Bench&Brace

Stanley

Stanley No. 6 Fore Plane

The fore plane sits between the jack and the jointer. Long enough to flatten a panel, short enough to manage, and consistently the least wanted size - which is exactly why it is the best buy.

  • 1869–1975
  • Bench Plane
  • high confidence
Specifications
ModelNo. 6
Production1869–1975
Sole length18"
Cutter width2-3/8"
Bodycast iron, japanned
Handlesrosewood knob and tote (later hardwood)

How to identify it

  • 18 inch sole, 2-3/8 inch iron.
  • Corrugated version is the No. 6C.
Photograph needed: Stanley No. 6 Fore Plane - overall view, plus a close-up of the toe and bed markings
No image is published here until its rights are cleared. Sourcing policy.

Buying and using

Collectors skip the No. 6, so prices stay low while the tool does most of what a No. 7 does. If a No. 7 is out of budget, buy the 6.

The same size from other makers

These do the same job at the same size. Parts do not interchange between makers, but the shaving does not know the difference - and where one maker commands a collector premium, another usually does not.

MakerCalledMade
Millers FallsNo. 181929–1975
RecordNo. 061931–present
SargentNo. 4181887–1964
StanleyNo. 6061898–1943

Every size, every maker

Dating this plane

This maker published no dating information, so collectors reconstructed one. Work from the body casting rather than the knob, tote or iron, all of which get replaced. The Stanley type study lists the features era by era, with a dating marks table at the foot of it.

What it is worth

  • user / incomplete $20–$45
  • complete, honest wear $50–$100
  • excellent, pre-war type $110–$230

Estimated USD range as of 2026-Q1, from a sample of about 100 sales. manually filtered sold listings Confidence: medium.

These are researched estimates for a private sale in average light, not an appraisal. Condition, completeness and type move a price further than any of these bands do.

Sources

Others in this family