Old tools

[1skrewsloose]

I almost feel sorry for the young folk that have never swung an axe, used a bow saw, never used anything that required manual labor. How do those kids expect to live when, not if, the grid goes down. They'll be thinking maybe I should have paid attention when dad went hunting, to cut wood or even went fishing. Sucks to be them.

[StratBastard]

About a month ago, I stumbled across this old Number 5 hand plane. I thought it was a Stanley Bailey when I bought it. But once I got it apart and started looking close, it was pretty obvious that it was not a Stanley, but just had a Stanley lever cap. That is not a big deal to me since the price was right and my intent was always to put it back into service, not let it collect dust on a shelf somewhere. But it does mean that it will never be a "collector plane".

Attachment 27856

The bed does have "Made in the U.S.A." cast into it. The bottom of the frog has a 1947 stamped into it in about the same location would have the forge date cast on a Stanley. So I am assuming it is a 1947- something?

The blade and chip breaker were in in pretty tough shape so I ordered a new after-market blade and chip breaker from Hock. I have been meaning to try the Hock blades in some of my other planes for a while, but all my other planes are classic Stanleys with all original parts. So I did not want to "Franken-plane" them with after-market parts. The new blade is 50% thicker than the original blade and is made from sold A2 steel, rather than just a back strap of A2 forged to something cheaper like on the Stanleys.

Attachment 27857

As you can see in the first photo, the original handle had been broken and a previous owner had glued it, maybe a couple of times. Since I do not think it was Brazilian Rosewood anyway, I decided to make a new handle and knob from Mesquite. I'm pretty happy with how the Mesquite looks. (Brazilian Rosewood is illegal to import anymore thanks to the green-tards but the Mesquite does have some of the same grain patterns.)

It took a LOT of hand lapping to get the bottom and sides square and pretty close to a mirror finish. You can still see a little bit of patina in one low spot on the bottom. But that is well away from mouth, so it will not affect the function of the tool. There are also low spots about 1/2 inch from the heel and toe on each side, but those are also minor and should not affect the function.

Attachment 27858

All in all, I am dang happy with how it turned out, even if it is just a Franken-plane. It should service me well through the rest of my woodworking life.

The handle and knob are beauties! Good work!

[Inor]

The handle and knob are beauties! Good work!

Thanks!

[Big Ken]

plane

Earlier in this thread I posted that my son was into planes and I picked up a couple, then I started getting more when I thought it was a decent buy, now he says he has enough but now I still pick them up and any old tools for my garage, I have no rhyme or reason it's just if it's different and priced reasonable, well this time I picked up a Power Kraft plane and a couple other things? small planes I think? the only reason is I've never seen one with what I think is bakelite for handles? oh and new in the box, paid $20 for all three, hope I did okay? just wondering also if bakelite is common?

[Mad Trapper]

Pig scraper. For removing hair when butchering a pig.

[Sasquatch]

Pig scraper. For removing hair when butchering a pig.

Ya don't see that everyday. Call Nancy Piglosi over and see if it works.

[Mad Trapper]

Ya don't see that everyday. Call Nancy Piglosi over and see if it works.

Pelousey's collect hammers.

[T-Man 1066]

Pelousey's collect hammers.

You hit it right on the head MT!!!

[1skrewsloose]

Pig scraper. For removing hair when butchering a pig.

Never used those, seems like a lot of work. Always skinned them out.