[OP]
Contributor
I'm sure this has been covered before, so maybe I should just ask, is there a thread here or a SMC blog entry that tells how to restore an old plane? I'd like to restore this Stanley No. 2, but I'm not sure what I have to do. There's a paint spot or two, some paint rubbed into the sides, some light rust and sawdusty grime. The handle, knob, blade and chip breaker are in good shape, but there's slight chip on the cap.
Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Regards,
John
What this world needs is a good retreat.
--Captain Beefheart
Member
looks good to me. I'd scrape and buff with some paste wax and call it done. You might want to try that and see if it's really worth the whole restore.
Moderator
If you can get hold of some citric acid, the easiest thing for light cleanup is to disassemble the parts and throw all the metal ones in a citric acid bath for a couple hours. Then scour it lightly with a brass brush. That'll derust and clean it pretty well without harming the paint. The cheeks can be cleaned the same way. IMHO, the biggest time sink in these restores is fixing the paint (stripping all of it off, and putting it on again, neatly). I think the bath will make it plenty pretty without much effort. Use gloves bkz the rust becomes this black oxide that marks up anything it touches like printer toner.
Another quick fix for the adjustment knob and the screws is to get a fine wire cup brush for your drill press, and some heavy duty rubber gloves. The brush will abrade off any rust and patina from the screws and make them look like new. You can also use the cup brush on the side of the frog to remove that yellow paint if you find it distasteful. If you like yr cheeks a little shiny, you can also use it to buff off the patina.
If you do decide to acid-bathe it, you'll need to blowdry and immediately oil it to prevent flash rusting. The flash rust will rub right off with steel wool on the cheeks, but it's harder to get at on the frog, so it's best to prevent it in the 1st place.
Nice lookin' plane; I'm searching for #2 m'self.
Last edited by Prashun Patel; 02-07-2011 at 10:49 AM.
Member
I'll give a big thumbs up for Evap-o-Rust if you do go that route. Harbor Freight carries it, and that stuff is amazing. It doesn't affect the japaning as long as its in good condition. It will help peel off jappaning sitting on rusted iron.
The body, the blade, the breaker...everything (except the wood) in a bucket of evaporust, and in a couple of hours, or overnight, you just wash it off with water and scrub it. It leaves kind of a matte surface on everything, but it makes the clean up way easier than scraping or even electrolysis.
Originally Posted by Prashun Patel
Last edited by john brenton; 02-07-2011 at 11:07 AM.
Member
+1 on Evaporust. Amazing stuff - usually don't soak the brass myself. Use Kramer's Antique Improver on the wood and metal too after cleaning.
Member
+1 on the citric acid
See what it does here
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?144408-number-8-restoration-...-YAY-!!!!&highlight=
maybe a soft wire wheel on a grinder first to knock off some of the old paint....
Guest
All of the chemical cleaning methods will destroy some of the collectible value of the plane. How long is the plane overall? That may be an even more valuable long body #2. I'm basically a collector, and always try to preserve as much value in any tool I clean. If you don't care about that, a severe cleaning will give you a bright and shiny user plane.
Mel
Member
Did you ever post a pic of the finished plane? What I saw looked good, but I'd like to see a fashion shot, with the plane just slightly askew as if it were a brand new Mercedes...you know what I'm talking about!
Member
With all due respect to collectors, I disagree that cleaning of this particular plane will decrease its value. It might narrow the market somewhat, but those that will want a restored plane will pay more for it. What devalues the plane in the photo is what appears to be a chip in the lever cap. That will hurt it more that cleaning, whether a collector or user buys it. If you definitely are selling it, then leave it alone...the buyer will do what he wants with it. If I was the buyer, I would clean it judiciously and get the paint off of it. All in all, that is a very nice plane. Congrats.
Guest
Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with that statement. I've found, thru over 25 years of collecting, buying, and selling planes that overcleaning or restoring drastically reduces the value of a plane.
Mel
Member
That's entirely contingent on the collectibility of a particular plane though. Nobody here would disagree that soaking a perfectly patinated rare plane would be a big mistake in terms of reselling on the market...but cleaning up a "Stanley Handyman" or junky Craftsman plane does nothing to lower collector value as there is no demand there...unless there is some weirdo out there that collects those. Those are two extremes, but I've found that with your average Stanley...let's say a typical post-war #4 (which are still excellent and elegant planes), the value as a cleaned up user can easily exceed the collector value...unless of course the condition is remarkably pristine.
There is a point where "collectibility" and "useabiliity" (are either of those words?) even out in today's market of plane hoarders and aspiring hand tool users dipping their foot in the water before they take the $300 premium hand plane plunge.
I'm interested now to what you think about this particular plane Mel. It looks like it has some pretty bad rusting, paint on it, and to me that style of lever cap detracts from the planes elegance and disqualifies it for me. Do you see any collectibility here?
Last edited by john brenton; 02-07-2011 at 1:21 PM.
Guest
I should have explained my thoughts on cleaning a little better. You're correct that cleaning or restoring a common plane will not reduce its' value. I was referring to collectible value, and the #2 in question has that. We still haven't received a report on the length of this plane, but my thought is that most #2s have more collectible than user value and this one could be even more. The chip in the lever cap bothers me more than the fading nickel plating as the nickel plating was always weak on these planes. The orange sides on the frog are a seldom seen factory marking.
Mel
Member
Mel is entirely correct about this - ANY model of a Stanley #2 has considerable collector's value, though not as much as a #1 (which can sell for well north of $1000 in rusty condition). A long-bed model is very rare, and the upper end of the collector's market where this one would sell if it is indeed a long #2 will very heavily punish even chemical rust removal, and especially taking a wirebrush, sandpaper or scotchbrite pad to any part of the plane. Stripping and re-japanning will hurt its value even more - to the point where the seller will get the dreaded descriptive comment "this example has been nicely cleaned and restored..." in the auction description.
Member
David,
Do you think that the condition of this particular "specimen" has a collector $$ value great enough to trump it's $$ value as a
"suped" up user? I definitely concede that a #2 commands a high price, but from the trends I've seen in the past there seems to be an equal demand for a #2 (in the condition of the OP's plane) for collectors, and for a restored user. Meaning, I've always thought that a beat to heck #2 gets the same price from a collector that a restored #2 gets from a user.
Again, just my humble opinion, and my arc of observation is nowhere near those who have been dealing with Stanley planes longer than I've been alive.
Last edited by john brenton; 02-07-2011 at 2:13 PM.
Member
I respect your many years of collecting. Collectors invariably distain cleaning of tools because it undermines the value quotient of their collections. Cleaning probably seems unfair to you because you have scoured the market for naturally occurring "clean" planes (you call them NOS, probably), and pay dearly for them. I understand this. All collectibles are this way (except antique cars). M
Mel I think if you added the qualifyer that cleaning lowers the value of a plane to a collector you would be absolutely right. The question of the particular plane above being more valuable left as is can only really be answered in the market place. My guess is that the plane above would bring more if it was cleaned judiciously and sold on eBay and would bring the most if it was parted out and sold piece-meal. Replacing the chipped lever cap already takes it out of the realm of being 100% original.
It also has been somewhat carelessly stored which resulted in significant rust. With all of the #2's out there in good+ or better condition on a given day, I don't see this plane being worth very much as you see it. I would be interested in your value appraisal.
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