Vintage Stanley Bailey No. 6 Fore / Jointer Plane

This is a vintage Stanley Bailey No. 6 fore / jointer plane, made in the USA and restored in my shop as a ready-to-use user tool, not just a shelf piece. It’s fitted with a modern Taytools 467610 thick iron, tuned and test-cut so you can go straight to the bench.

Tool details

• Maker / model: Stanley Bailey No. 6
• Length: approx. 18”
• Origin: Made in USA (cast into the bed)
• Era: mid-century, likely 1940s–1960s (listed here as 1950s for Etsy)
• Blade: Taytools 467610 replacement iron, 0.110” thick, freshly sharpened
• Chip breaker: original Stanley, cleaned and mated to the new iron
• Lever cap: original Stanley cap, cleaned and waxed
• Handles: original hardwood tote and vintage front knob with honest shop wear

Condition

This plane shows the kind of honest patina you’d expect from a mid-century user, not a modern repaint:

• Body & sole:
• Sole is clean with light, even patina and small scars from past use.
• No cracks or repairs in the casting.
• Japanning is largely intact in the bed, with wear at the usual edges and around the knob.
• Mouth:
• The front of the mouth has been carefully filed/opened slightly so the thicker modern iron can pass cleanly. The opening is appropriate for fore / jointer work and the plane cuts smoothly.
• Wood:
• Tote is solid with plenty of character marks and worn finish from decades of use; I left the patina but cleaned, oiled, and waxed it so it feels good in the hand.
• Front knob is a vintage replacement from a donor plane. It’s structurally sound and matches the look of the tote. There are marks and small dents, including light old initials/marks on the top, all purely cosmetic.

Expect a tool that looks its age but is mechanically tight and fully functional.

Restoration & tuning work

This plane went through my standard bench plane process, including ER (enhanced rust and surface remediation):

• Fully disassembled, all parts inspected.
• Heavy green over-paint and brown gunk removed with Citristrip, then scrubbed and neutralized while preserving original japanning.
• Rust mechanically removed from the body, frog, and hardware; bare metal protected with oil and wax.
• Frog face and frog seat cleaned and lapped for solid contact.
• Sole and key bearing areas (toe, around the mouth, heel) lapped for good contact, without over-polishing away its history.
• Original chip breaker derusted; the leading edge was polished and tuned to mate tightly to the new iron.
• New Taytools 0.110” iron was flattened, beveled, and sharpened; breaker set close for effective chip control.
• Mouth front lightly filed to give clearance for the thicker iron.
• Tote and knob cleaned, lightly sanded where needed, then oiled and waxed for a smooth, dry feel.
• Reassembled, all adjustments checked, and test shavings taken (see photos).

You’re not getting a “found in a barn” project – you’re getting a tool that’s already been dialed in.

How it’s set up

The No. 6 is a great fore / small jointer plane – long enough to help flatten, still manageable in the hand.

• Currently set for medium shavings suitable for jointing and general stock prep.
• Depth adjuster, lateral adjuster, and cap tension are all working properly.
• The modern thick iron gives extra stiffness and plenty of sharpening life for years of use.

If you prefer a different setup (coarser or finer cut), it’s easy to adjust with the existing hardware.

Good to know

• This is a vintage user tool. It has dings, scratches, finish wear, and marks from prior owners. Those are cosmetic and part of the charm; anything that affects function has been addressed.
• Because the mouth has been opened slightly to suit the modern thick iron, this is best thought of as a working fore/jointer, not a collector-correct piece.

Packaged well for the trip and shipped with care. If you have questions or want to know how this No. 6 would fit into your hand-tool setup, feel free to message me before you buy.