Hello everyone, I just bought a Stanley #4 ( type 7 1893-99 ) in really nice condition to add to my user collection. I like the low knob and forward sweeping totes on these earlier Stanleys, and have begun to center my collection around the earlier types, although I know some say that they are not the best types as far as users go. Anyway, the lever cap screw was buggered up at some point in it's 100 plus years. It was seized and would not turn, and I think someone tried some vise-grips or something similar and tried to twist it out, and really messed up the head to the point that it is oval not round, and has to be oriented a certain way to securely hold the lever cap in place.
I removed the frog and sprayed some Kroil in the screw hole from the back side, let it sit for a bit, then added some gentle heat to the frog, put it in the vise and put a screwdriver in what was left of the slot and the screw backed right out first try, with no damage to threads or the rest of the plane. I tried a screw from a later plane ( #6 Blue Stanley YUK !!!) and it was a bit longer but seemed to be same thread, but would only go in a few turns - seems like the hole is tapered. So it appears I have two options, either hold out for an absolute junker plane that's beyond rehabilitation to salvage one screw from, or go to the hardware store and find a similar style screw in a slightly larger size and drill and tap the frog to the new size. As I said, it's a user, not a mint collector's item.
So, What would you do?
Steve