Hand Planes

[Branson]

Jim,
I like the 60 1/2 the best.  I have sold more of them than any other plane.  They just seem to be the right size.  My biggest problem is finding them.  Seems like they are becoming more scarce for some reason.
Mike

I find 'em, I buy 'em.  And keep 'em.   I always need at least two, and if one of those hits the floor...   Plus there's the general go to box, and also the window work go to box...  Sell one?  Not likely.

[Branson]

This thread has made me wonder who made the Stiletto block plane I picked up quite a while back.  There's the Stiletto etch on the blade, but no other markings on the body.  It's rather heavy for a block plane.

[Jim C.]

Jim,
I like the 60 1/2 the best.  I have sold more of them than any other plane.  They just seem to be the right size.  My biggest problem is finding them.  Seems like they are becoming more scarce for some reason.
Mike

I find 'em, I buy 'em.  And keep 'em.   I always need at least two, and if one of those hits the floor...   Plus there's the general go to box, and also the window work go to box...  Sell one?  Not likely.

Hi Branson,

I think that's the train of thought these days.  Stanley did make tens of thousands of those 60 series block planes over many decades, but not an unlimited supply.  Even though they were mass produced, their overall quality was pretty darn good.  It seems that anyone who works wood, from a serious cabinet maker to a DIYer has discovered that old tools are generally the way to go when it comes to performance and price.  That being said, good used tools (and I don't mean collector quality) are getting harder to find.  When you factor in breakage, and abuse/neglect, the number of available tools gets smaller.  I think you're wise to hold on to those old block planes.

Jim C.

[Jim C.]

This thread has made me wonder who made the Stiletto block plane I picked up quite a while back.  There's the Stiletto etch on the blade, but no other markings on the body.  It's rather heavy for a block plane.

I can't say that it sounds familiar, but you can't leave us hanging like that.  You're almost obligated to post a few pictures!!

Jim C.

[Chillylulu]

I find 'em, I buy 'em.  And keep 'em.   I always need at least two, and if one of those hits the floor...   Plus there's the general go to box, and also the window work go to box...  Sell one?  Not likely.

Yeah, me too.  Mrs. Chilly says I'm a hoarder.

Chilly

[Bill Houghton]

This thread has made me wonder who made the Stiletto block plane I picked up quite a while back.  There's the Stiletto etch on the blade, but no other markings on the body.  It's rather heavy for a block plane.

I can't say that it sounds familiar, but you can't leave us hanging like that.  You're almost obligated to post a few pictures!!

Jim C.

Stiletto was/is a West Coast brand.  In their heyday, they offered a full line of tools.  They've survived by specializing in some fancy hammers.  See https://stiletto.com/ and https://stiletto.com/t-about.aspx.  They're kind of vague about how the tools got produced, and the fact that they make no reference to a factory leads me to think that they were selling tools made by someone else for them, as did a lot of the hardware stores.  But I don't know what company it was.

Since they were Northern California-based, just like me (born in Oakland, on the east side of the San Francisco Bay, and lived there until I was 18, when I set out to wander the world a bit; then back to the area in 1973, and since then), I tend to grab every Stiletto-branded tool I find.  Wish I knew the history better; the company's website is pretty limited.

[Jim C.]

This thread has made me wonder who made the Stiletto block plane I picked up quite a while back.  There's the Stiletto etch on the blade, but no other markings on the body.  It's rather heavy for a block plane.

I can't say that it sounds familiar, but you can't leave us hanging like that.  You're almost obligated to post a few pictures!!
.
Jim C.

Stiletto was/is a West Coast brand.  In their heyday, they offered a full line of tools.  They've survived by specializing in some fancy hammers.  See https://stiletto.com/ and https://stiletto.com/t-about.aspx.  They're kind of vague about how the tools got produced, and the fact that they make no reference to a factory leads me to think that they were selling tools made by someone else for them, as did a lot of the hardware stores.  But I don't know what company it was.

Since they were Northern California-based, just like me (born in Oakland, on the east side of the San Francisco Bay, and lived there until I was 18, when I set out to wander the world a bit; then back to the area in 1973, and since then), I tend to grab every Stiletto-branded tool I find.  Wish I knew the history better; the company's website is pretty limited.

Thanks Bill.  I've been learning a lot around here lately.  This is exactly what I hoped this thread would be.....an exchange of information with a hand plane theme.  Good stuff!!!

Jim C.

[rusty]

[Stiletto] The company's history page is missing a piece, the merger of B&H with Pacific Hardware & Steel, probably the actual makers of hardware long ago. The current company has only the mark as far as I can tell...
The mark was originally a cutlery trademark/company name, there is detailed history on the pocket knife collector forums...

[Jim C.]

[Stiletto] The company's history page is missing a piece, the merger of B&H with Pacific Hardware & Steel, probably the actual makers of hardware long ago. The current company has only the mark as far as I can tell...
The mark was originally a cutlery trademark/company name, there is detailed history on the pocket knife collector forums...

Hey Rusty,

Thanks for chipping in. 

Jim C.

[Branson]

With the merger mentioned (Baker Hamilton and Pacific Hardware & Steel), Stiletto became the premium line of proprietary tools from Baker Hamilton.  You could get more things from BH than you could at Alice's Restaurant.  They were general merchants, selling more things than you could imagine.  (Their largest line of wrenches were Billings)  They produced nothing, actually. 

My search for information on Stiletto tools led me to Tool Talk -- one of our old members had a love of Stiletto and things BH, and one of his entries showed up in one of my online searches.  I now have catalogues number 11 and number 101(101 is from 1949).  Huge things.

Stiletto hammers is what got me started.  I started working with a couple of  guys who formed Phoenix Planing Mill, and they were sold on the hammers from BH.  I came to share their enthusiasm for the quality of the hammers.  Great out of the box balance!   Can't pass one up.  Mine run from 13 oz to 28 oz currently.  Then I found the block plane, and then a leather working knife, and the race was on. 

Most Stiletto tools have only the Stiletto logo.  But my wife came home with a 2" Stiletto socketed butt chisel for me one day that is the exception.  The back of the blade has the familiar Stiletto logo, but the top of the blade is marked clearly "Jernbolanget Egilstuna Sweden."  It's the only one I've seen with the mark of the actual maker. 

Their secondary line of tools were Baker.  Not long ago I found a NOS Baker smoothing plane.  The only give away was the still intact paper label on the lever cap.  (Yeah, I know.  I gotta post a picture). 

They haven't actually survived.  The fancy Stiletto hammers are the result of a fellow purchasing the brand name.  I was hopeful when I saw the Stiletto logo on somebody's pickup rear window, but they have no relationship to the hammers I love.  (And I don't like the hammers.)

[strik9]

    Pictures of the fruit crate planes, the irons are Stanley Sheffield which I can get locally.   Not cheap but they cut straight from the sleeve.   I really like them.

  Not Lie-Nielsen quality by far but as worker bees they serve me.   They do choke up a bit on certain types of wood but I can live with that, I can always build new bodies later if it becomes unlivable.   

[strik9]

more

[Jim C.]

With the merger mentioned (Baker Hamilton and Pacific Hardware & Steel), Stiletto became the premium line of proprietary tools from Baker Hamilton.  You could get more things from BH than you could at Alice's Restaurant.  They were general merchants, selling more things than you could imagine.  (Their largest line of wrenches were Billings)  They produced nothing, actually. 

My search for information on Stiletto tools led me to Tool Talk -- one of our old members had a love of Stiletto and things BH, and one of his entries showed up in one of my online searches.  I now have catalogues number 11 and number 101(101 is from 1949).  Huge things.

Stiletto hammers is what got me started.  I started working with a couple of  guys who formed Phoenix Planing Mill, and they were sold on the hammers from BH.  I came to share their enthusiasm for the quality of the hammers.  Great out of the box balance!   Can't pass one up.  Mine run from 13 oz to 28 oz currently.  Then I found the block plane, and then a leather working knife, and the race was on. 

Most Stiletto tools have only the Stiletto logo.  But my wife came home with a 2" Stiletto socketed butt chisel for me one day that is the exception.  The back of the blade has the familiar Stiletto logo, but the top of the blade is marked clearly "Jernbolanget Egilstuna Sweden."  It's the only one I've seen with the mark of the actual maker. 

Their secondary line of tools were Baker.  Not long ago I found a NOS Baker smoothing plane.  The only give away was the still intact paper label on the lever cap.  (Yeah, I know.  I gotta post a picture). 

They haven't actually survived.  The fancy Stiletto hammers are the result of a fellow purchasing the brand name.  I was hopeful when I saw the Stiletto logo on somebody's pickup rear window, but they have no relationship to the hammers I love.  (And I don't like the hammers.)

Great writeup Branson!  I'm learning a lot about Stiletto tools!  How about a picture or two of that block plane? 

Jim C.

[Jim C.]

Those are some really NICE looking planes Strik9!! Well done!!  How long does it usually take to make one? 

Jim C. 

[strik9]

 These are a fast build but I have about 10 failed efforts in front of these three that are on the way out.

 It takes about a day to cut all the pieces and glue them up.   Mostly waiting for glue to dry.  At the end of the day I can cut rough form from the crude block and start making it pretty.
   The time is spent in making the wedge and iron fit well, adjusting the mouth and flattening the sole.   Lots of time with a sheet of sandpaper on glass actually.   At the end of the 2nd day if all went well stain and clear are applied.    Let that dry overnight and its good to go.

   Because its a tool and hopefully will wear out from use one day I don't let a few flaws bother me much.   They cut great thanks to the fine folks in Sheffield England, I can't take credit for that.

  Actually I want to upgrade my two iron planes to Stanley Sheffield irons when I can.   Sure they work good enough now but they can be better.