Stanley Bailey Handplanes - Good Deal or Not?

[SHADOWFOX]

I am not familiar with handplanes but I ran into a garage sale in the neighborhood and ended up coming home with these for $30.00

1 Brand New Stanley Bailey Low Angle Block Plane
1 Brand New Stanley Bailey #4C
1 Brand New Stanley Bailey #5c

Did I do okay? or, not? These are my very first Bailey's

[cabinetman]

You're lucky you didn't get arrested for theft. The low angle block plane alone is worth more than that.
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[jackellis]

There are some folks who swear by the older ones and don't think much of the newer ones, but just about any handplane can be made usable with some tuning. I think you did just fine.

Learn how to sharpen the iron and make sure the sole is flat. Lots of sources for advice. I use sandpaper to sharpen my irons.

While you're at it, look into a scraper plane or two. Also quite handy.

[Knottscott]

You did great IMHO! Any one of those is worth more than $30....Amazon gets $35 for the block plane and $55 for the #5! (I'm jealous! ) They're beautiful and brand spanking new! ...hard for me to know the exact age, but Pappy might. Get 'em tuned up and sharp and put 'em to work.

[Russianwolf]

chris , that too bad. Tell you what, I don't want you to get in trouble for making a bad deal, so I'll give you $40 for them and you won't loose face. How's that?????

[SHADOWFOX]

Just realized that some of the pics were not loading when using internet explorer. I've uploaded the pics via URL instead of directly pasting the link on the insert image icon.

[poolhound]

Nice pics. That just makes us even more jealous

[Pappy]

According to most "experts", the quality of the Stanley planes went into a decline after the Type 19 went out of production in 1961. Not sure I would agree that that makes them 'junk'. One of the first planes I bought is a newer-numbered standard block plane (12-xxx) and it see as much, if not more, use than any in the stable. Except on large projects it is the tool I reach for to chamfer an edge.

Like Jack posted, any plane can be tuned with good results. As I have said before, I got a $5 Wally World special to get fine shavings before I trashed it, just to see if I could. Lap the soles on the bench planes and sharpen them up. They should give you years of good service. Worst case is you wind up switching to Hock irons.