Stanley Bailey Wood Plane No. 5 Type and Year?

[Maui]

I purchased this Stanley Bailey No. 5 smooth bottom wood plane at an estate sale this past week for $15.00. It appears to be in excellent condition, and out of curiosity I was trying to look up what type it is and year of manufacture as a minimum, and this is where I could use some guidance. Is there a resource available online, or maybe a book that could be used to narrow it down? I really only know enough about wood planes to be dangerous. Can someone walk me through how determine the type and the range of years in which it might have been built? Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide!

 

[Pexto]

There are a lot of resources out there, and all seem to go back to Patrick Leach's original type study.
Here's a good site by one of the OldTools guys: https://hyperkitten.com/tools/stanley_bench_plane/dating_flowchart.php.

Your plane is a pretty recent model. Looks to be in great shape!

Edited to add: I think that's probably a Type 16 - made 1933-1941.

 

[neophyte]

Unless the brass on that plane has been heavily cleaned, or is a newer replacement part, I would guess a much more modern date.
The handles on that plane are wood, and Stanley supposedly switched to plastic in the late 1960s, although the handles could be wood replacement handles since those were sold, or sometimes scavenged from older planes, and you can still purchase replacement rosewood handles from woodworking tool dealers.
I’m not really an expert on this, but that plane, except for the handles, reminds me of the higher quality Stanley planes that were being sold new in the 1980s or 1990s.
$15 is still a ridiculously good deal, and likely less than the blade is worth.

 

[Maui]

The fellow who owned it took impeccably good care of his tools neophyte. It would not surprise me if Pexto got it right, which I think he did. Thanks Pexto!

 

[RTM]

Your plane is a pretty recent model. Looks to be in great shape!

Funny, I say that about all the planes with the red notched rectangle on the cap. I think that makes it post 1918 or so.

Guess I need to update my mental database.

 

[AEAdam]

There are a lot of resources out there, and all seem to go back to Patrick Leach's original type study.
Here's a good site by one of the OldTools guys: https://hyperkitten.com/tools/stanley_bench_plane/dating_flowchart.php.

Your plane is a pretty recent model. Looks to be in great shape!

Edited to add: I think that's probably a Type 16 - made 1933-1941.

I'm guessing type 19 (1948-1961) based on adjuster knurling. That and over all condition. We'd need pics of individual components to be sure.

 

[Maui]

What specifically do you need pics of?

 

[AEAdam]

What specifically do you need pics of?

take off the lever cap, remove the blade and take a pic of the part the blade sits on (frog). Then see if you can get a pic of the Pat dates on the base casting behind the frog. You may have to remove the frog to get a good pic. smart to completely disassemble and clean.

But I think you have a type 19- real rosewood, vertical Stanley lettering on lateral adjust lever, straight not angled knurling on brass. I think if you had black painted (beech? or maple) tote and knob it would be post 1955 or so. So I'm thinking post WW2-1950s. After the 1960s I think they were blue.

The type studies have problems however. It's not perfect. Maybe someone switched parts or something happened at the factory.

 

[Pexto]

Then see if you can get a pic of the Pat dates on the base casting behind the frog.

This plane has the raised rib on the toe and heel, so there won't be any patent dates behind the frog.

 

[dscheidt]

The type studies have problems however. It's not perfect. Maybe someone switched parts or something happened at the factory.

A lot of the types are stuff collectors made up, based on what they observed. Stanley made changes, either to designs or the parts they used, but they'd continue using old parts as they had them (and in some cases, were probably making more than one style at the same time, either in transition, different factories, or supplying higher quality versions to different markets.) And, of course, since most of the parts are interchangeable, there are lots of planes that are a mix of parts. They were working tools, and they break, wear out, or someone preferred one style of knob or tote, and put the one they liked on their daily user, and the one they didn't on one they didn't use much.

 

[Maui]

Pexto is correct - there are no patent dates on this plane.

 

[AEAdam]

This plane has the raised rib on the toe and heel, so there won't be any patent dates behind the frog.

If so, doesn't that means its a type 19?

 

[Pexto]

Pexto is correct - there are no patent dates on this plane.

With that clear pic of the lettering on the lateral adjuster, I agree that it's a Type 19. Somehow I missed that on the very first pic you posted.

 

[Pexto]

This plane has the raised rib on the toe and heel, so there won't be any patent dates behind the frog.

If so, doesn't that means its a type 19?

I agree it's a type 19 based on the lateral adjuster. I agreed with 'most everything in your previous post, but I still don't understand why you'd ask for pics of patent dates on anything post-T16.

 

[AEAdam]

I agree it's a type 19 based on the lateral adjuster. I agreed with 'most everything in your previous post, but I still don't understand why you'd ask for pics of patent dates on anything post-T16.

Thought there was something I was missing because your initial reaction was earlier.
FWIW- I have a few Stanley planes, not many, including some pretty old planes with low knobs. Pretty sure I have a type 2 #7. it doesn’t seem to perform any different from the newer planes I have, which are like the OP’s. I don’t have any newer than 1960.

I also have several sets of yellow handled chisels from post war era Stanley. They aren’t my favorite chisels, but I think the steel is absolutely fine.

I guess I would say I’m partial to the rosewood handles and big brass adjusters. I think I prefer the low knobs, but that’s really minor. I’ve spent a lot of time pushing hand planes.

 

[Pexto]

Thought there was something I was missing because your initial reaction was earlier.

Yeah, I missed the lettering on the lateral adjuster on the first go-round. My bad.

I've got a bunch of Stanleys in #3 through #8. Nothing older than Type 9, mostly Type 11s. I too like the larger adjusters (for finer control) and low knobs, although sometimes it's nice to be able to hook your thumb behind a high knob.

My dad taught me to use a plane a little bit when I was a kid; he bought his Stanley planes in the 1960s. The first one I bought for myself some 40 years ago was a #4 with blue bed and black plastic handles - it taught me to appreciate the better quality of the older ones that I eventually accumulated. And when I inherited my dad's planes (and other edge tools) I realized that he never really learned to sharpen!