Vintage Stanley Bailey No. 4 smoothing plane

Vintage Stanley Bailey No. 4 smoothing plane, cleaned, tuned, and ready to go back to work in the shop.

This is a later-production Bailey with the orange-background STANLEY lever cap and “STANLEY / MADE IN U.S.A.” iron. Based on the markings and hardware it’s likely mid-century (1950s–60s era), but I’m selling it as a solid user, not a collector type-study piece.

I fully went through this one so you don’t have to start from a rust bucket.

What I did to it

• Marked and lapped the sole on a granite reference plate up to 320 grit
• Eased the sole edges with a light pass from a mill file so it glides without catching
• Completely disassembled the plane
• Cleaned all parts with mineral spirits and a nylon brush
• De-rusted metal
• Heavier rusted, non-japanned parts got an EvapoRust bath
• All metal surfaces scrubbed with a 3M pad and WD-40, then wiped clean
• Smoothed knob and tote by hand with 320-grit sandpaper (kept the original finish and patina)
• Sharpened the iron and tuned the chip breaker for a clean, tight fit
• Oiled
• Metal parts with Ballistol
• Wood parts with Tried & True oil finish
• Adjuster threads with a micro-dot of Hoppes oil
• Waxed
• Metal surfaces with paste wax for glide and rust resistance
• Wood with a beeswax / mineral-oil balm
• Reassembled, tuned, and test-planed pine and hardwood to dial in the cut
• Includes printed care guide

It’s currently set up to take clean, fine shavings (see the curls in the photos). Depth and lateral adjustments work as they should.

Condition

• Body / Sole:
• No cracks or repairs in the casting
• Sole is flat in the working areas (toe, ahead of the mouth, and heel) after lapping
• About 60% japanning remains – honest shop wear, not a shelf queen
• Frog:
• Straight and solid, mounting surfaces cleaned up for good contact
• Lateral adjuster and depth adjuster work smoothly
• Iron & Chip Breaker:
• Original STANLEY iron with “MADE IN U.S.A.” marking
• Edge is freshly sharpened and ready for work; plenty of life left
• Chip breaker mated to the iron with no visible light gap
• Lever Cap:
• “STANLEY” lever cap with orange field
• Light cosmetic wear and staining but fully functional
• Knob & Tote:
• Front knob is solid with most of the original dark finish intact; smoothed and re-oiled
• Rear tote has an older epoxy/JB-Weld style repair at the base.
• The repair is structurally solid and was left in place
• I cleaned up and smoothed the area; the repair line is still visible on close inspection
• Finish overall shows normal handling marks and small dings consistent with age and use

This is not a mint collector piece. It’s a well-sorted, vintage user plane with honest cosmetic wear and a disclosed tote repair.

Dimensions (approx.)

• Size: No. 4 smoothing plane
• Overall length: ~9”
• Iron width: ~2”

How I’d use it

Great everyday smoother / general bench plane for someone who wants a real Stanley Bailey that’s already flattened, sharpened, and tuned instead of starting from scratch. Ideal for flattening panels, final passes on boards, and general shop work.

As with any hand tool, you may want to touch up the edge to your own preference when it arrives, but it’s currently set to take good shavings.

Shipping & packing

• I pack planes with the iron backed off, parts snug, and plenty of padding so they don’t rattle around in transit.
• Ships insured via USPS or UPS (your choice at checkout where available).

Notes

If you have questions about the setup, want extra detail photos of the tote repair, or prefer the iron set up more aggressively for heavier cuts, feel free to message me before buying and I’ll do my best to accommodate.