Stanley Planes Type 13

Planes made by Stanley 1925-1928

Distinguishing Features (changes from previous type in bold)

• U.S. PAT. APR-19-10 is the only stuff cast behind the frog.
• “STANLEY”, in a notched rectangle, makes its debut on the lever cap. The original type study doesn’t mention it, but there are several treatments of the lever cap, where its finish and the background color of the notched rectangle follow what seems to be a ‘style du jour’. I can’t date accurately when each of these lever cap treatments occurred, but I can list the order in which I believe they were made:

1. The lever cap is machined and finished as before, with the notched rectangle’s background japanned. I believe this to be the earliest since the earliest Bed Rock planes have lever caps of the same treatment (Bed Rock lever caps always had some embossing on them, and the earliest ones have the japanned background). My experience tells me that this lever cap treatment is rather uncommon.
2. The entire lever cap is entirely nickel plated, including the background of the notched rectangle.
3. The lever cap is nickel plated, but the notched rectangle’s background is painted in Stanley’s trademark orange color.
4. For a short period, with the lever cap nickel plated, the notched rectangle’s background is decidedly reddish in color. This may due to Stanley’s working relationship with Winchester, whose planes have the same color. Either that, or someone sabotaged Stanley’s orange paint supply.
5. 'The later planes have a yellow background in the notched rectangle. These planes typically have the rounded iron.

• Another thing not mentioned in the type study is that on some examples the frogs have an orange overpaint on them. When this was done is during the 20’s. Why it was done is unknown. It may have been for a large customer, like New York City’s school system, to signify that these planes belonged to someone else as an attempt to counter those with bad intent. Or, it simply may have been that the dude who discovered the vivid color for Cheetos was ahead of his time, and wanted to start cashing in. You take your pick on a theory here.
• The knob is much taller than the previous style. This is referred to as a “high knob” in toolie dialect.
• The back of the lever cap is recessed.
• Flat head screws now hold the frog in place.
• The number designation, cast into the toe (“No 4”, etc.)
• The brass adjusting nut now has a left-hand thread and is now larger and measures 1.25″ in diameter.
• No patent date is found on the lateral lever.
• “BAILEY” is cast into to toe.
• The brass nuts used to secure the knob and tote to the rods have a waist to them whereas the earlier ones are cylindrical over their length.
• The rib (the one the frog rides over) is enlarged and arched.
• A frog adjustment screw is present. This is located below the frog, and engages a fork that is screwed to the frog. A turn of this screw will move the frog forward or backward, depending on the direction it is turned.
• The lever cap has a subtle change in its shape – it is not as rounded about the edges as the earlier style is. The lever cam is a bit longer than the old – 1 3/16″ vs. 1 3/32″.
• A series of logo changes are found on these planes. All 3 of the logos are the result of the merger between Stanley Rule and Level, the tool producer, and The Stanley Works, the hardware producer. A notched rectangle, in which the word “STANLEY” is stamped, sits over a heart-shaped design, in which the letters “S.W.” are stamped. The “S.W.” stands for The Stanley Works, and “STANLEY”, obviously, stands for the rule and level firm. The heart-shape is a memorial to The Stanley Works long-time president, William Hart. The first version of the logo has “NEW BRITAIN,” “CONN. U.S.A.” in two lines under the heart, and dates from around 1920. The next version, dating from 1921-1922, just has “MADE IN U.S.A” below the heart, in one line that is longer than the length of the notched rectangle. The final logo, dating from 1923-1935, is identical to the second, but the “MADE IN U.S.A.” line is a hair shorter than the length of the notched rectangle. These new logos are know as the “sweetheart” logo in the tool collecting biz.