A very special plane

While we were ladder making the other week, Stanley recommended one particular wooden jack plane for me to use while smoothing the poles. I've used wooden planes before and enjoy the tactile process of adjusting them using a wooden mallet so this was didn't seem anything unusual and it certainly cut sweetly.

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As I worked I noticed Stanley's name stamped into the body of the plane. I commented that I've used many tools with names stamped onto them but never one where I'd actually met the previous owner and what a treat that was.



Stanley then revealed that the plane was actually made by his grandfather, Ebeneezer, whose name is also stamped onto the plane. Not only that but he'd signed and dated the mallet when the set was made, 9th May 1890. It was quite an experience to be making shavings with a 124 years old wooden plane.