I spent the morning browsing through a few antique shops in a nearby town, and found quite a few hand planes, but most of them were overpriced junk. I did find this one that I decided to bring home-it's a very nice jack plane, complete, tote and knob in very good condition, light rust but no significant pitting, iron has some minor dings, and the sole is pretty close to flat. This plane looks like a direct clone of a Stanley #5, but the only identifying info on it is "MADE IN USA" embossed on the front toe of the body, and stamped into the upper end of the iron. Anybody know who made this?
Check out Don's site Time Tested Tools he's got great info there to help you narrow it down… From the pic I would guess a 1920's #5 jack but there are several things to get you there.
ChefHDAN, if we assume it's a Stanley then follow the "Stanley Plane Dating Flowchart", it would appear to be a Type 3 or 4 and quite a bit older. But this plane really doesn't look that old.
I suppose there could have been one or more stickers on the plane at some time, but no evidence of them now. It just puzzles me why a manufacturer would market such a nice-looking substantial plane and not provide any identifying marks.
...ck to see if the cross rib just behind the front knob is concave.
Also, "C116" may be stamped on the back side of the lever cap.
What, if anything, is stamped on the top of the blade? "Defiance" maybe, or "Made in USA"?...
Not sure about the maroon paint (just looks like stain and shellac), but the cross rib is indeed concave. The only thing stamped on the back of the lever cap is "U". Iron is stamped "Made in USA" .
They first came out as black painted bodies….this one is from after 1962…about the same time Stanley also crimped the "Whale's tail".....later, they were painted a blue colour.
I have this one set up with an 8" radius camber to the cutting edge…use it as a scrub plane…
They were made just like Stanleys, as Great Neck had to compete against Stanley.
That is easy to explain-it's not a Great Neck/Corsair!
Fairly certain that Great Neck was not even in the plane-making business when low, fat front knobs were in fashion.
the following two paragraphs are excerpted from here
(site of fellow lumberjock Don W):
"The Defiance line was made by Stanley, the Defiance line is the only plane I know of that had this "folded wing" style lateral. That and if the knob and tote profile matches (flat side, reddish stain, etc) and the frog matches, its a pretty good assumption it was made by Stanley in the Defiance line.
If you're trying to identify an unknown plane, It's possible your plane was sold by another hardware store, and never was marked as a Defiance, but it would be a Stanley made plane from the Defiance line. I suspect they didn't mark the whole line at times so it was easier to sell as other retailers."
To Don's descripton, I would add (2) more features found on many examples of your approximate vintage:
1) concave rib behind front knob;
2) raised flats in the casting at very front and rear of the plane body.
Yes, I probably wander through every antique shop in DS a couple of times per month, and I've found a number pf planes, socket chisels and other old toolls. This latest acquisition, however, I found in Ponchatula. I go through there occasionally.
Nice. I used to swing by the shops there before the flood. Last time I went they still had stuff piled up on side the street. The old theatre place had some interesting stuff. They were about the only one at the time.
..."The Defiance line was made by Stanley, the Defiance line is the only plane I know of that had this "folded wing" style lateral. That and if the knob and tote profile matches (flat side, reddish stain, etc) and the frog matches…
...
1) concave rib behind front knob;
2) raised flats in the casting at very front and rear of the plane body…
OK, based on the factors listed and found on my plane I would have to say it is very likely a Defiance #1205. It's always satisfying to identify these finds. Thanks for the help!
Same here. Heritage house. Forgot the name of that place. A fellow had some good, but pricey, stuff in a display case before the flood. Met a guy there once, John Leroux, his wife rented a space there befor and at least shortly after the flood. Good dude and great at carving. Reminds me I need to track him down and say hello. Haven't been to Denham in awhile.
Yeah he had some good looking stuff. About the only place I've seen a bedrock in the wild down here. Got his phone number and talked to him once or twice but it's been awhile.
Nice unfortunately I got fed up with my regular Stanley's, up and sold them, and went to the bronze side
I still enjoy everything about tuning up an old plane BUT lapping the back of a pitted iron. I'll probably put together a collection of bedrocks one day. I like the frog arrangement a lot better.
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