Seems that two items were more (or less?) than they seemed when I picked them out at a garage sale awhile back.   Same sale that had the Stanley #31 and the Morril saw set from 1895. 

First up:   A smallish cap iron that looks like it would fit most #220 sized block planes, but it is about 1/2" too short.    And the 1/2" is spread over the entire cap iron.   It also has a place for a decal to go..UNderside has a bunch of numbers stamped into itMainly stuff like an "X" and a "9" beside the locking wheel, and a "C" with an x inside and a -331 down by the bolt hole.    MIGHT be an English made one?    Too short to use on the second mystery part.This is a Stanley #18-1/4, since it has no adjustable mouth, and nickel-plated hardware instead of brass stuff.   Thinking that just before the sale, someone had cleaned it up with a regular sandblaster.  this is one rough, bare-arsed piece of old cast iron.  Found the numbers stamped on the side, but not quite where they should be.    Went to clean and flatten the sole, as there was a big hollow right behind the mouth area.     Sand paper on the countertop, something was showing up, besides the pits that is....Now, I'm pretty used to seeing scratches on block plane soles, but those are usually at all sorts of angles, and run all the way acroos.  These started back a bit, almost like a bench plane would be.  

STOP SANDING! 

Got out a Sharpie, and tried to trace the "traces" , with tired, shaky fingers..Yep, there are SEVEN evenly spaced, and very straight grooves on that there sole!    Strange!  

Never heard of a Stanley #18-1/4c!    Something ain't quite right here?   A block plane, with a grooved sole?  Oh well, the two items cost a whopping $1.50 all thogether....

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

Wow, Steve you got me on that one. I looked on this site and they say there was no Stanley block planes with corrugated bottoms, but you plainly have one there.

This is their quote,

The planes have a japanned finish, with the brass knob and depth adjusting nut all buffed to shine. The lateral adjustment lever and eccentric lever are often nickeled, but later ones are just stamped from steel and buffed. The plane commonly has its model number stamped into the left side of the main casting, down toward the sole. None of the Stanley block planes came with corrugations milled into the sole. A few of the mid-1920's planes can be found with the day-glo orange paint on the eccentric adjuster and inside the front knob. This had to be a phase that Stanley was going through as some of the contemporary bench planes have the sides of their frogs finished with the same color paint.

It looks like a 9 1/2 but here again I can't find one listed as having a corrugated bottom.

I did find these two listed but they are not Stanley.

Is the front knob on that one brass?

Here is a page that list all of the Stanley Model numbers and the ones with Corrugated bottoms and they don't list an 18 1/4c but that doesn't mean they didn't do one.

---

John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

Front knob is plated steel, as is the wheel to adjust the depth. Lateral lever, if I can find one is also plated steel.

I think you ran across a really neat find steve, check over at patricks blood and gore for more info

I agree Mike, but the quote I put up above was from Patrick's site.

dragon1 said:

I think you ran across a really neat find steve, check over at patricks blood and gore for more info

Steve, it looks like you may be right about the No.18 1/4 and I believe what someone has done is swapped the knuckle cap with the lever cap from a 9 1/4. Here is what is on Patrick Gore's site and he talks about people swapping the knuckle cap and putting it on a 9 1/4. both of them have the non adjustable mouth but the 18 1/4 has the nickle knob and adjuster wheel on the back.

#18 1/4 Block plane, 6"L, 1 5/8"W, 1 1/2lbs, 1952-1958. *

Another stupid block plane! Like the #9 1/4 with its non-adjustable mouth, but with the same knuckle-joint lever cap like that found on the #18. Do you see a trend developing here? Stanley musta kicked themselves in the butt for not offering this one earlier, but better late than never was the master plan back then. However, this time, it was too late to take advantage of Joe Meatball's spendy way by selling him another block plane. By this time, he got smart and bought 'lectrical tools.

These are rather scarce, and it's easy to take a common #9 1/4 and pop a knuckle-joint lever cap on it to fool the rookie tool collector. All of the proper #18 1/4's have the number stamped into the left side of the main casting, down near the sole, below the Hand-Y grip. The #18 1/4 also has nickel trimming; i.e., the knob, the lever cap, and the adjuster are all nickel plated. There you have it - you're now an instant expert at #18 1/4 identification.

The example pictured here comes in its original box that has the metal corners, which were all the rage on Stanley's boxes from the mid-1950's onward. The metal corners were added to keep the box's corners from splitting apart, which must have pissed off all the guys what stored their tools in their original boxes. Generally, boxes make a tool worth considerably more than it otherwise is. However, the metal corners are not that popular with collectors, but in the case of this particular plane they are ok since the plane didn't make its debut until the time metal corners were appearing.

---

John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

Found a photo of a cap iron like the one I puzzled over.  Seems it is a Craftsman style of cap iron.   In the picture showing the topside, You can just make out where the Craftsman label was.   One mystery solved, one to go...

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

OK, another piece of the puzzle?

The stamp "18 1/4" is back too far, and there is what looks like lettering in it's place under the handi-grip area.   Might be the word "Imperfect".     Maybe someone at Stanley started to groove the bottom by mistake?

Whom ever had this plane, used the heck out of it!   Sole is well worn, and that is why the grooves barely show.   Looks like it will cost  a few bucks to get the two parts I need to complete the rebuild.....

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

Steve he mentions that on Patrick Gore's site. Looks like you need a Knuckle joint lever cap and the lateral adjustment lever. I have an extra lateral adjustment lever but it doesn't have any thing stamped on it. You may need one with STANLEY on it to be time period correct. Let me know if I can help you out.

steven newman said:

OK, another piece of the puzzle?

The stamp "18 1/4" is back too far, and there is what looks like lettering in it's place under the handi-grip area.   Might be the word "Imperfect".     Maybe someone at Stanley started to groove the bottom by mistake?

Whom ever had this plane, used the heck out of it!   Sole is well worn, and that is why the grooves barely show.   Looks like it will cost  a few bucks to get the two parts I need to complete the rebuild.....

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

I can get a decent iron at Home Despot, a Buck Brothers one for around $3,,  knucklecap is here and sitting on the plane.   If you can part with that lever, let me know.   Thanks.

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

qanother guess is maybe it was in cardboard and the box got wet, or damp and left those marks on the bottom of the plane since it isn't grooved, just "stained" in lines.

That plane looks wider than the low angle block planes i've seen, or are my eyes going?

Same size as the Stanley 110 I have.    Base is 2" wide, by 6-3/8" long.   A knucklecap now sits on the top of this plane.

 fingernail can actually find and follow the grooves.  Not too sure about the casting marks on the base, though.   Seems the be two sets of of them, a "C 9" and a a "C  4".  

 still not too bad for just a dollar bill....

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...