Stanley 4 Plane Review By: I.Ball
Category: Old Smoothing Planes
Extra Info: What is a Smoothing Plane? Smoothing Plane Videos
Manufacturer: Stanley
Plane Type: Smoothing
Model No: 4
The Stanley smoothing plane number 4 has been produced by Stanley for
nearly 150 years.
During this exceptionally long manufacture period the Stanley 4 plane
design has remained very similar.
There have been slight alterations to the design and the materials used
through the Stanley number 4's history which have been classed as improvements
and refinements.
In terms of classifying these changes for historical classification,
these refinements relate to which 'Type' the plane is e.g. the first
design of the Stanley 4 plane is referred to as the 'Type 1' model.
The Stanley number 4 is made with an iron body, frog, lever cap, cap iron,
cutter, lateral adjuster, rear wooden handle and front knob.
The body is constructed from grey cast iron with machined and ground
sides and sole. The machining and grounding ensured the plane body was
originally flat and true (or pretty flat and true). The top-side of
the plane body is finished with the black finish which is synonymous
with the Stanley plane range.
The central part of the plane is the cast iron frog on which the blade
rests, the frog position / throat is set, the lateral lever pivots on
and the depth adjuster operates.
The frog face is set at 45 degrees, therefore the blade is set at a
45 degree angle.
The frog can be used to adjust the mouth thickness at which the shavings
pass through. This is adjusted by turning the frog adjusting screw which
is located at the base of the rear of the frog (below the blade depth
adjusting wheel).
Note: ensure the frog screws are loosened so the frog can move backwards
and forwards when the frog adjusting screw is turned
(the frog screws are the two screws located in depressions on the frog
bed where the blade sits).
The plane's lateral blade adjusting lever is located just behind the
top of the blade / at the top of the frog. This lever pivots side-to-side
which in turn adjusts the cutter side-ways; this is useful
for aligning the blade to ensure it is not skewed.
The plane's blade depth adjuster is a notch on the front face of the
frog, just below the bottom of the lateral lever. This notch locates
with a gap in the plane blade and is controlled by
an adjusting wheel (usually brass) found at the rear of the frog.
The depth at which the blade is set is adjusted by turning the adjusting
wheel, this in turn regulates the thickness of the shavings. Turning
the adjusting wheel towards the frog raises the blade, and turning in
the opposite direction towards the rear handle moves the blade downwards.
Note: ensure the lever cap is loosened before making adjustments
to avoid damage.
The number 4 plane is fitted with a 51mm (2 inch) wide steel cutter.
The plane blade is stiffened with the use of a cap iron. The cap iron
helps reduce chatter and assists in curling the shavings to prevent splintering
the work-piece, particularly when working against the grain.
The plane blade and cap iron are locked in position with the lever cap.
This further reduces chattering. The lever cap has a plated finish which
is usually a nickel plating.
The lever cap has a hole in the middle in which a screw runs through
from the frog.
With the exception of the earlier planes / lever caps, the lever cap
has a pear shaped hole in the middle in which a screw runs through,
this pear shape was designed to help prevent the cap loosening.
These Stanley planes are fitted with a comfortably shaped handle and
knob.
The handles and knobs can be made from hardwood or a hard plastic composite.
The wooden handles are quite desirable as they feel natural and more
comfortable.
Planes with Rosewood handles and knobs are highly sought
after, with numerous choosing to 'pimp-up' their plane by buying a new
Rosewood plane handle set. The plastic composite handles have the advantage
of being very hard to break/damage.
The Stanley smoothing plane number 4 is in the region of 9 inch - 9 3/4 inch
in length depending on the age/type of plane.
As with all the Stanley bench planes, the Stanley 4 has universal
interchanging parts.
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: brass
Handle and low knob: rosewood
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"No 4" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"Pat ...24.88, Stanley" - may be found on the lateral lever arm.
Date Of This Plane
1871 - 1906
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: brass
Handle and low knob: rosewood
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"Bailey" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"No. 4" - found on the top face between the front knob and blade.
Date Of This Plane
1907 - 1921
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: brass
Handle and knob: rosewood
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"Bailey" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"No. 4" - found on the top face between the front knob and blade.
???? - something similar to "U.S. PAT APR-19-10" - found on the top face between the rear handle and frog.
"Stanley" - found on the lever cap face.
Date Of This Plane
1922 - 1932
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: brass
Handle and low knob: beech
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"No. 4" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"Bailey" - found on the top face between front knob and blade.
"Made In England" or "Made In USA" - found on the top face at the rear between the handle and frog.
"Stanley" - found on the lever cap face.
Date Of This Plane
1936 -
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: bakelite
Handle and low knob: beech
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"No. 4" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"Bailey" - found on the top face between front knob and blade.
"Made In England" or "Made In USA" - found on the top face at the rear between the handle and frog.
"Stanley" - found on the lever cap face.
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: alloy
Handle and low knob: beech
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"No. 4" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"Bailey" - found on the top face between front knob and blade.
"Made In England" or "Made In USA" - found on the top face at the rear between the handle and frog.
"Stanley" - found on the lever cap face.
Body and frog:
cast iron
Lever cap:
cast iron with a plated finish
Cap iron:
best quality steel
Blade:
best quality steel
Depth adjuster wheel/nut: alloy
Handle and low knob: plastic composite
Plane finish: black
Stanley 4 Plane Markings
"No. 4" - found on the top face at the very front of the plane.
"Bailey" - found on the top face between front knob and blade.
"Made In England" or "Made In USA" - found on the top face at the rear between the handle and frog.
"Stanley" - found on the lever cap face.
Length:
9 inch - 9 3/4 inch
Width:
2 1/4 inch ??
Blade Width:
2 inch
1870 - current day
Note: This information is not for copying. A lot of time and money is spent reseaching
this information.
1858: First Patent
1867: Knobs fastened to stock by screws
1870: Offered to public
1871: Lateral iron adjustment
1885: Sidewise adjustment
1888: Sidewise adjustment friction pad
1892: Circular enlargement on iron reversed
1905: Redesigned frog
1907: Word 'Bailey' cast into bottom
1910: Frog improvement to bottom bearing surface
1914: Adjusting screw to close and open throat accurately
1914: New logo on iron - 'Stanley, New Britain, Conn, Usa' previously 'Stanley Rule And Level Co'.
1920: Stanley Works logo on iron
1922: Shape of front knob heightened
1925: Name Stanley added to lever cap
1933: Kidney shaped hole in lever cap
1936: Raised ring cast into forward end to seat front knob
Stanley 4 Smoother Plane
Stanley 4 Smoothing Plane
Stanley Bench Plane No. 4
Stanley Wood-Work Plane No. 4
Stanley Carpenters Plane No. 4
Stanley DIY Plane No. 4
Stanley Hand Plane No. 4
Further information on the Stanley plane number 4 can be found in the many Stanley tool catalogues produced from the 19th Century through to the current day. Additional information to this Stanley number 4 plane review can also be found in many different trade catalogues as well as reference books which are dedicated to discussing Stanley tools.
....
Do you have a question/answer or something to share about this tool?
Please Contact Us
(i) This review/article may give warning(s) / advisory notes / cautions / guidelines given
in good faith, any such information should not be solely relied upon and seen
as the exhaustive list of warnings / advisory notes / cautions / guidelines. Refer
to good safety practices for the safety of you and others. Refer to good practices
for the good health of your tool and property.
(ii) The details here are given in good faith, the details are constantly growing
and evolving including corrections, there is scope for error and shouldn't be fully relied upon,
please confirm any details for yourself by performing additional research from
reliable sources.
Enjoy viewing the encyclopedia of tools.
If you are inspired by our content or use info such as dates, sizes,
details from FindMyTool.co.uk
please kindly give credit where credit is due via giving a nod in a video
or a link to this website.
Please see our terms if using more than a few dates
or details.
"Just stumbled across your website and an absolute treasure trove of information.
I was recently given an old Stanley 110 block plane and wanted to know more about it.
Your website told me everything I needed to know.
But there is so much more to read. I forsee me spending a lot of time just reading
page after page. I can appreciate how much time this will have taken to put together.
I just wanted to let you know that your hard work is appreciated."