# Stanley 40 scrub plane



## mikey78 (Jan 4, 2017)

Hello lumberjoks,
I'm an italian woodworker and I really like this community,
lot of informations tips and fun here !!!
From time to time I buy vintage tools and now I'm looking for a Stanley 40 scrub plane …
I've seen that basically there are two plane types :

- the first one (older) has got a beech front knob, this is higher and with a very noticeable taper at the base,
the casting has a narrow cross-rib cast between the two arched sides of the tool supporting the blade
- the second one (a later model) has got a different front knob, much more like a normal bench plane, 
without taper at the base, often stained with a dark color, the casting is different too,
because the iron's seat is T-shaped

All my vintage Stanley planes have the sweetheart blade with the so called ""AA" trademark,
so I decided to look for a Stanley 40 with the same trademark !!!
At this point I need your help, although I have very often seen the sweetheart "AA" trademark 
on the first type of scrub plane,
from time to time I see the same blabe on the later model, and this is very confuseing !!!

Because I do not own any guide to identify old tools and am having problem in my research
I would appreciate your help !!!
When did Stanley stopped producing the first casting and started with the second one ?
...or …
When I find a Stanley 40, first casting, tapered knob, with a sweetheart "AA" blade, is it original ?

Hope you can help me !!!


----------



## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

I'm not sure I have seen a Type Study for the Stanley #40. When ever it comes to the blade, they can be replaced. I bought one a little over a week ago. Now I will have to take a look at it.


----------



## mikey78 (Jan 4, 2017)

Thankyou WayneC for your reply,
I know blades can be switched from a tool to an other,
that is why I'm trying to understand when Stanley left the old casting for the new one !!!










This is the "AA" trademark, dating 1922 to 1935,
and I'd like to know if it is congruent with the first casting !!!


----------



## wflather (Jul 15, 2015)

Mikey,
If you are looking for a guide to Stanley planes, you can't get much better than this:
http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

Happy browsing!


----------



## wflather (Jul 15, 2015)

Mikey,
You may find the reason why Stanley changed the casting here:
http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan5.htm#num40


----------



## mikey78 (Jan 4, 2017)

Thankyou wflather,
I already knew supertool.com, a very good web resource planes in general !!!
But the best resource I've found for dating Stanley bench planes is hyperkitten.com,
unfortunately not nearly as good for the Stanley scrub plane !!!

On Supertool I can find the reason why Stanley changed the casting but not when the thing happened !!!
thankyou anyway !!!


----------



## wflather (Jul 15, 2015)

I would suggest contacting Patrick Leach directly and see if he knows, he's usually pretty good about responding to requests. He also has a monthly tools for sale email that you can subscribe to.

Patrick Leach: [email protected]


----------



## mikey78 (Jan 4, 2017)

Thankyou wflather it's very kind of you !!!
I'm sending an email to Patrick right now and will let you know his answer !!!


----------



## mikey78 (Jan 4, 2017)

Ok,
Mr Leach is an extremely kind person 
and quickly replied to a couple of email !!!
He said : " I don't know the exact date/year, but it seems to be somewhere between 1925 -1930 " 
At this point I think I can correctly find the "AA" trademark on both castings !!!
Thankyou guys for your help, I really appreciate !!!


----------



## GlenintheNorth (Dec 6, 2016)

For posterity and to help with future searches,

Stanley and just about every other manufacturer never threw away spare parts. When a change was made they'd use up what they had on hand, often not bothering to use up what they had first before starting with the next batch. You can find tools with parts on them that are 5-10 years older than the rest in some cases! It confuses us now 100 or so years later, but for them it was par for the course.


----------



## MrWillButler (May 5, 2020)

Has any seen a Stanley Scrub planes that are the size of Block planes 6 1/2" and 6" Stanley Defiance, I have researched for a while and cant find anything on them. I came across these two planes on ebay. The only branding is on the Blade of the large plane that says Stanley Defiance


----------

