Stanley Bailey plane

[BrokenOlMarine]

Killing time before getting my oil changed on Tuesday, I was in the local antique shop. I usually don't wander because I buy stuff I don't need. They had just gotten in a box of molding planes, none had irons. They had an old wooden plane in that box, cracked, pitted, chipped, no iron or cap. An old draw knife, rusted and so pitted.. omg. Nothing. Not even tempted.

I wandered the aisles, looking for razors, knives, swords, tools.

"I got in three very nice Civil War swords and a couple sheath knives just last week." The owner gushed.
"Really?" He suddenly had my attention.
"Gone in less than two hours," he said shaking his head sadly, "a single buyer took all five pieces."
He didn't really look all that sad.

I continued to wander.. looking here and there. The bell rang on the front door. "Give a yoo hoo if you need me." And off he went to attend to the blue haired old women who hustled in clucking like hens.

Uh oh. There, in the back of the store, a locked display case held interesting things. The tag said Stanley Bailey Smoothing plane. $50. From what I could see, it wasn't in too bad of shape, but the top of the iron had some pitting, and the cap some minor rust. It would be a working plane, and I have a couple that size already. I could get it for $40... there is a sale.

More interesting, a large plow plane. About a foot long, six inches high. Wooden, screws are wooden, some cracks, no iron, but very cool. Out the door I think, for $20. If nothing else, look good on the wall.

Thoughts... comments. Try and get pics next time in town. Had to leave before he got clear of the hens.

[Tynyyn]

The Stanley seems too high priced. But the plow plane is right on the money. A quick once over with a few grits of sandpaper plus a nice finish and it will be a eye popping keeper. Haggle down to $15.

[Timberwolf]

The Stanley seems too high priced.  But the plow plane is right on the money.  A quick once over with a few grits of sandpaper plus a nice finish and it will be a eye popping keeper.  Haggle down to $15.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Or just a light "rub down" with 0000 steel wool, followed by two applications of Kiwi Brown shoe polish { paste wax} and you retain the patina it took years to achieve. I have used that method for years...Esquire shoe wax works just as well but I don't know if either is still being made.

[bandit571]

Might as well go and get that Stanley plane.    It will do good alongside the #5 you rehabbed..

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

Stanley Bailey planes are a crapshoot but you can lower your risk with a good inspection. Look for cracks in the casting. They are common high on the sides and around the mouth. Then inspect the frog for cracks. They are common around the lateral lever. What type is it? Prelaterals are collector planes and can command higher prices. Type 11 is a collector sweet spot. How much japan finish remains? Any holes in the sole? Hang holes diminish the value and screw hole blowouts make the plane useless as a user. How about the wood? Cracks and missing horn on tote diminish value. Damage to the soft brass adjuster wheel is not good. A short blade should get you a good discount. But it is a good sign of use. Almost every plane I have acquired with a used up blade has made an excellent user.

If the plane is a type 11 with 90% japan finish, excellent wood and no damage, then $40 is a good price. It is a great value and should make an excellent user.

If the plane is in fairly good shape but rusty with a little wood damage (the most common condition), then it is worth about $25.

If the plane has damage, it is a parts plane. If good wood, then it is worth about $20. If the wood is also damaged then it is worth $5-10.

If it is a #4 1/2 smoother instead of a #4, then add 50% to the prices.

Wooden plow planes are pretty common and in my experience take too much fiddling to make good users. $20 if complete with a cutter and no damage.

[BrokenOlMarine]

Stanley Bailey planes are a crapshoot but you can lower your risk with a good inspection. Look for cracks in the casting. They are common high on the sides and around the mouth. Then inspect the frog for cracks. They are common around the lateral lever. What type is it? Prelaterals are collector planes and can command higher prices. Type 11 is a collector sweet spot. How much japan finish remains? Any holes in the sole? Hang holes diminish the value and screw hole blowouts make the plane useless as a user. How about the wood? Cracks and missing horn on tote diminish value. Damage to the soft brass adjuster wheel is not good. A short blade should get you a good discount. But it is a good sign of use. Almost every plane I have acquired with a used up blade has made an excellent user.

If the plane is a type 11 with 90% japan finish, excellent wood and no damage, then $40 is a good price. It is a great value and should make an excellent user.

If the plane is in fairly good shape but rusty with a little wood damage (the most common condition), then it is worth about $25.

If the plane has damage, it is a parts plane. If good wood, then it is worth about $20. If the wood is also damaged then it is worth $5-10.

If it is a #4 1/2 smoother instead of a #4, then add 50% to the prices.

Wooden plow planes are pretty common and in my experience take too much fiddling to make good users. $20 if complete with a cutter and no damage.

Thanks for all the advice....

The Wooden Plow Plane is certainly too far gone to be a user and doesn't have the iron, and there are cracks present, but it should be okay for a wall hanger.  The current price is $16... my intent was to buy it and place it on the wall of the shop as a decoration.... only.  It's a pretty good sized plane and would probably look good up there.  No other interest than that in this old plane.  However, if an actual inspection of the plane reveals it's too far gone for even that.... then the $16 would be more than it's worth to me for even a wall hanger.

I was called away from the Bailey before getting a chance to look closely at it, but from what I could see thru the glass of the case, the brass adjustment wheel looked to be in good shape and the wood looked to be pretty good.  It does have a lateral adjustment lever and it didn't appear to have a lot of damage to the japan finish.  From what I could see, there didn't appear to be any visible cracks or damage to the side that was visible to me, but that could just be strategic placement in the case. 
 

I called the shop and talked with the central rep.  I told him I would like to offer $50 for both, but the rep for the Antiques Mall said he has never seen the owner of that booth drop below his listed discounted prices.  (At this point, the two planes are discounted 20%: from $20 to $16 on the wooden plane and from $50 to $40 on the Bailey.)  I told the rep on the phone I would swing by and take a closer look at both the next time I was in the area, if they were still available.  

Unfortunately, the booth's owners are out of town until mid-January, but the rep is sometimes able to get them by cell.  (They are in the mountains, where cell service is sketchy.)  He said he would give me a call if they say they will take my offer.

If I look at the Bailey and it's not in good shape, I'll probably pass.  The wooden plane, I'll probably pick up as a wall hanger unless it's in sadder shape than it appears from what I could see from the outside of the case.  I'll snap some pics when I do head that way regardless, just for the fun of it.  Pics are always fun.