Bench&Brace

Unverified draft - do not rely on this page

The research on this page is not finished. It is left visible so the gap is not hidden from you, but treat everything below as unconfirmed until it has been checked against a catalogue.

  • Confirm sole length and iron width against Stanley catalogue plates
  • Confirm this model's own production start and end years
  • Photograph the toe stamp for the identification section

Stanley

Stanley No. 21 Transitional Smooth Plane

A wood-bottomed smoothing plane: beech body, iron top casting, and the Bailey depth and lateral adjusters.

  • 1869–1943
  • Transitional Plane
  • low confidence
  • unverified draft
Specifications
ModelNo. 21
Production1869–1943
Bodybeech body with cast iron top casting
Handlesbeech knob and tote

How to identify it

  • Wooden sole with an iron casting screwed to the top, carrying the frog, lever cap and adjusters.
  • The model number is usually stamped into the toe of the wooden body ahead of the knob, and is often faint or worn away entirely.
  • Check the mouth for wear and blow-out before anything else. It is the one fault on a transitional that is hard to fix well.

Buying and using

Transitionals are the cheapest way into a pre-war Stanley with a proper adjuster. Collector interest is low, so buy on the condition of the body and the iron rather than on rarity.

Sources

Others in this family