Vintage Stanley Bailey No. 5 Jack Plane

This listing is for a vintage Stanley Bailey No. 5 jack plane, fully cleaned, tuned, and ready to go back to work in your shop.

This is a classic mid-century “user” Bailey: cast iron body, hardwood knob and tote, orange STANLEY lever cap, and “BAILEY / No 5 / MADE IN USA” bed. It’s been carefully serviced, not over-restored, so you still get the honest patina and character of a tool that’s seen real work.

Highlights

• Stanley Bailey No. 5 jack plane – approx. 14” long
• Made in USA bed with raised BAILEY and No 5 castings
• Original orange STANLEY lever cap field still present
• Hardwood knob and tote with original finish, cleaned and waxed
• Iron and chip breaker cleaned, sharpened, and properly mated
• Sole checked and lapped for good contact at toe, mouth, and heel
• Tested on scrap and tuned to take fine, curly shavings (see photos)
• Great all-around jack plane for flattening, light jointing, and general bench work
• Includes printed care guide

Condition

This is a vintage user-grade tool, not a museum piece. I’ve kept the original finishes and honest wear wherever possible.

Metal

• Cast iron body is solid with no cracks, breaks, or repairs
• Japanning is mostly present with typical edge wear and a few small chips
• Sides and sole show light staining and patina from age and use
• Sole has been lightly lapped for flatness; you’ll see lapping marks and some remaining discoloration, but nothing that affects performance
• Iron and chip breaker show some residual staining/patina away from the edge; cutting edge area is clean, sharp, and ready to work

Wood

• Original hardwood knob and tote, no cracks or glue repairs
• Finish has typical dings, small marks, and handling wear from decades of use
• Cleaned and hand-waxed only – no sanding or re-staining – to preserve the original look and feel

Please review all photos closely for the best view of cosmetic condition. What you see is the exact plane you’ll receive.

Dimensions

• Overall length: approx. 14 in (35.5 cm)
• Iron width: approx. 2 in (5 cm)

Use

No. 5 is the classic jack plane size – the one most woodworkers reach for first. Set with a light camber, it’s ideal for:

• General stock removal and flattening
• Cleaning up boards from the jointer/thickness planer
• Light jointing on shorter boards
• All-around bench work where a smoothing plane is too small and a jointer is overkill

This one is tuned as a ready-to-use shop plane: you may choose to give it a quick touch-up on your preferred stone or strop to match your own setup, but it’s already taking good shavings.

Materials

Cast iron body, steel iron and chip breaker, brass hardware, hardwood knob and tote.

Packaging & Shipping

Plane will be carefully packed, with the iron backed off and wrapped to protect the edge and the sole in transit.

Notes

• Vintage tools often show cosmetic wear, light patina, and small marks from use; these are part of their story and are described as accurately as possible.
• If you have questions about setup, sharpening, or how to dial this in for your workflow, feel free to message me – I’m happy to help.