| Project by Dadoo | posted 474 days ago | 1850 views | 1 time favorited | 22 comments | ![]() |
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Got this badboy at a garage sale for $5.00. It was in pretty good shape and didn’t require much work to restore it. The handles are Rosewood. There’s no model numbers but the sole measures 9”x2 3/8” which equals the Stanley Model 4. Defiance was created pre-WWII for the common handyman and the name was derived in “defiance” of the English made planes of it’s day.
Pic#1 is the finished product. #2 is sanded and wirebrushed. #3 is as it was purchased.
One thing for certain is, it really works REALLY well! Definately a welcome tool to my little shop.
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!































22 comments so far
Douglas Bordner
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3421 posts in 958 days
posted 474 days ago
Looks good, Dadoo! Those handles really sing after the refurb. I’m curious about the little piece of wood(?). Was it a shim for the tote? That lateral adjustment lever is definitely different. Is the plane marked “Defiant” on the lever cap?
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
CharlieM1958
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7632 posts in 1113 days
posted 474 days ago
Nice job. For $5 this was a real diamond in the rough!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
SCOTSMAN
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2238 posts in 479 days
posted 474 days ago
I have recently started to buy some European wooden hand planes from German Ebay the germans are very friendly and helpful if you ever wan t to try this.Or I will help you with any translation if I can .You can get some good bargains but stanly for metal planes is hard to beat. Don’t you think that doing up some old iron wether it be hand planes or old machinery is great fun? I love to prove others wrong and often bring an old machine back to good health Good luck huys love to read your posts Alistair excuse my typing
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease
brunob
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1470 posts in 1064 days
posted 474 days ago
Great find and restoration.
-- Bruce from Central New York
teenagewoodworker
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2481 posts in 662 days
posted 474 days ago
very cool. a nice plane for 5 bucks too! old planes are such a great deal. thanks for the post.
Bigbuck
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1366 posts in 558 days
posted 474 days ago
I just found an old Dunlap plane at my grandparents house that looks exactly like that one.
Nice job on the restoration
-- Glenn, New Mexico
davidtheboxmaker
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372 posts in 700 days
posted 474 days ago
Good restoration – picture 1 is just great.
Lee A. Jesberger
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3710 posts in 874 days
posted 473 days ago
Dado;
Sweeeeet!!!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Dadoo
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1723 posts in 885 days
posted 473 days ago
Thanx guys for the compliments. Restoring old tools is always fun for me, and it saves booku bucks as well. One of my next restorations will be to a 1948 Shopsmith 10E. I want it for the lathe.
That piece of vinyl shim was under the tote…last owners attempts at tightening it up. I just wirebrushed the threads good and tossed that shim out.
Doug, the “Defiance” name only appears on the blade top. Says Defiance…Made in USA. The only other markings are on the toe (behind the knob) and say Made in USA. I’m figureing that maybe this was one of the first ones issued as the rest have model numbers, etc. Or…maybe it’s one of those Frankenstein models…don’t look like it though. I’d appreciate any further info or links you guys might have.
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
knothead
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48 posts in 842 days
posted 473 days ago
I have that plane as well – bought it in the local flea market for, I think $12.00. Mine appears to be exactly the same, and it does say Defiance on the iron, other than that, it only says “Made in USA” in the casting. I mean it is the same right down to the reddish finish on the tote and knob. I fettled it and cleaned it all up and gave it a good sharpening and WOW!
It is one nice plane! In fact I find that I reach for it before the Bailey #3 or #4 it sits next to on the shelf, it is a real pleasure to use and I bet you will find the same from yours. Happy planing!
Chris
-- So Much Wood - So Little Time! --
Dadoo
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1723 posts in 885 days
posted 473 days ago
Yeah, the first board I tested it on was a piece of poplar. It cut so smooth and quick it made me think it was balsa wood!
This got me to thinkin’...I’ve got some of that old growth 100y/o maple…I wonder.
Yep! Took a little extra zip but it cuts like butter! Even thru the knot! KEWL!
Now I gotta build one of those special shelves just for planes right?
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
lazyfiremaninTN
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528 posts in 847 days
posted 473 days ago
Great job on the restore buddy. Looks beautiful.
-- Adrian ..... The 11th Commandment...."Thou Shalt Not Buy A Wobble Dado"
brianinpa
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1365 posts in 617 days
posted 473 days ago
Very nice restoration, and only $5.00: nice score!
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 597 days
posted 472 days ago
Great job!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
blackcherry
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730 posts in 717 days
posted 471 days ago
This is really exciting to hear your story I recently purchase a Bailey Ap. 1910 #4 C for only 10.00 dollars I spent roughly 3 hour on surface rust and a waterstone sharping and WOW this thing performed like my Lie Neilson #4 . I hate sanding and just love planing what a thrill. Congrat on your find will have to post my find very soon…Blkcherry
sharad
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710 posts in 699 days
posted 470 days ago
An excellent work on restoration. Your pictures show the condition of the plane before and after restoration.
I admire your patience to make the plane look new.
Sharad
-- patanjali
Chardt
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142 posts in 496 days
posted 468 days ago
beautiful job!
I have 2 recently acquired antique smoothers that I need to restore too.
-- When my wife ask's what I have to show for my wood working hobby, I just show her the splinters.
mrbentontoyou
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24 posts in 479 days
posted 464 days ago
Yes! Defiance! I have this same plane, neighbor gave it to me. After a good cleaning/tuning it is quite preferable to my Millers Falls No9 (stanley No4 competitor). For less than the price of a Stanley 604 you could have two of these, one set fine and one set coarse, with nice thick replacement blades to boot. Congrats!
Beginningwoodworker
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4160 posts in 567 days
posted 256 days ago
Nice work!
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
jonhodges22
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13 posts in 123 days
posted 116 days ago
I recently purchased a plane from a fleamarket that I think is this same model. I’ll add it to my blog on here when I get the chance as I am restoring it. The only things that are different is the iron only says Made in the USA and not Stanley Defiance and the mark on the cap is a U, all the rest is pretty much the same in looks and markings. Hope mine turns out as well as yours.
PurpLev
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2749 posts in 543 days
posted 116 days ago
those rosewood handles are spectacular
-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
a1Jim
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16776 posts in 471 days
posted 113 days ago
great job
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon