Blew the dust off my dad's old Stanley plane from the 1940s last weekend

I was cleaning out the garage and found this old Stanley No. 5 jack plane that my dad used for decades. The blade was rusty and the handle felt loose, but after some light oil and sharpening it cut through pine like butter. It's wild how tools from 80 years ago still outwork the cheap modern stuff you get at big box stores for $30. Makes me wonder what we're making today that'll still be useful in 2080. Has anyone else brought an old family tool back to life and been surprised by how well it performs?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby3084d ago

Those old Stanley planes are nice but a sharp blade is what really matters.

uma_baker995d ago

Oh man, I read this article a while back about old Stanley planes and how the metal they used was just BETTER. Something about the iron being more dense because they didn't cut corners like they do now. My uncle had a No. 4 that he found at a flea market, totally beat up, and after he cleaned it up he said it planed end grain smoother than his expensive new Lie-Nielsen. It's CRAZY how much pride they put into these things back then. Makes you wonder if any of the junk we buy today will even last ten years, let alone eighty.

kim_patel894d ago

@uma_baker99 you're spot on about the iron being denser. I had the same thing happen with my grandpa's old Disston hand saw. That thing was rusted shut and missing teeth, but after a file and some patience it cuts straight and clean. The steel they used back then was forged different, you know? My dad always said the old Stanley planes have a feel to them you can't get from modern castings. I brought his old No. 5 back last year and it shaves end grain like butter, way better than my neighbor's new plane from the hardware store. Makes you realize how much craft went into basic tools before everything got mass produced for the lowest price.