# How do I clean this No71 Router Plane?



## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I bought this router plane on eBay and I don’t exactly know how to clean it. It has a couple of rust spots, but I don’t know what the plating is or how to shine it up if that’s possible.


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## Tom King (Nov 22, 2013)

It's nickel plating. I'd wipe it off with WD40 on a rag, sharpen the blade, and use it.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Tom King said:


> It's nickel plating. I'd wipe it off with WD40 on a rag, sharpen the blade, and use it.


Thanks Tom, I would never have guessed it to be Nickel.


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

a fine wire wheel will work as well.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Well I washed it with some degreaser to get the dirt off then used WD40 to clean the rust, but I’m not real happy with it. I was afraid of using a wire wheel because it might take off plating so I used a brass wire brush which didn’t seem to do anything. 

The dept gauge was stuck and had to tap it with a hammer to move it. I then put the bar in my drill and spun it in some fine wet/dry sand paper. I also sanded inside the hole so it slides nicely now.

The base or whatever it’s called looks like rust and the degreaser didn’t seem to do anything so I’m assuming its rust. I let it set over night with WD40 and may try degreasing it again to soak in Evapo-Rust.

I may have to look into buying some sort of fine wire brush that will not cause damage to the nickel platting. I looked up “Cleaning Nickel” and everything I’ve read uses the term “gentle”, but I found some methods at wikiHow that I’m going to try. http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Brushed-Nickel

It says in *desperate cases* “Quickly apply a combination of baking soda and vinegar” so I’m assuming that my also cause damage to the plating. Now I'm woundering if I may have caused any damage with the HD Degreaser.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I was just looking at the before and after photos and it looks like I may have lost some plating or at least it looks worst than before in the photos.


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## mavawreck (Nov 26, 2011)

I think some plating loss is inevitable. I don't own any collector quality tools, so on most of my clean ups I haven't worried too much about trying to keep flaking plating. Personally, I'd toss it in some evaporust, flatten and sharpen as necessary, and then put it to work.


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

I don't know if you've seen it yet, but I have a blog that describes several derusting processes, http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/bench-plane-restore-the-dw-way/

None of the chemical I use will remove the nickel unless there is rust under it, in which case its going to come off anyhow. Its pretty common to find the nickel coming off, especially in the newer stuff. A fine wire wheel will not remove it either, unless its loose. You will find it pretty difficult to remove if its sound and in good shape, even with a course wheel. Once it starts to peel, the only way to fix it is strip it, and it doesn't strip easy, and either paint it, or leave it gun metal style. I typically do the gun metal, but that's a personal preference thing.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

timetestedtools said:


> I don't know if you've seen it yet, but I have a blog that describes several derusting processes, http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/bench-plane-restore-the-dw-way/
> .............


 Wow Don, now that’s really interesting and I’m bookmarking that for future reference, Thanks!

I wish I would have gotten into this years ago, because I used to have a friend before moving to southern CA that owned his own plating shop. I don’t know if he did Nickel Plating or not, but he did a lot of chrome stuff for me when I was restoring an old truck at low nominal cost. I know he did other plating because I used to hear him talking to customers, but didn’t pay much attention.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I decided to soak it in the Evapo-rust solution to see if it will look any better. 










I also found a place that does Nickel Plating on small stuff and I’m going to call them tomorrow to see how expensive it is to place the nickel plating. If it’s reasonable I may just have new plating put back on.

When I see the No 71 in this video, I want it. :yes:


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## john sayles (May 27, 2013)

Sleeper said:
"When I see the No 71 in this video, I want it."
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I suspect you want it because you think it is in nearly perfect shape.
In reality, it has been spray painted silver.

See here: http://chiselandforge.com/woodworking/refurbishising-a-stanley-71/


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

john sayles said:


> Sleeper said:
> "When I see the No 71 in this video, I want it."
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ...


OMG, I'm now shattered and broken hearted. LOL 
I just didn't think of that wow


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## acowboy (Nov 20, 2013)

Sleeper,
I should point this out, and I am one of the biggest ms-user of this word "restore" in a collectors eye's. I should start using refinished.

By the way nice 71

If you have it re-plated either you or the person who does will have to strip it down completely to the bare metal, then emursed in a special solvent to eliminate any oils and debris.
They cannot take a chance of contaminating there plating solutions. One of the reasons there so expensive

So with that in note re-plating would not add any value to it in fact you would lose value.Of course you will have a nice new looking 71. Keep as much of the original finish, that even applies to the wood, for a collectors value. 

I do have a few collector planes, all original, light oil and wax is all I use on them to keep them shiny.

Just for what it's worth


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Thanks acowboy, I guess I’ll leave it alone. 
I called about the plating Co and they could not give me an exact quote without seeing it and it’s a 70 mile drive one way, but since it’s in CA there are a lot of hazardous permits and fees that drive up the cost. They also said most of the plating companies have been shut down due to the heavy environmental restrictions and it is expensive, so I’m going to pass on that Idea all together. 
It would be a shame if something happened to me and my family would look at it as an old rusty piece of crap for the garbage.


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