Know of anyone who has restored vintage planes to the extent of having acquired a set of cutting tools to chase those somewhat "unconventional" Bailey threadforms now considered obsolete in our modern era? For a Stanley Bailey No. 4, type 13, produced 1925-1928, I’m looking to rent some taps and die nuts for about a week just to clean and freshen or "chase" threaded holes and fasteners prior to assembly...

We’re talking:

#12-20 bottoming tap & die nut
9/32"-24 bottoming tap & die nut
1/4"-24 bottoming tap & die nut
Left Hand 9/32"-24 die nut and perhaps a plain old screw for the brass thumb wheel.

For those unconventional #14-20 slot head screws fastening frog to sole, figured I’d just blind tap that pair out to 1/4"-20 UNC and install sturdier ¼-20 x 5/8" socket head cap screws at that usually hidden location.

Suggest a source for patterns for cutting the tote shape? I’ll likely replace the broken original tote with one crafted from some nicely figured "Bolivian Rosewood" (Morado). The original lever cap shows no residual signs of the original Nickel plate. I’ll see how good I can get that surface finish and possibly entertain the idea of a metallic coating or baked powder coat. How well would plain oven-cured spray enamel likely last on this component? It will likely need a new iron also. Anyone have any experience with a 2.0" x 7" plane iron produced in some figured Damascus clad steel? The original iron (slightly bent) is imprinted STANLEY within the notched rectangle, SW enclosed within a heart beneath, followed by "MADE IN USA". Do we know what type and temper steel alloy was used and does it likely also date from 1925-1928?

Came across this Stanley Bailey smoothing plane in a junk bucket originating from the in-laws "archives". It was originally owned by grandfather William who built more than eight homes that we know of in the Brunswick area of New Jersey during the 30’s through the early 50’s. Most of those homes are still owned by family members. The classic smoothing plane suffered a lot of neglect during two generations arising from eleven original offspring with apparently not a soul inclined to any craftsmanship with their hands. So there’s a bit of history and sentiment behind this long suffering vintage hand tool…