Can Parts For Old Hand Planes Be Found?

[mickeyw3340]

Perusing through the Internet for hand planes, I see many old planes that someone is trying to sell that might have a bad cutter, or other part, and it says so in the description. Not wanting to be a collecter of things that don't work, if one found a good deal on an old Stanley plane that was missing a cutter, would one be able to buy that part somewhere?

[homer]

this guy sells beautiful replacement handles and knobs:
http://freeweb.pdq.net/mike_in_katy/...od/Default.htm

[Fried Elliott]

Hi Mickey ---

In addition to the tons of used Stanley planes on eBay, there are tons of Stanley plane parts. So many in fact, I suspect some of the sellers are taking planes apart and selling them one piece at a time so they will get more $ for them.

Given the range and volume of planes on eBay, I wouldn't bother with an incomplete plane, unless of course, you like fixing 'em up.

[Tom S]

In addition to ebay, Highland Hardware and Garrett Wade are good sources for parts. HH sells every replacement part you could need for the Stanley bench planes, as well as several brands of replacement iron (the cutter), Garrett Wade doesn't sell the individual parts like HH but they also carry Hock and Clifton plane irons. Both of thes mail order companies will send you a free catalog or you can buy right off their websites, www.garrettwade.com and www.highland hardware.com, respectively. I've never bought anything from Garrett Wade, but their prices are for the most part the same as Highland Hardware's.

Tom S