# Stanley no.4 with plastic handles



## gavinzagreb

I picked up this Stanley Bailey no. 4 at the flea market this morning.
I never thought I would see a Stanley plane here, especially one in such good condition. It has 'made in england' cast on the body, also on the blade. I almost didn't buy it because of the plastic handles, but ended up getting it for around US$17. Very little rust, japaning is about 98% intact. Once I got it home and took it apart, it appeared that someone had used it once, cutting too deep (thick shavings found under blade), and then never used it again !! The blade has obviously never been dulled or resharpened.
I set it up to cut thin and tried it out on a piece of pine and it produced see through shavings with ease.

My question is, when were these plastic handled stanley bailey planes produced ?

Are they generally considered decent ?


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## bigfootphil

All new Stanley planes are already plastic, at least here in my part of the world-Philippines. Most prefer the pre-WW2 era planes though.

Pre-WW2 planes seems better built, better metal quality used.


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## bandit571

IF you don't like the plastic handles, use them as "templates" to make wood ones you do like. Choice of wood would be up to you. The ones I re-handled, I used Black Walnut. Others might use rosewood, or Cherry.

I think LEE Valley even will provide downloadable templates to use. They have step-by-step instructions on drill angles and such.


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## BillWhite

Highland Woodworking in Atlanta has tote/knob kits. Well made too.
Bill


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## 489tad

I have the same plane and made the tote and knob from cherry. http://lumberjocks.com/489tad/blog/22691 Good luck and make sure you post your plane.


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## BrandonW

As Bill points out, you can buy Stanley-made replacement handles that are plastic. I had them on a No 5 I recently sold:










I think the newer models come with them.


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## CharlieM1958

Being made in England and having plastic handles, it is a fairly recent plane. $17 is still a bargain if you have it set up and working well.


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## BubbaIBA

I'm not sure when Stanley started using plastic totes but whenever by that time the Bailey pattern planes were no longer "tools" but were "tool shaped objects". If you spend any time refurbishing planes you can trace the decline of quality from the introduction of the comma shaped leaver cap hole in '33 (type 16). By the time you get to type 19 planes they look like Bailey planes but the frog and its bed have been cheapened to the point of being a joke, by type 20 you are almost as well off with a Buck Brothers from Home Depot.


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## Loren

The Made in England Baileys were better quality than the 
USA made ones in the 1990. The castings are a bit heavier
and they are not bad planes. I have a UK made Bailey
smoother but it has wood handles, probably beech. I
don't know its age, but my guess would be 1970s.

more info on UK Baileys: 
http://www.woodworkforums.com/archive/index.php/t-12634.html


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