Wooden Plane information and restoration help?

[Jaze Derr]

After a hiatus of a number of years, I am back in the shop making sawdust, and very happy about it! Today a friend and I went flea marketing, just to get out of the house and enjoy some beautiful weather, and I came across a couple of old hand planes that interested me. I also found a Stanley #7 but the seller was a sexist jerk. Anyway, on to the good stuff.

This is the information I have from inspecting the plane:
All wood body, handle and wedge. 16" long, which I believe puts it into the fore plane category(?). Toe is stamped with L & I J White, Buffalo NY, no outline or date. Iron is also stamped with the same, and sharp enough to prompt a warning to the cashier. No striking button.
My questions:
Does this look like a restorable plane? I'd like to use it. I was looking for a jointer, but I believe this is longer than the No. 5 I have, so would be my longest plane.
The sole is not completely flat, there's a slight gap at the mouth. Can this be flattened without damaging it?
The wedge is rather rough-looking, with uneven wear on the top, however the back is still flat and holds the iron in pretty solidly to hand pressure. Should I replace it?
The sides have some splits, near the top. See pictures. Is this significant?

If it's too badly beat up to restore, it will still be a neat decoration, especially for the low price I paid.

Any and all help is appreciated!

Link to gallery of images:
http://imgur.com/a/BCSh2

[Tom Bussey]

First of all, I would, when going shopping leave your emotions at home. There are all kinds of jerks as well as sexist jerks out there. And I have more than once walked away from a very good deal that I have regretted latter. Sometimes I feel ashamed of myself for letting them get to me. And remember it is not that which goes into a persons mouth that defiles them it is what comes out of the mouth that does. I figure I don't have to go there, I am nice because I chose to be nice. Anyway if the purchase price is good and you have use or even a desire to purchase it please do so if you can afford to. The rest, is their problem, not yours. The #7 will sell if the price was right, so by walking away, even though it made you feel better, didn't really hurt that person. If you had a use for the #7 you lost out. Please forgive me if I sound like I am on a soap box. I do have to live in this world. but I don't have to, nor will I, swim in the crap with them.And I don't have to miss out on a good deal, when the price is right, because of them.

You will get lots of different responses to your actual question. I would sharpen the blade and take it for a spin. If it works for you and really fits your hands then you already have the correct answer to your question. If it works but doesn't really fit your hands use it while you keep looking. I can always go on a shelf. A plane is like a work bench. If a bench is the wrong height it won't get used and if the fit even on a metal plane isn't right it will not become a favorite.

[george wilson]

We all get that crap. I had just spent nearly $1,000.00 on wood at this idiot's wood place in Berea,Ohio. I Had to make a gift out of the "Great Oak",which fell during a storm in Williamsburg. David Rockefeller had swung on it as a child. The wood was all green,of course,but the powers in Wmsbg. wanted me to make a gift for him. I came up with drying sone 1/2" square x 6" long pieces in the microwave. Burned some,but with a few tries I got some nice dry pieces that I could make into a writing pen.

The jerk who owned the place mentioned that he was selling pen kits. I mentioned that I was commissioned to make a pen. He said"I warn you that MY kits are EXPENSIVE". How much ? $17.00. What an idiot. After spending a good bit of money,he was treating me that way? I told him who the gift was for and walked out. Mr. Rockefeller was delighted to have a bit of the oak that he could hold in his hand and use.

[steven c newman]

yep, make a new wedge.

Sole can either be sanded flat, or, as I do..hand planed flat. The #5 would be about right for that

While you have the plane torn down, soak the body in BLO ( boiled linseed oil) for a day or so.

The soaking will actually close up the splits, as the body has merely dried out. Oiling it up will fatten it up enough that the splits will close up.

The "style" of the plane is called a "Razzee" where they lowered the back end to accomadate the handle. Later planes that used a iron frame, also used that step down..
rear handle.jpg
Ohio Tool Co. #035
IMAG0005.jpg
They tend to clean up nicely, too. Yours did not have the iron frame, is all. Plane MIGHT have been made by Auburn Tool Co. in Auburn NY. Might give that a look see, to find out IF your plane came from there. The names on the plane were most likely from the Hardware Supplier who sold them.

[Allan Speers]

yep, make a new wedge.

Sole can either be sanded flat, or, as I do..hand planed flat. The #5 would be about right for that

While you have the plane torn down, soak the body in BLO ( boiled linseed oil) for a day or so.

The soaking will actually close up the splits, as the body has merely dried out. Oiling it up will fatten it up enough that the splits will close up.

How to treat the wood is a "classic" debate with neanders. Many, including me, will say to NOT soak it in BLO, because as the stuff dries over time, the shape of your plane will constantly change. Others love the idea.


Personally, I figure if a block has cracked and split, then it's now where it "wants" to be. Why argue with it? Collector value is gone, anyway, so either leave the cracks, or fill them with an epoxy-type of filler. You have some significant cracks there, so I'd epoxy them for sure. TIP: for those, use regular old West System or whatever, not "wood filler" as you need it to be as thin as possible. Also, before applying, gently heat the plane itself with a hair dryer, right on the openings. This will help the epoxy flow in. Don't directly heat the epoxy as it will then cure too fast.

Aftter at least 24 hrs: True up the plane as best you can (I prefer to scrape the bottom, as opposed to sanding, but sanding is much easier. Also you can use another plane, as Steven mentioned. That's how the Japanese do it.)
Don't worry about the sides, unless you intend to shoot with this plane. Make sure the area that the blade lays on is as flat as possible.


Final finish:

Stain if desired, especially if you need to "hide" the repair work. Many folks hate stain as it can hide the beauty of the wood. For me it simply depends on the plane.

Many like to just wax them. My preference is to coat with shellac. Unless I'm going for that "ECE" look, I use garnet shellac, to pop the grain a little.

Finally put a little wax on the sole & rub it out.

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That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[Jaze Derr]

Well, thank you all for the comments. I'm encouraged that it seems I will be able to get it into workable condition again.

[george wilson]

I fill my wooden planes with RAW linseed oil via the stopped up throat method. I have not had trouble with my planes moving. I have done this for over 35 years by now.More like 38.

[Jaze Derr]

I fill my wooden planes with RAW linseed oil via the stopped up throat method.

Can you explain what that is, please?

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I believe you fill the mouth or throat of the plane with putty, and then fill the mortise (where the blade goes) with the oil. Let the oil absorb, and refill until you see the oil has penetrated to the ends of the plane.

[Bill McNiel]

After a hiatus of a number of years, I am back in the shop making sawdust, and very happy about it! Today a friend and I went flea marketing, just to get out of the house and enjoy some beautiful weather, and I came across a couple of old hand planes that interested me. I also found a nice Stanley No. 7 that I wanted, but the seller was a sexist jerk, so I walked away. Anyway, on to the good stuff.

Jaze,

I've been thinking about your experience at the flea market and IMHO you did the right thing in walking away from the PIG! It has been suggested that you should have gone ahead and bought the plane regardless of the seller's attitude, I could not disagree more with that line of thinking. It is akin to the rationalization that it is ok to buy stolen property because "if you don't, someone else will". Wrong, wrong, wrong. We need to let racists, misogynists, sexists, thieves, etc. know that their actions are unacceptable and as a result they will not profit from us. I only hope that you told the jerk why you chose not to do business with him, if we all stand up against aberrant behavior we can eventually end it - ZERO TOLERANCE! Make this country and the world a better place for our children, I know my parents did.

All my best - Bill

PS-You are welcome to come visit the Barn (my wife is a woodworker too) if you get this far south.

[Frederick Skelly]

Better that we leave out the political stuff like "sexist" and "pig", etc. If you love woodworking I accept you as my equal, or quite possibly, my better.

Glad you got a good tool. Looking forward to seeing some of your work!

Best wishes,
Fred

[David Carroll]

The iron is what worries me most about the plane. It looks pretty rough, though with some effort you could make it workable. Flattening the back would require a huge effort and may not be much help if it is pitted. The ruler trick might get you an edge. How does the mouth look? If there's much of a gap in front of the iron it will limit how well the plane will function, at least for fine work.

Most any plane can be brought back to life with enough effort, the question really is how much time and sweat are you willing to invest in this one? If you like the plane and like the process (or just want to learn) then have at it! If you need a plane to use in the short term for short money, there are likely better candidates for restoration out there. IMHO.

David