Reply To: Stanley "Made in England" planes – dating
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Here’s the link to Patrick’s website:
http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html
You can also learn a lot by examining photos of planes for sale. E.g. on eBay. Start by looking at the boxed ones (assuming the boxes are for that plane). Those are the planes most likely to be complete and original. The seller may even know its date. You can identify features, and attribute them to specific time periods.
Soon you’ll be able to glance at a plane, on eBay or at a swap-meet, and spot a modern Lever-cap, with early Cutting iron, and low-angle rosewood Knob, and determine which parts are original, which are not, and what the era is most-likely to be.
Of course this isn’t exact. There was so much overlap during production. Stockpiles of components were used up. WWII restricted certain metals. Users replaced worn Irons, upgraded their Yokes, turned new handles…
Its not like finding a ‘matching numbers’ vintage car. Most of these planes were, and still are, a mixed bag.
To avoid that “Frankenstein Plane”, aim for components which are not too far apart in years. So you don’t have a 1980’s plastic Tote with a 1920’s low-profile rosewood Knob, or an early Stanley Tool & Level Cutting Iron with a modern plastic Depth Adjuster. Avoid a mix of Stanley, Record, and Marples. Whatever your combination, you’re still going to have a reliable, usable plane.
I’m not an expert, this is not meant as a reference, but as a thumbnail sketch. You’ll see what you’re looking for. You can add your own time periods to each manufacturing change as you learn more about them.
Label Shape: Corners cut out, Square
Label Colour: Green, Yellow, White
Box Colour: Green, Buff, Yellow, Orange, Buff
Label Typeface: Scrolled, Rounded narrow, Rounded broad
Lever Caps: Steel, Nickel, Chrome
Lever Cap screw hole: Keyhole, Kidney-shaped
Lever-cap embossed Logo: None, Stanley narrow, Stanley broad
Background: None, Black, Dark Red, Bright Red, Orange, Yellow
Depth Adjuster: Brass thick, Brass thin, Aluminium, Plastic
Knurling: 1 groove, 2 grooves, Cross-hatched
Wings: Square thick, Square narrow, Rounded
Sole length No.4: Short, Long. (1/4″-1/2″ difference)
Lateral Lever embossing: None, Stanley vertical, Stanley horizontal
Lateral Lever style: Two-piece stamped, One-piece Folded
Handle/Tote: Rosewood Labelled, Rosewood, Beech, Painted, Plastic brown, Plastic yellow
Knobs Nuts: Nickel, Brass, Aluminium
Japanning: Black, Blue, Maroon (schools?), Black