Just for fun, a small history lesson to start with:

“According to Patrick’s Stanley Blood and Gore, Stanley marketing materials states that, “A Block Plane was first made to meet the demand for a Plane which could be easily held in one hand while planing across the grain, particularly the ends of boards, etc. This latter work many Carpenters call ‘Blocking in’, hence the name ‘Block’ Plane.” Tradition also claims that the block plane gets its name from its traditional use to level and remove cleaver marks from butchers’ blocks that were built with the end grain facing up.”

The Stanley 920 block plane and 960 low angle plane have been part of my daily used tools since I can remember.

My boss gave me my first plane when I was 16 yrs. old. I had a special leather pouch on my nail apron belt that was so worn in so it fit like a glove. I had extra blades and a sandpaper jig with an angle brace set up to sharpen the blade on site. A grinder jig at the shop set the perfect 90* rough kerf. I had it down to a science and It wasn’t uncommon for one of the guys to show off a good sharpening at lunch time.

Back then, if you pulled out a neglected, rusty tool you would be judged by it as a sign of your skill level.
Lets just say, at 16, I remember the very best work was done by the guys with the best “shiny” tools. aha…..!

I protected mine from moisture by storing it in a small velvet draw string bag in my tool box.

From the factory, the tool had a nice shiny smooth flat surface. The bed for the blade was finished and perfectly flat and parallel to the deck, (sole?). The adjustable mouth plate was machined tight, easy to use, and didn’t move once locked in.

The top of the plane fit in you palm, and the thumb imprints were smooth like a stress rock and felt good in your hand. The locking nut was brass and comfortable to twist.

The brass blade adjustment knob was easy to use and, once you adapted for the small amount of slack, you could be working with it in no time. When not in use, I could unlock the blade and easily slide it back a notch.

As a 53 yr. old remodeling contractor and cabinet maker,
I am always looking for ways to reward my guys with another new tool. Money is good but it is impersonal and it doesn’t have the same effect and longevity like a good collection of hand tools. I get to pick out a better quality tool for them that I am familiar with and, I know they will use it on my projects.

I’ll bet I’ve given away 30 of them. They are a great gift for beginner wood worker friends, not to mention, they won’t borrow mine again. Plus, I get to write it off as a business expense. I haven’t heard one complaint yet…..until now. But this time it’s from me.

The other day, I stopped at Ace hardware and bought another Stanley 920 block plane for the new guy with the dull Great Neck, blue and red (rust?) painted “toy” plane that ruined a scribe stile on a tall cherry cabinet (cost – 300.00).
I took it out of the package to check it out and ended up spending over an hour trying to get the blade to sit parallel to the surface. I had to max out the side to side adjustment to get the blade to cut flat.

The casting on the top palm piece was so rough, the set screw didn’t sit all the way in to the slot.
The stamped steel thumb tightening lever was crude and bent to the left. I thought it was odd so I straightened it only to discover it is so weak when tightening it bends. I think they bent it on purpose to keep it from bending.

The flat surface was so rough sanded, it dragged across the material and just felt cheap. So I sanded  and polished it forever to get it smooth, dremel tooled the blade seat and the thumb slide area, resharpened the blade, and eased all the metal edges.

Now I know some of you are saying you should have bought the new Stanley SW for 99.00 or a Woodriver,
maybe the Groz, and if he was really deserving, the Lie Nielson angle rabbit plane w/ guide, but those tools weren’t available back then and this is all about brand loyalty and an American tradition.This was the standard tool you bought from the beginning, at least in my little corner of the world.

I feel a little vain, whining about a tool that needs a little work, that I can buy at any hardware store here in America. But, in other countries, people have to make do with whats been handed down to them or go to the next town to order the same tool, if possible. For that, I apologize. I really am thankful.

If it helps my cause any, my family never had money for expensive things. At an early age. I did landscaping and handyman work to make extra money if I wanted to buy something. As it should be, I might add.

It made me appreciate value and I took care of what I had. The Stanley plane became a symbol of that same value and was perfect considering what I could afford back then.

After spending an hour resurfacing and grinding on it, I like it. It’s still a nice tool. But, sad to say, I have come to realize that another tradition has come and gone. The Stanley 920 block plane has lost a fan.

My friend really appreciated the new “tuned” plane and now he wants to make a sand paper jig for sharpening.

So I guess there’s a happy ending. Another plane fan was born. At least I know he can’t blame it on the tool again.

There’s no tool like an old tool.

 

Has anybody seen the new Veritas NX-60?

OMG…..