The smoothing plane is a must have for any wood worker. With a super sharp iron that’s ground to a slight camber on the ends, and set for a light pass, it will leave a finish on the surface of a work piece that cannot be matched by any machine, and certainly not by sandpaper. In a future post I’d like to show you just how amazing such a finish can be leaving a sheen so bright, that sandpaper would only dull it. Smoothing planes are generally thought to be sizes 1, 2, 3 and 4. If you go all the way back to the initial post on page one, I featured what might be the single most popular hand plane size of all time, the #4 smoothing plane. While the #4 is a real worker, in my opinion, the ultimate cast iron smoothing plane is the #4 ½.
Stanley #4 ½:
The numbering system Stanley used to identify its planes sort of made sense some of the time, but occasionally they came up with a plane that was between sizes. The #4 ½ is one such plane and the first in Stanley's product line to have received a fractional designation. Certainly longer and wider than a traditional #4, but not long enough to be considered #5 jack plane size, I guess calling a it a 4 ½ is appropriate. Stanley started producing the #4 ½ in 1884 and continued to make them into the early 1960s. The thought is that Stanley wanted to manufacture a smoother that could compete with the highly prized European infill smoothers that were made by Spiers, Norris and others, yet still mass produce them for the general public. European infill planes are heavy, and that’s a very desirable feature when considering a smoothing plane. Stanley’s answer was to produce a plane that resembled a #4 on steroids, the #4 ½. At one time (1902 – 1924), Stanley made a plane that was cast with number “4 ½ H.” The “H” actually meant “Heavy.” The Heavy #4 ½ smoothers were never listed in any Stanley U. S. tool catalog, but they very frequently turned up in Europe. It was certainly an attempt to compete with the European infill smoothers. Since they weren’t offered in the United States, Stanley #4 ½ H smoothers are scare and expensive to boot. It should be noted that Stanley also manufactured Bedrock versions of the #4 1/2, they were the #604 1/2 and the #604 1/2C. Although not as rare as the #4 1/2H, collectors and users alike also covet the large Bedrock smoothers, so you know what that means..... big $$$.
The first five photos below depict a #4 ½ with a corrugated sole. It’s a type 14 that was probably manufactured somewhere right around 1929 – 1930. It’s a beautiful plane that’s capable of producing a very nice finish. When compared to a standard #4 (see photos #6 and #7 below), one can see that the #4 ½ is significantly bigger and heavier than its smaller sibling. Between 1884 and about 1945, the #4 ½'s dimensions were 10 ¼” long and 2 ¾” wide. What’s interesting is that somewhere around WWII, Stanley started making the #4 ½'s main body casting still bigger, heavier and thicker (see photo #10 below). Notice the difference in the thickness of the side walls between the type 19 (1948 - 1961) on the left and the type 14 on the right. The type 19 weighs a little over five pounds, which was also the weight of the rare #4 1/2 Heavy version mentioned above. From the mid 1940s until the end of production in the early 1960s, the #4 ½ remained 10 ¼” long, but its width was increased from 2 ¾” to a full 3” (see photo #8 below). See that extra 1/4" difference in the width?
With all the 4 ½’s different sizes and weights over the years, it seems like Stanley was never really satisfied with its larger smoothing plane offerings. I don’t doubt that Stanley could have made a very high quality large smoothing plane, however, mass producing one that was still affordable to the general pubic may have been a fine line to walk. While the old Spiers and Norris smoothers are still highly sought by users and collectors, the Stanley #4 ½ can certainly earn its keep out in the shop and it won’t break the bank. In a future post, I’d like to show you just how good a #4 1/2 could be.
Jim C.
