Back at Reply #32, I mentioned finding New Old Stock (NOS) planes, and being conflicted about using them because they're NOS only once. After sharpening the iron, tuning them up, and using them, they obviously start to lose their "factory fresh" appearance and original characteristics. From a user's point of view, it's a brand new tool ready to go to work, just like any other. From a collector's standpoint, it's the ultimate find, that should be preserved in its original factory state forever.
In future posts, I'll feature some planes that are in amazing condition for their age, but aren't in NOS condition. Some of those planes I use, and some I don't for various reasons. In this post, I'll show you an NOS plane. Identifying a NOS plane is pretty easy. It will look brand new and its finishes will be 99% unblemished. Often their bare cast iron soles and sides may have some staining from sitting untouched for decades. They frequently have original brochures, retailer price tags, sales receipts, and other original packaging in their boxes. (Notice the Stanley logo tag still tied to the tote.) The cutting irons still have their factory grinds on them. The rosewood knob and tote have no dents, chips or cracks, and their glossy finishes haven't been dulled by a workman's hands upon them.
If you ever come across a plane like this, even if it's a run of the mill, common model, before you take it home and start using it, take just a second to reconsider that urge. The plane will only be in factory condition once. The opportunity to study it and compare it to other planes of its era, and eras that came before and after its manufacture can be invaluable to users and collectors alike. Clean, unquestioned, unaltered, unused factory examples of tools that are many decades old are in short supply. For the most part, well cared for user quality tools are still readily available for work in your shop. Any old NOS tool should be preserved in its original state. Looking beyond its premium monetary value, it should be preserved for its historic and educational merits.
Stanley #6C:
Stanley manufactured the #6C beginning in 1898, and continued with its production well into the 1980s. The "C" in the model designation stands for corrugated sole. The plane itself is identical to the Stanley #6 in every way, except for its sole corrugations. The #6 size bench plane is technically considered to be a "fore" plane. It's a little longer than a #5 "jack" plane (14" to 15" long) , but shorter than the #7 and #8 jointers (22" to 24" long). Fore planes usually run about 16" to 18" long. Many consider them to be an odd size. Actually, I think their size may have been well suited to the craftsmen of old who carried their tools with them from job to job. At 18" long, the fore plane could fit into a portable tool box and still function as a short jointer without the extra weight, length, and bulk of a larger, more traditional jointer like the #7 or #8. The plane depicted below is an early Type 16, manufactured by Stanley between 1933 and 1941. This is a true NOS plane. As much as I'd like to sharpen the iron and test it out..... I don't dare!!
Jim C.
