Woodworking Tool as Collector’s Item

Antique wood plane specimens have been found dating back to the 1500s. Their extensive history and usefulness makes them valued by collectors. Although many tools are collected, the wood plane is one of the most popular, particularly the Stanley Bedrock plane.

Woodworking tools sought by collectors include a great number. Collectors tend to either be generalists, collecting many types of tools, or they focus on tools of a specific occupation such as bookbinder, cobbler, or jeweler. They may also focus on tools made during a specific time period or by a certain manufacturer, such as L. Bailey Victor or Stanley.

The hand wood plane is one of the most popular among tool collectors. First introduced more than a thousand years ago, the wood plane is a basic woodworking tool used to smooth, flatten, or reduce the thickness of lumber. It was originally made of wood with a wooden wedge to keep the metal blade in place. In the mid-1800s, inventor Leonard Bailey designed a cast iron plane manufactured by the Stanley Rule and Level Co. (now Stanley Works). It was a much-improved design and was used until after World War II when electric tools largely replaced it. However, purists still prefer the hand wood planes.

In 1900, the Stanley Rule and Level Co. introduced the wood plane that was to become the industry standard. The company dubbed it the “Bedrock” because it held the cutter so steady. Stanley’s chief engineer Justus Traut patented the plane in 1895. It evolved from the original cast iron model designed by Bailey in the mid-1800s to feature an improved frog, which is the piece on which the blade rests. In 1910, another improvement that allowed for the adjustment of the opening of the throat without the removal of the plane iron was introduced. The Stanley Bedrock planes are currently regarded as the best of the hand wood planes and are valued by collectors, some of whom still use them.

Collectors prize many woodworking tools, but the Stanley Bedrock plane is among the most popular. It is not only valued as a display item but also by some as a favored tool over the electric.

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