............Finally, when I’m out hunting for planes, or know that I’ll be in an environment where high dollar planes will be available for sale/auction, I routinely have a small flashlight and magnifying glass, among other things, in my kit so that I can give planes such as the #131 a super close inspection. Little cracks can be hard to see without some help. As always, do your homework, and know what to look for.........
After my last post, I got to thinking that I casually mentioned keeping a flashlight and a magnifying glass in my “kit.” Upon reading that, maybe some of you wondered, “What kit? What’s he talking about?” Well, I’ll get to that in a moment. During the course of any year, I occasionally like to go to various auctions and/or tool meets where hand planes and other old tools are available for sale. If you’re into old tools, these events can be very exciting, and a lot of fun. Almost immediately upon walking into a convention center or large banquet hall lined with row after row of tables filled with old tools, it’s VERY easy to get carried away, and throw all discipline out the window. You have a “wish list” of tools that you’re looking for, you’ve done your homework, and you have some cash in your pocket. It’s time to go hunting! That’s how I feel every time I go to one of these events.
When I attend these functions, I usually do go with a shopping list. I don’t always find everything on the list, but when I do find something, it’s not enough to have just done my homework and basically know what to look for on a particular plane. That’s still VERY important, but now you’re there and that plane you’ve been looking for is actually in your hands. The price is right, the plane looks good, and the seller seems willing to negotiate a little. Well, this is where staying disciplined and having a “kit” comes into play. The actual discipline boils down to not making a snap emotional decision and taking the time to use the tools in your kit.
My kit is nothing more than a few simple tools and a couple other items that take a little of the guess work and stress out of buying an old tool. There’s no fun in buying a vintage tool to use, or as an addition to your collection, and then finding out later that it has some damage that wasn’t seen at the time of purchase, or that it’s missing a part. Sometimes lighting isn’t great, or grime/dust/gunk can hide a crack/alteration/repair. After suffering a couple disappointments along the way, I decided to make myself a kit.
Start out with a heavy duty, sturdy bag. Something that was made to carry at least twenty five pounds, and is large enough to haul around a few simple inspection tools/things as well as those tools you may purchase at the event. Notice my bag will accommodate a #6 size (18” long) bench plane. Also make sure that it has several internal pockets for various items in your kit. I’ve also found that a bag with a rigid bottom is easier to pack and keeps things from banging into each other. I like a bag with a full length zipper. It won’t open unless I open it. Snaps can come un-done. Things can fall out. When I’m walking around between tables and looking at tools, my bag is zipped up. Invest in a good bag. It protects your kit, keeps you organized, and safeguards your purchases.
As I said earlier, a magnifying glass is a critical item. Little tiny cracks in cast iron aren’t unusual. Particular planes like the Stanley #131 above are known to be fragile. Doing one’s homework and knowing where to look is just half the battle. Do you really trust your eyes to see a tiny crack in black japanning, or in dark patina, under less than optimal lighting? If you’re buying a user quality #9½ block plane for $10, I guess you could risk it. If you’re going to buy a #9 block plane for $1,000 (or more), you better get out the magnifying glass and look closely at all the potential weak spots. To be honest, I’d take the time to look BOTH planes over with equal attention to detail. That’s where discipline comes into play. Get in the habit of going through the same inspection routine with EVERY plane you buy. Most times, a magnifying glass is extremely helpful in seeing what my eyes alone would have missed. Now, add a little more illumination by shining a flashlight on the situation. The odds of detecting a hard to see problem have just been dramatically increased. Cracks, repairs, refinishing, etc. are usually detected with the help of both tools working together. Some magnifying glasses have a little light built in. Those can be handy.
Have a six inch square (at least) in your kit. Use it to check sole flatness. Are the sides of the plane ninety degrees perpendicular to the sole? For planes like those in the Stanley 90 series (#90, #92, #93, #94) that matters a lot. Those are precision tools, so the sides and soles need to be at 90 degree angles to each other. If a longer plane, like a #7 or #8 bench plane is on your wish list, take a longer square, like a twelve inch.
No plane with more than two parts can be adequately inspected without taking it apart. Most old planes have slotted screws holding some parts of them together. Don’t count on the seller to have or offer you a screwdriver. It’s good to take a few different sizes. I can’t think of anything worse than taking apart a plane that you haven’t bought yet, and buggering up a screw head with a screwdriver that didn’t properly fit in the slot. Some of those old screws haven’t been turned in decades. Use the properly fitted driver, and ALWAYS ask the seller if it’s okay to disassemble the plane BEFORE you attempt it. Upon approaching a plane, I usually ask the seller if it’s okay that I pick it up. If it passes my initial inspection, then I’ll ask if I can take it apart for a closer look.
Zip lock sandwich bags and a sharpie marker are great for storing small parts. If you need to take a tool apart so it fits into your bag, it’s a good idea to protect it and its associated screws, cutters, etc. from damage and/or loss. Use the sharpie marker to label the bag with the contents inside.
Bring a small pad of paper and a pen. When you’re looking at a lot of tools in a big banquet hall, it’s easy to forget where you saw something. Many times I’ll look at something that interests me, I’ll put it down, and walk around a little more looking for a better example, or to just think things over. More than once I’ve forgotten where I saw the tool, how much it cost, and/or notes about its condition, etc. An hour or so later, after wandering around literally looking at hundreds of tools, I ask myself, “Was that plane in this row of tables? How much was it?” Take some notes. For example, “Aisle 3, 2nd table on left, Stnly #4, $25”. Later, if I’m still interested, I can go back and see if the plane is still there without trying to remember exactly where it was. I also like to write down the name of the seller and his/her contact info after I make a purchase. I do that for my own records (which I’ll discuss in a future post).
It’s NEVER a bad idea to have some reference materials with you. Now it would be difficult to carry around every book, article, etc. that I have on the topic of hand planes, but a basic catalog/guide helps. Since I mostly look for and buy old Stanley planes, I like to carry the old Stanley #34 catalog. It gives me a general idea of what parts should be present on a particular plane, and includes exploded views. This can be extremely helpful when looking at a plane with numerous small parts/cutters, like the Stanley #45 or #55.
Finally, I like to have few old socks in my kit. They’re absolutely perfect for wiping away grime/dust/gunk. They also make GREAT protective covers, particularly for block planes, small tools, and parts. One could also slip a sock over both ends of a longer bench plane as well as over its tote. When I buy a plane or tool, slipping it into an old sock protects it from getting any unnecessary dings/chips/dents while it’s in my bag and I’m walking around at the tool meet.
I’m sure there are other items that could go into one’s “kit.” These are just a few of the things that I like to have in mine. Happy hunting!
Jim C.
