Stanley Bailey #5

[Greg Labacz]

I picked up this Stanley bailey #5 cheap without a blade and chip breaker, but, someone painted it yellow. My two questions are: first I get a new blade /chip breaker from lee valley, but do I go with the A01 or 02 steel? Second - how do I get the paint off? Thanks for your advise

[Sean Hughto]

What'cha gonna do for a levercap?

I like it yellow.

If you must remove the paint, my guess is that laquer thinner will do the trick.

[Andrew Gibson]

First Question, have you restored a plane before?
What do you want to do with the Plane? If you want to use it for course work a stock replacement iron would work.

As for the Iron. I like A2 form LV. What do you use to sharpen?
you can get stock replacement blades and chipbreakers from stanley... I might have a set I could send you.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm partial to the O2 only because it's easier to resharpen. You should get a matched chipbreaker for it too.
Hock's another good brand too.

Lee Valley also has tote templates for free that you can download so you can make your own replacement.

As for removing the paint, I'd get a gel type paint stripper, paint it on, let it sit overnight and clean it off. Then use a wire bristle brush. That should remove most 'normal' paint. Stubborn japanning underneath can usually be removed with a couple applications of stripper. If it still remains, you'll probably have to sandblast, but that's probably more work than you (read, "I") might want to put into this.

[Russell Sansom]

I like the yellow as well. I have a 608c Bedrock that was painted light grey and I regard it as a unique friend. I might repaint it for resale, but it would be a downgrade. So you might consider embracing the yellow or overpainting it with another color. Stripper will take off just about any paint. But several applications of 20 minutes is probably better than a long session.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like a nice find.

It looks to be an early type 9. There may be a patent date (7-24-88) on the lateral adjuster.

+1 on what others have said about a Stanley replacement blade.

It really depends on how much work you want to put into this plane to get a good user.

Did it come with the lever cap?

One of those can cost you almost as much as a Stanley replacement blade and cap iron.

If you are lucky, sometimes you can find a broken plane at a yard sale real cheap for parts. Lever caps and handles are often interchangeable parts between the brands.

You can either make a new tote or try repairing the old tote. That is another place where a replacement can run up your cost.

jtk

[Pat Zabrocki]

However, you choose to remove the yellow (if you do at all), I'd be as gentle as possible. Looking at the few spots where the yellow came off, it looks like the japanning is still there. That paint may have preserved all the japanning. And it looks like a couple patent dates between the frog and the tote so it looks like an excellent vintage to use or sell.

cheers
pat

[Greg Wease]

I just had to help a new neander take a step down the slippery slope and sent Greg a vintage Stanley double iron and lever cap today. I'm waiting to see a photo of some lovely thin curls in return.

Greg, you should keep that yellow paint so we can identify your plane in future posts!

[Greg Labacz]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and a special thanks to Greg ( one Greg to another) for your generosity. I can't wait to make some shavings.....

[Ron Petley]

I think lee Vally has just come out with a lever cap.
Ron.

[Sean Hughto]

Are you sure you are not thinking of a "cap iron" as opposed to a "lever cap?" Do you have a link?

[Ron Petley]

Sorry, yes you are right cap iron.
Cheers Ron

[Greg Labacz]

just wanted to let Greg know I got the blade, chip breaker and cap iron , but, I've been under the weather with the flu so hopefully by the end of the week I'll be able to get into the shop.

[Greg Labacz]

Well I felt better today and was bored, so I went into my garage shop and tuned up the blade Greg had sent me on my work sharp 3000 and put the plane together and made a few shavings
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