Hello hand plane enthusiasts! I hope everyone made it through another winter. For those of you who may still be experiencing winter, hang in there, it’s almost over. I spent a good part of the cold months making sawdust. Of course every project included using at least a couple hand planes. I sort of went on a block plane kick and decided that I would attempt to use a different one for each project, if possible. Occasionally, depending on the task, I might deviate from plan and use a second plane that I felt would do a better job. Anyway, two planes that saw a lot of use this winter were the Stanley #140 and the Stanley #65. If you want to look back, we discussed the #65 on page 16, reply #238, and the #140 on page 24, reply 349. What I always liked about those two planes were their pressure caps. Those big shiny caps are very inviting and a pleasure to hold. I’ve found myself gravitating to them for years. The knuckle cap was one of Stanley’s best designs and over the years it was featured on several different block plane models.
Stanley #18, #18 1/4, #19 :
So you’re probably wondering why I’m going to feature three different planes in this installment. Well, you’re right to ask that question, because I’ve typically not covered more that one plane per discussion. In this particular instance, however, the three planes listed above are essentially the same plane. Well, sort of, and I’ll get into that as we move along.
Speaking strictly as a collector, the only way to add any one of these to your top shelf is to find them in NOS to mint condition. Be patient. If the pressure cap isn’t absolutely perfect or close to it, keep looking. When I was on the hunt for these particular models, I was extremely picky about their condition. With their nickel plated trimmings and jet black japanning they’re some of the most attractive block planes Stanley ever made. Don’t pay collector prices for user quality planes. If the finish on the knuckle cap is scratched up, flaking off, missing in spots, or worn/dull, that’s a user grade plane.
When discussing the #18 and the #19, the only feature that distinguishes them from each other is their length. The #18 is about six inches long and the #19 is about seven inches long. Other than that, they’re the same plane. Both have adjustable throats, which I find to be a very desirable feature on any block plane, both have the same threaded rod and nickel plated nut mechanism for advancing and retracting the cutting iron, and both have the same style lateral adjustment lever. Of course, both share the same pressure cap. Both were in production beginning in 1888 and were terminated in 1949 (#19) and 1950 (#18). That being said, between the two, I believe the larger #19 is a little less common. The #18 depicted below is a Type 12 and was manufactured between 1913 and 1919. The #19 is a Type 14 and was manufactured between 1930 and 1935. Once again, Stanley continued to try and fill every conceivable niche by carrying two planes that were essentially same, except for one inch in length, for sixty years.
The #18 and #19 were dropped from Stanley’s offerings at a time when the company was eliminating, or had already discontinued many of their specialty planes and less popular models. Someone at Stanley probably concluded that the #18 and #19 block planes were competing with other, cheaper to produce, planes already in their lineup, specifically the #9 1/2. While the #9 1/2 had the same features as the #18 and #19, it did not include nickel trimmings and the knuckle style pressure cap.
So maybe you’re wondering about the #18 1/4 that I mentioned above. How does it fit into this discussion? Well, someone at Stanley must have really like the looks of the #18 and #19 as much as I do, and perhaps had enough pull to do something about it. So in 1952, Stanley introduced the #18 1/4. At six inches long and with the great looking nickel trimmings to include that shiny knuckle cap, it looked very much like the #18. Except for one thing, it had a fixed throat, which likely reduced its manufacturing cost. While it was a very nice looking tool, the #18 1/4 was only in production from 1952 to 1958. After a few years, the accountants at Stanley must have figured out that the more expensive to produce #18 1/4 was competing with the less expensive, #9 1/4 which went into production in 1947. So after just six years, the 18 1/4 was gone. Today, it’s considered to be a relatively tough plane to find. Not impossible but you’ll have to do some searching to find one.
Here’s a few things to think about if you ever come across an #18 1/4. By the time it went into production, Stanley was routinely stamping their block planes with their respective model numbers on the left side just below the concave thumb grip. EVERY #18 1/4 will be stamped with is model number. I suppose that an older #9 1/4 could be outfitted with nickel trimmings and the knuckle pressure cap and passed off as a much rarer and more expensive #18 1/4. If the plane isn’t stamped with its model number, it’s not a #18 1/4. Be extremely careful about that. Take a close look at the knuckle pressure cap. While Stanley logos and patent information were stamped on the #18 an #19 caps reflecting the time/era from which they were made, the cap that was used on the #18 1/4 is simply stamped with “STANLEY.”
Over the years, the knuckle style pressure caps went through some changes. Early caps had a two piece hinged mechanism that looked good but was prone to cracking. The second generation knuckle caps were not hinged and held up much better. As I mentioned when I wrote about the #65 block plane, there’s a lot of engineering that went into the knuckle cap. It’s “contraptionism” at its very best! One final word about the knuckle pressure caps. Like any other plane made from cast iron, if the screw holding the cap in place is over tightened and the cap is then pressed down over the cutting iron, the excessive force could crack the body of the plane.
Jim C.