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A couple years ago the yoke in my Stanley #5 Handplane broke. In the ensuing time I bought Wood River #4, #5, #6, and #7 handplanes. So the other week I sent that little yoke back to Stanley and they sent me a whole brand new #5 Handplane. Is there any good reason to keep a 2nd #5 or should I sell it? thanks
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Location: In da U.P. of Michigan
Grind a heavy camber into the iron and use it as a scrub plane. Lots of folks use a No. 5 for this purpose.
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They are cheap. I like to keep several around for a couple of reasons.
First, they are cambered to different extents, so I can grab the one I want. Sharpened straight across, it works well to shoot the ends of boards using a bench hook and running the plane on the bench. Most work rough uses the moderately cambered one, but I also have a #5 with a severely cambered blade.
Second, if someone visits and gets interested in hand tool woodworking, a spare #5 is very nice to have around to give or sell to an interested beginner.
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Keep it as a loaner. If somebody asks to borrow a plane, hand him that one.
Steve S.
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12-01-2016, 05:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-01-2016, 05:38 PM by EricU.)
I have a new Stanley 5c that is the most useless plane I have ever bought. Sole has a crazy twist. Of course, when I say "new" it means that it's 25 years old, but it hasn't been put to wood very many times. Plastic handles don't do much for me either
I have a LN scrub plane, which is one of my favorite tools. Not sure what else I would do with the Stanley, but replacing the LN is not it
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(11-30-2016, 02:32 PM)enjuneer Wrote: Grind a heavy camber into the iron and use it as a scrub plane. Lots of folks use a No. 5 for this purpose.
YES!! Other than that its a POJ.
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(11-30-2016, 02:28 PM)macpiano Wrote: A couple years ago the yoke in my Stanley #5 Handplane broke. In the ensuing time I bought Wood River #4, #5, #6, and #7 handplanes. So the other week I sent that little yoke back to Stanley and they sent me a whole brand new #5 Handplane. Is there any good reason to keep a 2nd #5 or should I sell it? thanks
Pretty good customer service right there. I like that.
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My "new" (30 yrs.) #4 spent a few years as a paper weight, and then was tossed into the recycle bin. It's probably causing someone grief as a 'Made In China' shower curtain rod.
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I have a 6"x48"/9" belt disc sander so Stanley soles up to #5s are no problem. Tom probably has a better way. I have a crude Footprint #5 that will become a scrub.
A man of foolish pursuits
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Hone a square blade on one and use it for a dedicated shooting plane, or put a high angle frog in one and a regular frog in the other.