The Stanley Handyman
- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 7 months ago by Anthony Greitzer.
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19 February 2016 at 3:52 am #134882
So I’ve been buying these planes on EBay and cleaning them up. I really like the process of turning a rusted lunker into a finely tuned wood whisperer. I can see a big difference between these planes and early models of Stanley’s like the 5 or 4, but I don’t understand a lot of the negative posts I read on Internet forums about the handyman. A lot of the posts spew info. about how horrible they are. I disagree. Yes, there is no throat adjustment and the frog needs to be set almost all the way back for good results but in the end, who cares. If the sole is flattened or close to it and the blade is sharpened properly, it works just as well as my Stanley Jackplane that I cherish and use the most. I’m guessing some of the negative perception about the handyman line is a confusion about what matters: sharpeness. I can buy a so called top of the line premium, modern day handplane and if I don’t understand how to sharpen or RESHARPEN it (I remember Paul mentioning resharpening for a project up to 6 or 7 times to get a glass like surface which I 100% agree with), the plane is useless. Also, I love some of the selling catches for modern day premium planes: “I only had to move the adjustment knob half a millimeter to move the blade.” So what. I actually like the backlash on old planes like Stanley. It gives me wiggle room to get the blade exactly where I want it. I don’t want to be able to breathe on the adjustment knob and moving the blade an 1/8 of an inch. Just wanted to get this off my chest. No disrespect to premium handplane owners. I actually plan to buy one some day.
22 February 2016 at 5:43 am #134921Hey, if they work for you, then that’s all that matters. I’ve heard many bad things about those Handyman planes, too, but have never used one. You know how Paul talks about how if a plane is properly fettled, it’ll work wonders. I hope they work well for you for a long time.
Only issue I have with the Handyman line is the lack of the yoke screw adjustment on the back of the frog. I find it a real pain getting the frog set just right with out it. Sure you don’t adjust after you get it set, but it makes getting it set right the first time so much easier.
Have you checked the the gap under the front lip of the frog and top of the plane base. I have one that has a about an 1/8in gap that causes chatter issues on ended grain or knots. The chatter happens because the gap lets the whole frog flex and spring when loaded/unloading. Clear wood it cuts like a gem.
27 February 2016 at 2:10 pm #135070Yes, I have had that problem so I keep the frog set all the way back. I have also had issues with the some of the Handyman’s handles. There’s one type of Handyman that does noes not have a foot on the back handle. I’m not buying this one anymore on EBay but the others with the foot work well. They don’t perform like a 4 or 5 Stanley but the price is great compared to what I see sometimes for the 4 or 5’s. Sometimes over a hundred! That is way too much for a vintage handplane. Thanks for the reply. Let the grain be with you.
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