value of planes

[Electric Comet]

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

[Bill]

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

[Electric Comet]

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

[Sonny]

Aren't Stanley's used to flatten boards, hence, Flat Stanley. The story is described here:

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

Sonny

[Bill]

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.

[John McCoy]

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

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):

John

[Nick]

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.

[John McCoy]

"Nick" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

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

[Larry Blanchard]

I found one of these:

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

[Electric Comet]

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

[Electric Comet]

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

[Sonny]

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

[Electric Comet]

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

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

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