# Can you help me I dentify my great grandfather's Plane?



## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

My dad inherited this plane when my great grandfather passed away. He has had it wired to a display board for the last 20 years. I would like to figure out everything I can about it. Using the hyperkitten website and google images my best guess so far is that it is a type 15, but I am not sure I understood all the questions. I did not use any hand tools when I was growing up so I know very little about the parts of a hand plane. 









































































I plan to get restore this guy and get it all tuned up. Can any one recommend and magazine articles that would help with the restore?


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## Paulf615 (Dec 3, 2014)

looks like a bench plane to me but i dont have to much knowledge in that department but to restore the plane some sand paper can go a long way


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## fareastern (Sep 19, 2014)

For the rusted parts,steel wool and WD40 will work well.I feel sure that WD40 and a rag will clean the paint too.I'm not obsessive about plane numbers and would recommend you do a search for Stanley plane data as there are almost certainly some collector websites that will have more details.I haven't seen a textured lever cap before and I would have expected a number to be cast with the body.A number 3 has a 1 3/4 inch iron and a number 4 is two inches if it helps.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

I have resored a ton of planes since my first one. I use electrolysis and evapo rust depending what parts and the amount. Here is a thread of my first plane restoration. Hope it helps.
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f11/first-time-restoring-plane-50249/


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

You won't find that one on Hyperkitten's plane dating page. What you have is a Stanley Four Square bench plane. I had one that was circa early 1920's. You're looks to be very similar. Does the iron have the SW logo?

Edit: you can see it still has the original Four Square decal on the tote (rear handle). That's a nice plane, if you restore it I would leave the tote & knob as-is - they seem to be in excellent condition.


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## acowboy (Nov 20, 2013)

+BZawat
Also I believe the lever cap is a replacement from a transitional Stanley plane.
Four Square lever caps had the logo imprint on them.
Being your Grandfather's plane, it is priceless.

Should be numbers under the frog.

Four Square planes where often in Household carpenter kits sold by Stanley along with other Four Square tools.

Cleanup, would not touch the tote or knob, just some wax on it.
Have a thread also on rust removing
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f11/rust-removing-60142/


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## john sayles (May 27, 2013)

That is indeed a proper four square lever cap.

While it does look similar to a transitional plane cap, those can be distinguished by a non-stippled area closest to the cutting edge (sometimes called a "whale tale")


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## acowboy (Nov 20, 2013)

john sayles said:


> That is indeed a proper four square lever cap.
> 
> While it does look similar to a transitional plane cap, those can be distinguished by a non-stippled area closest to the cutting edge (sometimes called a "whale tale")


I stand corrected...:blush:...:thumbsup:


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

+1
The earliest four square planes had the style of lever cap that the OP's plane has. It was later changed to the one Acowboy is referencing with the four square logo embossed on it.


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