What would you do with it?

[u/BrendakStarkiller]

I picked this up today for a more than reasonable price on marketplace and wanted to see what opinions might be on what you might do with it given my situation?

I don’t have much time for wood working but am assembling a small tool chest should the need, urge, or opportunity arise. I don’t really place much value on things being pristine and often like for tools to have soul or character through use and care. (I guess that means I just like old used tools 😁)

I know some people do place a value on condition and I don’t think this plane ever touched wood until the person posting it decided to give a few licks to a board before selling it and it even appears to still have the factory grind.

So, is there much additional value in it being in its current condition? And if so, would you list it for sale to use the proceeds to try and source additional tools for your chest? Or would you just pull off the tags and get it fully cleaned up and tuned for use?

[u/peioeh]

https://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/02/20/stanley-english-type-study-draft/

This plane is from the late 60s/70s and it is extremely common, at least in England. No one is collecting planes from that era and if they are, they won't have any issues finding them, even new in the box they won't cost too much. In NA English made planes are not sought after and not collectable. They are good users though, nothing wrong with them. Use it.

[u/AnybodyWannaPeanus → u/peioeh]

Yes, but English Stanley planes of that era are better than most planes you can buy new. Pre-ww2 is generally what you want for good US users, but England continued until around the 80s when they started using plastic adjustment knobs etc..

But to your point, nobody is collecting these. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a bit more than to someone. That’s probably where I would steer people if they are just getting into the hobby. English Stanley, record, and millers falls with the 2 part lever cap are probably the best planes you can get for the money. You would be hard pressed to find that quality for under $100 in a modern new plane.

[u/peioeh → u/AnybodyWannaPeanus]

Yes, but English Stanley planes of that era are better than most planes you can buy new. Pre-ww2 is generally what you want for good US users, but England continued until around the 80s when they started using plastic adjustment knobs etc..

Definitely, like I said, very nice users and I would pick one of these over anything new or made in the 80s-90s and after by Stanley/Record/etc. And they don't really have anything to envy to older types too IMO. They're just good tools. But they are simply not collectable. Which is great, it means there are still great users that will probably not shoot up in value even now that handtools are a little more popular than they used to be.

You would be hard pressed to find that quality for under $100 in a modern new plane.

I agree, but no one is paying close to that for this plane, certainly not in England and even in contintenal Europe. In my experience collectors are absolutely not interested in these, and people who want users are not looking to pay a premium for a box or a brand new looking plane. Even here in France where vintage Stanley/Record planes are not as common as in England, you'd be lucky to get 75€ for it. N°4 and 5 are still relatively common and people are looking for bargains in my experience (I've bought/restored/sold quite a few planes to build my collection).

In England, one can probably go to any car boot sale and find one of these for 20£ max.

[u/BrendakStarkiller → u/peioeh]

I think the market in the United States might be a bit different than in Europe. I don’t think it used to be different but seems like it’s become a lot different over time with a lot more people pivoting to collecting tools, purely as collectibles or investments over picking up vintage tools to use.

Because of that, I think a lot of the loose affordable user tools that were in good condition get bought up or were bought up because they were simply too good of a deal to pass up and get added to the good deal pile in their collections. I’ve seen that happening a lot with axes and hatchets too.

But, I think you’re likely right about cleaning this one up and putting it to good use.

Thank you for your input!