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Some new additions

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2020 4:19 pm
by Cherryville Chuck
When I was here in Grande Prairie working last October I saw an add on Facebook marketplace from a local who I bought 3 Japanese planes from. I was checking FB again and he had some more stuff for sale so I went over and wound up buying an azebiki type Japanese pullsaw, an Austrian made adze, and a #112 scraper plane. I paid $40 for the saw, $50 for the adze, and $100 for the plane. I think the saw was worth about what I paid for it. The adze is a Beber and sells for $120 U S at Highland Woodworking so it was a good deal. I’m waiting to see what some other #112s sell for on eBay but I think it was a decent deal.

I do have a question about it. I’m assuming it’s a Stanley but the only marking is the 112 which is cast into the body. Does anyone know if Stanley’s had their name on this model plane if they made it? There is nothing on the iron either but it may not be original.

Re: Some new additions

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2020 4:58 pm
by Nickp
Nice catch...!

Re: Some new additions

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:12 pm
by Herb Stoops
Chuck, all look great, I have the Veritas /Lee Valley and it looks very similar, Here is a search of scraper planes shows the Stanley.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Scraper+Plane ... &ia=images
Herb

Re: Some new additions

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:35 pm
by Cherryville Chuck
The picture of the 112 looks exactly the same with the number in the same spot and no sign of the word Stanley on it so I would say it is one. It needs a little bit of clean up but I checked the sole and it’s already dead flat so someone else may have tuned it up because the originals usually weren’t. Just needs a burnish and it’s ready to go.

Re: Some new additions

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2020 1:38 pm
by Nickp
Here's an excerpt from Patrick's Blood and Gore site... http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan12.htm#num112

#112 Scraper plane, 9"L, 3"W (2 7/8", 1925 on), 4lbs, 1885-1944.

In the humble (hah!) opinion of the author, this is one of the finest tools ever to have been unleashed on the public from New Britain, Connecticut. For the longest time, the plane labored in relative obscurity among a cult of those adroit in the fine points of scraping. It used to be that these things sat unloved at tool events and auctions, and one almost ducked for cover when asking $75 for one. However, a popular scratch n' sniff magazine prominently featured the plane on the cover of an issue, and the prices of the things have never been the same. Everybody wants one, and once you use one, you'll see why. Hey, my life isn't complete without one, and I gotta have one - press here to order.

The tool is nothing but the #12 configured like a #4 smoothing plane. It has the typical rosewood knob and tote like those found on the Bailey bench planes, and it is gripped and pushed just like the bench planes are. Optional cutters could be purchased to turn the plane into a toothing plane; the toothing cutters were available in 22, 28, and 32 teeth per inch. These same cutters also fit the #12.

The earliest model has a bead at the bottom of its front knob. The blades on these first models have the top edge beveled at both corners, probably to spare the workman's hand/knuckles/fingers should his grip ever slip and slam into the blade (this same blade can also be found on the earlier #12's). These blades are not common at all, and they were probably soon dropped in favor of ones with a straight edge along both short dimensions (across the width) of the blade for the reason that some folks like to have both ends of the blade with a burr to be at the ready when one edge goes dull.

The earliest models do not have the number cast into them. They also have the patent date (8/31/58) stamped into the brass adjusting nut closest to the tote. The astute reader will note that the patent date on the nut is nearly some 30 years earlier than the supposed year this plane was introduced. Since the patents expired by the time this plane was offered in the catalog, it seems odd that Stanley would put this nut on the #112. Perhaps they were doing it to intimidate would be copiers, ignorant of patent law, as a warning, but it's more likely that they were just using up old stock since the same nut can be found on the #12's produced during this time. It may be possible that Stanley produced the plane prior to 1885, perhaps 10 years earlier (catalogs and production dates were many times out of synchronization) while the patent was still applicable.

Look at the spewage for the #12 for things that can be damaged on this plane. In addition, check the area of casting, from the sole, where the handle rests. There is a rather fragile extension to the main casting here, which sometimes can be found broken. Never buy one with a high knob of the style found on the bench planes - they only came with the low knob (although some models have a taller than usual low knob that's unique to this plane).

Strangely, many of the earlier planes (say up to WWI) have an unusually thin coat of japanning, making it common for the planes to be found with their finish peeling or blistering. Maybe someone in the #112 department was taking home bottles of japanning to paint the town black?

Re: Some new additions

Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:35 am
by Cherryville Chuck
Thanks for that Nick. That was interesting. I’ve been a scraper fan ever since I bought a set from Lee Valley many years ago. IMO they are a very under appreciated woodworking tool so when I saw LVs scraper plane I’ve had an urge to get one. LV wants $229 for theirs up here and compared to some of their other planes is pretty reasonable. So when I saw this one for $100 it was pretty hard to say no, especially since it appeared to have been well cared for over the years. One I was following on eBay just went for $150 U S so it seems I got a pretty good deal on it. I’m anxious to get it home so I can burnish a new hook on the blade and give it a test run.