the Record is one of my favorites... no regrets. (FWIW, I think the Bailey's and Record's from earlier eras are extremely similar...I just like the blue)

This:









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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Brink said:


> I'm right there with ya'. I will take my old stanleys, and one Baily, with a Hock blade and chip breaker over any thing.
> 
> I have one with a corrugated sole. I never saw the advantage, if any. Supposedly, they push with less friction. I think marketers came up with a new sole so folks would upgrade. Maybe on wet wood they work better, but then, why plane wet wood?


I prefer corrugated soled planes for one simple reason... Less work to flatten when I find em for sale here n there. :smile:

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Nice job of cleaning up the Bed Rock! I bought the one I have from a collector near Kansas City. It was in restored condition and I paid near $100 for it. The #5 Stanley Bailey, I found at an Antique Store here in Minnesota. I paid $25 for it and even with the purchase of a Hock Iron, I am ahead. When they are sharp they perform the same. I use one until dull then grab the other.

I most recently found a Montgomery Wards #7 the iron in that thing is laminated and near 1/4" thick. It has become my favorite plane. Get that big hunk of iron moving and it sails down the board.


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Tom, I agree with you totally. However, I have been lucky in that I have never had to flatten any of the Stanley planes that I have bought.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Wrangler said:


> Tom, I agree with you totally. However, I have been lucky in that I have never had to flatten any of the Stanley planes that I have bought.


??? Have you lapped the soles?

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Yes, I scribbled on them with Sharpy then took them over my sand paper covered plate glass. 

The only planes that I have had to do any work on were my Stanley 60 1/2 Block plane that I bought when I was a teenager (another antique) and my Columbus Tool Company transition plane that I use as a Scrub.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Wrangler said:


> Yes, I scribbled on them with Sharpy then took them over my sand paper covered plate glass.
> 
> The only planes that I have had to do any work on were my Stanley 60 1/2 Block plane that I bought when I was a teenager (another antique) and my Columbus Tool Company transition plane that I use as a Scrub.


Well... You got better luck than I do... Worst one I had to fix was a Bailey!

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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