So, which number 7?

[Matt Radtke]

Just yesterday, my latest eBay purchase arrived: A pair of Stanley No. 7's. (Total cost was $52, including shipping)

I don't see myself using two 7s, I was planning on restoring one for use and possibly setting one aside to 'collect,' if you gents think one of them would be worth collecting. I'll put up some pictures this evening.

Plane Conditions:

Both:

The japanning looks funny to me. One or both of them might have been repainted/japanned. Could just be I've never seen a plane in sufficiently good shape. Hopefully, you'll be help me tell with pictures.

Soles and cheeks have patina.

First no.7 ) Looks to be a type 12. Only problems I can see are a broken tote (missing horn) and a blade so short, it almost hides behind the chip breaker. Lever cap has that brown, oily, rust covering. Sole is surprisingly flat along the entire length.

Second no.7 ) Not sure on type, clearly a WWII plane (rubber depth adjustment wheel.) Both knob and tote are complete and without repair. Original finish is on them, but both are scratched. Plenty of blade, though the chip breaker and blade have light rust above the lever cap.

I'm leaning toward restoring and using the type 12. Repair the tote and throw a Hock blade into it, ta-da, done. But what do you guys think?

[Jim Koepke]

Just yesterday, my latest eBay purchase arrived: A pair of Stanley No. 7's. (Total cost was $52, including shipping)

I don't see myself using two 7s, I was planning on restoring one for use and possibly setting one aside to 'collect,' if you gents think one of them would be worth collecting. I'll put up some pictures this evening.

Plane Conditions:

Both:

The japanning looks funny to me. One or both of them might have been repainted/japanned. Could just be I've never seen a plane in sufficiently good shape. Hopefully, you'll be help me tell with pictures.

Soles and cheeks have patina.

First no.7 ) Looks to be a type 12. Only problems I can see are a broken tote (missing horn) and a blade so short, it almost hides behind the chip breaker. Lever cap has that brown, oily, rust covering. Sole is surprisingly flat along the entire length.

Second no.7 ) Not sure on type, clearly a WWII plane (rubber depth adjustment wheel.) Both knob and tote are complete and without repair. Original finish is on them, but both are scratched. Plenty of blade, though the chip breaker and blade have light rust above the lever cap.

I'm leaning toward restoring and using the type 12. Repair the tote and throw a Hock blade into it, ta-da, done. But what do you guys think?

Matt,

Welcome to the Creek. Look into the top thread in Neanderthal Haven, Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs. There is a lot of information there.

My opinion, and it is only my opinion, is there really is not much collector value to either of these. Of course, not being a collector, my understanding of what collectors are looking for is nil. Though, at the price paid, collectors would have been all over that deal.

Original Japanning will look to be thick and glossy. It can be dulled by many methods of cleaning.

Both of your #7s will likely make good users. The lever cap and other lightly rusted areas should clean up with some fine steel wool.

You may want to get both in good order and see if one feels better for you and sell the other.

I find all kinds of uses for old worn out blades. Made a marking knife with one. A few are used for scrapers.

jim

[Sam Takeuchi]

Oh hey I found your #7s from past listing. I think your first one is either type 9 or 10. If you got a frog adjustment screw, that's 10, if not, that's 9. If you want to shine up the lever cap, you can buff it, or if you got an eraser and #1000 abrasive sheet, you can rub the rust off using the eraser as a sanding block. I like type 9 to 11, so I'd go with this one and let the other one go (ok ok I have two 7s, too...). Since you didn't pay a lot for the pair, you can either fix the handle yourself, or order a nice set from these guys.

If you are going to hang onto both of them for a while, you can take the blade from the other one and use that. Of course replacement blade will be a plus performance wise and will probably have little better edge retention than the stock blades.

I don't know about the japanning issue. Some others more familiar with japanning can tell I think. All of my oldies are re-done at one point or another, so when it comes to authentic japanning, I don't know. I never really paid much attention to how it's done or what it was done with.

Neither of them would command high collector's value though. Since you didn't pay much for the pair, so at least if you clean up the newer one a bit and list it on ebay, probably it'll fetch as much as what you paid for the pair ($33, is it?). If you are lucky, a little more.

[Jim Koepke]

If auction #200350432589 are the two you won, you got a good deal.
From the description, it looks like the older one is a type 9.
In my opinion, this and the following two decades are the peak of plane making at Stanley.

Even if the old handle is in bad shape, save it. You may find a need for pieces of rose wood in the future. It may be possible to fix the one you have, Johnny Kleso has a web site that has some information on repairing totes:

https://home.comcast.net/~rarebear/p...air/handle.htm

jim

[Matt Radtke]

200350432589 is indeed the auction I won. (I said type 12, meant type 11) I was always under the impression that three dates behind the frog meant 11 or 12. Pretty sure, although I suddenly can't remember, that it has the frog adjustment screw.

Just looked at the picture again. I would say the Pre-War 7's cheeks has slightly more patina in person, the War-era looks better in person.

And thanks for the welcome.

-Matt

[Sam Takeuchi]

Are you sure there are three dates there? If it's 9 or 10, the top one says PAT'D, followed by b MAR-25-02 and AUG-19-02. If you got a three dates and no frog adjustment screw, frog and body are from different planes.

[Matt Radtke]

No, I just can't remember anything straight. (Bad sign, I'm not even 30 yet.) It appears to be a type 10. 2 patent dates, frog adjustment screw.

[Billy Chambless]

You may want to get both in good order and see if one feels better for you and sell the other.

That's what I would do.

Except that I never get around to the "sell the other" part.