# Help identify unusual USA made hand plane



## Thorbjorn88 (Jan 4, 2018)

A guy on craigslist is asking $15 for this hand plane. It doesn't have a brand name but it says made in USA. Has anyone seen a plane with an unusual gripped tote like this? Any idea what it is or if it'd make a decent smoothing plane for $15?


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

I've seen, I believe, Corsair planes sporting plastic totes like that one. No experience rehabbing one of them though, sorry.


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## Mike54Ohio (Feb 2, 2017)

I agree with Smitty probably a Corsair, for a few dollars more at most "antique" stores you can usually find a decent old Stanley worth rehabbing and much better quality IMO

Good Luck either way


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## Thorbjorn88 (Jan 4, 2018)

Thanks for the input, with that I was able to find a corsair plane with the same handle. I'll probably keep looking and swing by the antique store. Let me as an absolute hand tool beginner question: So even if I'm I don't care at all about collect-ability just function I should lean toward Stanleys over something like a Corsair, Great Neck, or Miller Farms?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Stanley, Sargent, Millers Falls, Union all can be good.


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## BlasterStumps (Mar 13, 2017)

Like most things, when you want one, you can't find one. I looked hard for one of those planes so that I could get the plastic tote to put on my old Delta tenoning jig. I couldn't come up with one at the time so I ended up making a wooden tote for it. Since then I have seen several available. : (

Probably a decent enough old plane for some things.
Mike


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## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

Send us some more pics. What is the frog like? Cast iron and machined or stamped/folded metal?

Is the frog position adjustable?

My brother has a defiance plane that is a lot like a Stanley, but without the frog adjustment screw. It takes nice shavings anyway. Some super cheap planes lack mechanical strength necessary to perform consistently. At least that is what I read. Most of the advice on brands to buy seem 've erred around that…if you buy Stanley, sergeant, Miller's falls, you know how thhey were made and that they are capable. The ones only labelled 'made in the USA ' you would have to k ow what to look for. Some were as good, others sub par.

Brian


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/what-to-look-for-when-buying-vintage-planes/


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Red base casting…









Red frog…









These were some of the first hand planes I used…long time ago..









Red and the blue block plane were among the first…...


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## Thorbjorn88 (Jan 4, 2018)

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I have a much better idea of what to look for in a plane now. Unfortunately that's the only picture I have of that plane. I might go look at it tomorrow but probably won't pick it up.


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## RPhillips (May 16, 2013)

Didn't Millers Falls make planes with plastic knob and tote? For some reason I was thinking they did with the red or maroon colored tote and knob.

Anyways, looks to me like it could make a descent plane. You could always replace the plastic bits and refurbish it. the iron looks to be long and not too thin.


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## Thorbjorn88 (Jan 4, 2018)

Yeah, plastic definitely isn't a deal breaker. I actually made a new tote last week for a different plane out of jatoba and have plenty left over for a few more.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

> Didn t Millers Falls make planes with plastic knob and tote? For some reason I was thinking they did with the maroom colored tote and knob.
> 
> Looks to me like it could make a descent plane. You could always replace the plastic bits and refurbish it. the iron looks to be long and not too thin.
> 
> - RPhillips


The MF buck rogers had red plastic knob n tote.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

They also made one called "Permaloid".....good luck finding one, as those tend to be collector's items…

Model Number 209…...


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

It kinda looks like a HF plane or something super cheap.

Edit: sorry. You said it was made in USA.

It may be ok. I sure wouldn't pay 15$


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Made by Great Neck Tool Co. back in the 70s…









Two product lines, one was simply a Great Neck No. 4…the other was a Cosair C-4…


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## OleGrump (Jun 16, 2017)

I have a Corsair smooth plane that belonged to my Grandfather. I used to HATE using it until I took the time to reshape the wooden tote handle. (It was too wide front to back and not shaped nicely to grip. Kinda like some modern planes) After that modification, it's become one of my favorite smoothers.


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