i am not a collector of tools as a hobby/collector

i collect them to use and hopefully pass down to a deserving fellow
i have a few handplanes but only recently have i got back into doing
hand work

what's the story with planes and the prices

what makes a plane worthy for a collector

my planes are cheap planes that work just fine and i don't desire
any more planes

just trying to understand why some are sought after and fetch a
high price and some don't even though they seems to be similar


stanley #4 seems popular but sometimes i see them go for big $$
and sometimes not
even when the condition looks similar

Electric Comet wrote:
i am not a collector of tools as a hobby/collector

i collect them to use and hopefully pass down to a deserving fellow
i have a few handplanes but only recently have i got back into doing
hand work

what's the story with planes and the prices

what makes a plane worthy for a collector

my planes are cheap planes that work just fine and i don't desire
any more planes

just trying to understand why some are sought after and fetch a
high price and some don't even though they seems to be similar


stanley #4 seems popular but sometimes i see them go for big $$
and sometimes not
even when the condition looks similar


A "Bedrock" may be redeemable for more $. It takes genuine effort to
really get to "know yer planes".

On Fri, 17 Apr 2015 22:33:25 -0400
Bill wrote:

A "Bedrock" may be redeemable for more $. It takes genuine effort to
really get to "know yer planes".

sometimes i think it's that people like pretty pictures and are easily
swayed by something shiny but yes I think there must be some subtle
sought after qualities that i don't see

On Friday, April 17, 2015 at 9:33:48 PM UTC-5, Bill wrote:
Electric Comet wrote:

what's the story with planes and the prices

Aren't Stanley's used to flatten boards, hence, Flat Stanley. The story is described he http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley



A "Bedrock" may be redeemable for more $. It takes genuine effort to
really get to "know yer planes".


Yep. A good hand plane can make quick work of many tasks, rather than firing up a power tool.

Sonny

Electric Comet wrote:
On Fri, 17 Apr 2015 22:33:25 -0400
Bill wrote:

A "Bedrock" may be redeemable for more $. It takes genuine effort to
really get to "know yer planes".
sometimes i think it's that people like pretty pictures and are easily
swayed by something shiny but yes I think there must be some subtle
sought after qualities that i don't see

Yes, it's not easy to see the internal design and the quality of the
steel. That Hand Plane Book, by Hack, is a good read, with great
photographs. I don't think it will directly answer questions about
value, but it may heighten your interest.

Electric Comet wrote in news:mgsf1k$chl$12
@dont-email.me:

what's the story with planes and the prices

what makes a plane worthy for a collector

just trying to understand why some are sought after and fetch a
high price and some don't even though they seems to be similar

Well, like anything that's collectable, it's mostly about
rarity. Some planes were only made for a short time, either
because the design was bad or the maker was not in business
very long, or they were simply so specialized that the demand
didn't exist; those planes are now very rare.

Others are common, but went thru many design variations over
their production lives, and since collectors have to have
"one of everything" the variations that had short production
lives become collectable.

If you really want to know, I'd suggest reading Patrick's
"Blood and Gore" (a compendium of posts from this very newsgroup
about 20 years ago):

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

John

"John McCoy" wrote in message
. ..
Electric Comet wrote in news:mgsf1k$chl$12
@dont-email.me:

what's the story with planes and the prices

what makes a plane worthy for a collector

just trying to understand why some are sought after and fetch a
high price and some don't even though they seems to be similar

Well, like anything that's collectable, it's mostly about
rarity. Some planes were only made for a short time, either
because the design was bad or the maker was not in business
very long, or they were simply so specialized that the demand
didn't exist; those planes are now very rare.

Others are common, but went thru many design variations over
their production lives, and since collectors have to have
"one of everything" the variations that had short production
lives become collectable.

If you really want to know, I'd suggest reading Patrick's
"Blood and Gore" (a compendium of posts from this very newsgroup
about 20 years ago):

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

John

I met Patrick a couple of years ago in England. Had agreed to buy an old
Stanley compass (or circle) plane from. He was visiting UK and hand carried
it to me. Nice guy and very knowledgeable.
I have quite a few hand planes, mainly Stanley/Bailey and Norris. All in
good fettle and used when required.
For an old codger like me the sharpening, setting up and use of a well tuned
hand plane is part of the enjoyment of working with wood.
I have a 16" planer/thicknesser which is only used for the biggest stuff.
Otherwise it's all hand planed and I enjoy it. Obviously I work with wood as
a hobby, not in any way commercial.
I have an electric hand plane. Horrid thing but useful when working with
manufactured board as the blades are reversible and disposable. I probably
use the compass plane more than the electric one, for different purposes of
course.
Also have 60 or 70 wooden planes, both flat, moulding and. These are pretty
much retired now although I still use some of the moulding planes
occasionally. One thing about these is that the blades are always of better
quality than might be purchased today.

Back to op. My view is that a good plane will be a good friend for life. I
don't collect them per se but I will always buy an obviously good one if I
can use it. Good hand planes, with some very expensive exceptions, are no
longer manufactured as they are not needed generally.
Sorry, that's a very sweeping statement that may irk some but I feel it is
correct. I'm thinking of Veritas who make some fine stuff although I have no
experience of it.
I have butchered some of my old wooden planes and turned them into table
lights. A bit quirky but they work well.

Finally. I am very please that this ng is alive/kicking and populated by you
good and learned folk.

Now, where did I leave my tin hat?

All the best,
Nick.

"Nick" wrote in
:

Good hand planes, with some very expensive
exceptions, are no longer manufactured as they are not needed
generally. Sorry, that's a very sweeping statement that may irk some
but I feel it is correct. I'm thinking of Veritas who make some fine
stuff although I have no experience of it.

Yeah, I'd be one that would dispute that :-)

I think the Veritas stuff is fine quality, and price-wise it's
not so out of line compared to what a Stanley plane would have
cost pre-WW2, allowing for inflation.

Lie-Nielsen are unquestionably good (better, I think, than
anything Stanley ever made), but as you say they're expensive.

Admittedly the Anants, Buck Bros, and Windsor Designs aren't
good, but then neither was Stanley's "Handyman" line of
cheap planes back in the day.

John

On Fri, 17 Apr 2015 20:17:35 -0700, Electric Comet wrote:

On Fri, 17 Apr 2015 22:33:25 -0400 Bill
wrote:

A "Bedrock" may be redeemable for more $. It takes genuine effort to
really get to "know yer planes".

sometimes i think it's that people like pretty pictures and are easily
swayed by something shiny but yes I think there must be some subtle
sought after qualities that i don't see

I found one of these:

http://www.supertool.com/etcetera/deadends/steers.htm

at an estate sale last year. I showed it to a collector friend of mine
and he started drooling :-). But I'm keeping it.

On Sat, 18 Apr 2015 17:41:37 +0000 (UTC)
Larry Blanchard wrote:

http://www.supertool.com/etcetera/deadends/steers.htm

at an estate sale last year. I showed it to a collector friend of
mine and he started drooling :-). But I'm keeping it.

the site provides some comic relief and describes the steer with

"The Let's Do Our Fair Share of Rainforest Destruction Plane."

looks like a nice plane

On Fri, 17 Apr 2015 23:37:07 -0400
Bill wrote:

Yes, it's not easy to see the internal design and the quality of the
steel. That Hand Plane Book, by Hack, is a good read, with great
photographs. I don't think it will directly answer questions about
value, but it may heighten your interest.

will add to my reading list
but it seems the list is outpacing me
but i still keep a list anyway

On Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 3:48:52 PM UTC-5, Electric Comet wrote:


will add to my reading list
but it seems the list is outpacing me
but i still keep a list anyway


LOL. Not a collector of planes, but a collector of reading material.

I went through that stage. I still read, but I've narrow my reading, more so, to specifics of what I mostly do.

The best teacher is to use your planes, learn them, as any tool: sharpening, proper disassembly-reassembly, adjusting, etc. Often times, a specific wood will cut differently than other woods. Kinna have to learn the different woods, also.

Many times, a hand plane will make quick work of a task, rather than firing up a power tool. Not sure you can get that sense (of use) from reading.

Sonny

On Sat, 18 Apr 2015 15:06:14 -0700 (PDT)
Sonny wrote:

LOL. Not a collector of planes, but a collector of reading material.

i don't collect the material just a list of books/papers to read

The best teacher is to use your planes, learn them, as any tool:
sharpening, proper disassembly-reassembly, adjusting, etc. Often
times, a specific wood will cut differently than other woods. Kinna
have to learn the different woods, also.

yep i do this and that's why the reading list grows

Many times, a hand plane will make quick work of a task, rather than
firing up a power tool. Not sure you can get that sense (of use)
from reading.

agreed and i can tinker during those quiet hours without bothering a
soul