In today’s addition to the thread, I thought I’d feature a very unique block plane and talk a little bit about authenticating and approximating the age of a plane based on its physical clues. We’ve talked a little bit about this in the past, and the featured plane is a nice representation of what a collector might be looking for when considering a plane.
Stanley #140:
From a pure utility standpoint, this block plane seems to incorporate some nice features that might make it a worthy addition to one’s woodworking tool arsenal. Just looking at it, the #140 basically appears to be like many other common block planes. From a distance, its length, width, styling (nickel plating) and configuration all make it appear to be a higher end block plane that’s similar to others of its time. Upon closer inspection however, one will notice that the #140 is a little more than a common block plane. With its skewed iron and removable right side wall, the #140 is somewhat more versatile than the common block plane. I like the skewed iron for its ability to slice fine shavings from end grain. By removing the plane’s steel right sidewall, it can quickly be converted into a rabbet plane. That could be a handy feature. The left sidewall casting is significantly thicker, thus adding physical stability and integrity when using the plane to cut rabbet joints. The nickel plated pressure cap is unique to the plane, having its own mini sidewall that provides a bearing surface against the shoulder of a rabbet joint. Some thinking went into the design of this tool. Although it borders on being a contraption of sorts, the potential utility is there, and in certain circumstances, it might be the right tool for the job.
Stanley produced the #140 from 1895 to 1943. It’s not one of the more common block planes that I’ve seen. In terms of styling, it’s probably one of my favorites. It’s prominent nickel plated pressure cap, skewed iron, and large iron adjusting wheel at the rear of the plane certainly entice me to want to pick the tool up and simply study its curves and angles. To me, it’s an attractive plane, and that’s really why I wanted one for my non-working collection. That being said, I had to find the right one, and it took some time. Like so many of Stanley’s planes, their parts were interchangeable from one era to the next. For instance, if a particular plane was used frequently its iron would be sharpened, honed, used, and eventually need to be replaced. A replacement iron would most likely have a later trademark on it. That wouldn’t even remotely affect the plane’s ability to get the job done, but from a serious collector’s standpoint, well, what can I say?
When I’m on the hunt for a plane that I want to add to my non-working collection, I’m very particular about what the plane needs to incorporate in terms of originality, completeness and condition. I’m looking for a showpiece that as closely as possible depicts the tool’s physical state the day it left the factory. Planes, just like any old tools, are very difficult to find in NOS (New Old Stock) condition. The rarity of the tool also plays a part in my decision to buy or keep looking. As always, knowing what to look for prior to buying is paramount. Once a plane has passed my initial damage (loss of finish, dings, cracks, repairs, missing/replaced/incorrect parts, etc.) inspection, I move on to the more technical/subtle inspection. This is where I decide to make an offer on the plane or not. One of the main issues I keep in mind when buying a collector quality plane is the age of the plane’s INDIVIDUAL parts. I want to see parts from the same era, and patina on those parts that’s evenly distributed and of the same color on the bare castings. Very often, individual parts are assembled and then machined as a unit. Do the grinding/machine marks on both individual pieces match? If they don’t’ there’s a good chance that those pieces were from two different planes. On early planes, I want to see foundry marks on parts that are the same, indicating that they were produced during the same time period. I look for patent dates and trademark stamps on various individual parts that support (or conflict with) the age of the other parts when taken as a whole.
The #140 depicted below is an early Type 2 and was most likely produced between 1899 and 1902. The patent date (11/6/1894) on the removable right sidewall was only found on the early versions of the plane (usually prior to approximately 1905). The cutting iron bears the arched trademark most commonly used by Stanley from 1890 to 1910. In the exploded parts view photo below (photo 6), notice a mark on the inside bottom of the plane’s main casting in the center, just forward of the of the iron’s nickel plated adjustment seat. That’s a foundry mark, and it is the letter “B.” Now take a look at the close up photo depicting the bottom of the pressure cap. See the “B” foundry mark again? Stanley used the B foundry mark between 1899 and 1902. Based on those clues, I can confidently say that the plane’s main casting, pressure cap, iron, and removable right side wall were all produced at some point between 1899 and 1905, and are probably all original to each other. Still I look for other details. Based on doing some research, I know the two little screws that hold the removable right sidewall in place were ALWAYS flat head slotted screws with vertical knurling. Anything else would be a replacement. Finally, I mentioned taking a look at the fit of mating machined parts. The #140’s removable sidewall was machined while attached to the right side of the plane. When the toe and heel of the plane were ground to shape, the removable right side wall was also ground. That grinding process created a sharp burr at the front and back edges of the removable right sidewall. Although it may be difficult to see in the photo below, the grinding marks on the main casting match perfectly with the marks that carry over to the removable right sidewall. The patina between the parts also appears to be consistent. That's basically how I evaluate a plane before I add it to my non-working collection. The plane depicted below came my way in 2007.
Jim C.