I’ve watched this thread now for several weeks with great interest. This conversation you’ve all had is so helpful to new shapers like me.
On Bill T’s advice, I picked up a clean Stanley 118, and while waiting for it’s arrival I pulled out and cleaned up my grandfather’s planes. I’d purchased a sharpening stone to moderate success, but after learning about the sandpaper and plate glass method from him and reading the post here giving instructions for it, I was able to get them all quite sharp. I also cleaned several rusted parts and bodies in anti-rust solution. My grandfather’s planes are cleaner and sharper now than at any time in my memory - we lived next door to each other and I grew up with them, especially the very basic gray one with the wood handle.
I also picked up a very rough Stanley No. 13 Compass plane. I gave it the same de rust treatment then adjusted and sharpened the blade. Some of the Japan finish still exists on the body so I cleaned it and left it alone. Its adjustable base allowed me to effortlessly plane down the stringer on the inside curve of a nose rocker today. I was amazed.
That sandpaper method is pretty impressive. I’ve owned knives my whole life but have not sharpened plane blades. My first time, and still that method got these blades so sharp they take off foam along with stringer wood. Very cool.
Bill T pointed out I could also soften the edge on the plane sole so it doesn’t tear the foam on passes. What an improvement.
Anyways, thank you all for your knowledge. I’ve really enjoyed this one.
I’ll confess to coveting that compass plane. Be nice to it, I suspect it dates to not long after the patent date of June 17, 1879. I’m particularly pleased that you put it to work rather than on a shelf.
Stanley ‘Bailey’, their number 12-960 . Around $40 if you shop around. Or flea markets and yard sales, they’ve been in production effectively forever.
Like Maxwell House coffee, it’s good if not fancy, consistent, you can find it everywhere. I’ve maybe had a dozen over the years. Take it out of the box (blister-pack now), touch the iron up on a stone, drop of oil here and there and go to work.
Adequate steel in the plane iron, good cast iron in the body, decent machining. I prefer the cam-lever setup on this model to get the iron out for a touchup (fast, easy, no excuses for a dull tool), tolerates neglect and abuse and banging around a shop, a tool belt pocket, a staging or the toolbox.
Pulled one of my backups off a shelf to pose for a portrait. New-ish, beat on some, works fine.
PLEASE! Will one of you young shapers with a board or two under their belts or maybe a first timer, shape a foam board (EPS or Polyurethane) from scratch using a draw knife, low angle plane, Jack plane and sandpaper. PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Oh and by all means set up a GoPro and video it. Can’t wait to see it. Wood is NOT Foam. Boats are NOT Surfboards. Is there a Wooden Boat forum we could all go to.
