My Introduction to Hand Planes #1: The Start of My Collection

June has been a good month! For my birthday, my Father gave me the choice of one of two #5 planes he had purchased at an antique store recently. I didn’t know anything about planes and made my selection based on my wife choosing a number between 1 and 10. :-)

I was excited to get my first plane and started researching immediately. What I got was a Stanley type 20 #5 in need of cleaning and tuning. Yes. The “dreaded” type 20.

Despite finding that it had a less than desirable reputation, I was still excited to have it. It was a gift from my father and my first hand plane. I have begun cleaning it up.The sole was not horrible as you can see below. This was after just a few minutes of 100 grit on top of granite. I don’t have an updated pic, but the sole is now completely flat.

The iron and chip breaker have been cleaned up as well.

I still have some cleaning to do and I have to get the right tools to sharpen the blade correctly, but it’s looking like a plane!