Tuning a Stanley made Wards Master Block Plane

[@roybailey1134]

Nice video Dave as usual, best wishes to you and your family from the UK.

[@tobiasfrancisco5879]

Holy guacamole 🥑 that end grain shaving was crazy. Nice work my friend!

[@DaveCorinth]

I think that’s the first time I seen the word guacamole and woodworking in the same sentence! Outstanding! Thanks for watching!

[@majorscope]

hI, i HAVE OWNED ONE OF THESE SINCE 1965. fIRST ONE GIVEN TO ME BUT HAD A CRACKED FRAME SO GAVE IT AWAY AND BOUGHT ANOTHER. After owning a business for thirty four years with about fifteen large machines this was the only plane i ever used. Lovely bit of kit.

[@DaveCorinth]

The first low angle block plane I owned had a tragic fall of the work bench and had to be retired, I’ve always made sure I have one handy these days! Thanks for watching.

[@chrisdreyer1406]

I’ve owned the Wards block plane for some years, purchased dirt cheap. Originally I just did enough “clean and tune” to make it usable and was very surprised at how well it performed. It was my go to user for a long time. I always suspected it was made by Stanley, thanks for confirming

[@DaveCorinth]

Glad the video was helpful, the Wards Masters are identical to a Stanley and are good user planes! Thanks for watching.

[@robertberger8642]

Very, very nice. I learned a few things, thanks for that!

[@DaveCorinth]

Thanks for watching!

[@andyc972]

Thanks Dave, that was a thorough but measured clean-up / restoration, I'm not hung up on patina unless something is a collectable antique but why do more than is necessary for a good user tool - an excellent and informative video ! The first new plane I bought was a Stanley 60 1/2 in the early 1980s - the UK version at this time had an unusual brass lever to release the cap, it was a nicely made tool and I still use it regularly today !

[@adamtheroofer3659]

Very nice clean up and put back into service. The 60 1/2s are great all around apron planes as well. They routinely find themselves in my tool belt when doing projects around the shop.

[@DaveCorinth]

I take one with me when installing kitchen cabinets, very handy when you have a filler strip that just won’t fit right! Great little planes!

[@2dividedby3equals666]

Great video Dave! Thanks for the heads up, I will most certainly be on the look out for one these fellows. It cleaned up really well. Thanks for sharing and take care!

[@DaveCorinth]

This is the first Wards Master I’ve seen with the nickel plated cap and knob based off the Stanley 60, I had two others years ago that were japanned like the 60 1/2. Thanks for watching!

[@ga5743]

Excellent tutorial Dave, I need to use my wire wheel more. Thanks for making this video.

[@DaveCorinth]

Get a “Carding Wire Wheel”, they are very gentle on cast iron and threads for screws! I don’t apply much if any pressure. Wire wheels can be damaging if used too harsh in parts. Thanks for watching!

[@PeanutsDadForever]

Thanks again for another wonderful video. 🇦🇺👴🏻

[@Michael49T]

Well Dave, your vid was so good it sent me out to my shop to see what I had. It's a Miller's Falls low angle. I restored it last week but after seeing how you went about it, i'm going to go back and do a more complete job. Japaning is 100% and lever cap is Japaned too. I'm sure glad I found your channel

[@DaveCorinth]

Is it a Millers Falls 56? Those are really good planes, especially the early ones. Good luck with your tune up and thanks for watching!

[@Michael49T]

@@DaveCorinth I don't know if it is a 56. The blade has a "V" logo. Thanks Dave.

[@lawrencecurtis812]

Brilliant, very entertaining and informative video. Really enjoyed it, thank you.

[@DaveCorinth]

Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I certainly will enjoy this plane for years to come!

[@stuartansell9461]

Great video ❤ Like a hot knife through butter 😮😅

[@rogerhodges7656]

That is a good looking plane. I consider a low angle block plane like this to be an essential trim carpenter's tool kit. I prefer one with a lateral adjuster but this is a fine plane.

[@DaveCorinth]

I believe Lie-Nielsen has the low angle block plane listed as a Core plane! I believe it as well as a Jack and Smoother are a great starting point for those wishing to get into using hand planes! Thanks for watching.

[@rogerhodges7656]

@@DaveCorinth I don't believe this comment was meant for me. Lie Nielson tools are bragging rights, shelf jewelry. I am a fan of the Stanley 60 and 60 1/2.

[@philipchandler330]

Wonderful video thanks so much!!

[@DaveCorinth]

Thank you very much, and for watching!

[@FearsomeWarrior]

Have you found planes with the tab style cap like this that were better or worse than another? I never liked them and thought of them as cheap but you seem to get along fine with it. I have all the knuckle cap 18 19, 65. Oh and my long serving #7 is a wards master. When I see Stanley 7 I’ve never seen a difference or reason to change. My VCR and TV were from there as a kid. Still have the VCR.

[@DaveCorinth]

I too prefer a knuckle jointed cap, but I really like the size and low angle of the 60 & 60 1/2, lapping the leading edge of the cap helps it seat better and it performs better or at least in terms of the cap moving from side to side. Thanks for watching!

[@StealthWoodworks]

Nice cleanup with some great tips! What was the brand/model on that wire wheel again and what wheel do you keep on the other side of your grinder? Right now I’ve got a coarse stone and wire wheel that would shoot through a board if one flew out in my inherited Wilton grinder

[@DaveCorinth]

The wire wheel I use is an Osborn 604k, it’s carding wheel used by gunsmiths. Brownells.com has carding wheels similar to the one I use. As for what I keep on the other side; a buffing wheel to polish brass. I make bronze and brass screw caps for the Stanley 40 & 40 1/2 scrub planes and that’s where I polish them up. Thanks for watching!

[@shenanigansagain5273]

Cool vid! I like obscure and overlooked tools. I have a couple of the wards master smoothing planes, they both work very well after tuning. Now I must find a block plane to compliment them.

[@DaveCorinth]

The 9 1/2 version is easy to find, the 60 1/2 size seems to be a bit more elusive. Thanks for watching!

[@jeffreyjennings1640]

Nice video Dave. I recently picked up a Millers Falls no. 16 and this will be a good reference when the clean-up time comes. Completely agree with the iron stamp, a nice, deep, legible stamp that can hold up to cleaning and polishing is definitely a plus. I'm not too familiar with the wire wheels (I have a brass one), what do you use?

[@DaveCorinth]

I use a Osborne 604k wire wheel, it’s made for gunsmiths and is very fine. It being so fine can fool you though as it’s very “sticky”, and it will easily throw small parts out of your hand if you apply too much pressure! Thanks for watching!