Stanley No. 3

Maker	Stanley Rule & Level Co.
Model	No. 3 (Bailey pattern)
Type	Bench plane — smoothing plane
Material	Cast iron, rosewood (tote, knob), brass
Sole length	205 mm (8")
Iron width	45 mm (1¾")
Production period	1869–1984 (traditional production)
In collection	2 purchases (2023–2024)

The Stanley No. 3 is the smallest of the working smoothing planes in the Bailey line.

Shorter and lighter than the No. 4 — precisely because sometimes shorter means more precise. On small surfaces, in corners and on finer-grained wood, the No. 3 can do what a larger plane would pass over.

Character

The No. 3 has a reputation as a plane that works with pressure rather than weight.

An iron width of 45 mm means less wood on each pass, but also less resistance. On hard stock where a No. 4 might struggle slightly, the No. 3 cuts clean. It is a matter of situation, not hierarchy.

In collector circles the No. 3 is less common than the No. 4 — it sold in smaller numbers. Complete examples in good condition are therefore relatively rarer.

Type Study (Bailey Type Study)

The Stanley No. 3 shares approximately twenty design iterations with the other Bailey bench planes. Dating uses the same features as the No. 4:

Era	Types	Years	Key features
Early Stanley	2–4	1869–1884	No Y-lever adjustment, patent dates cast in, rosewood handles
Transitional	5–7	1885–1899	Frog design evolves, patent dates, brass depth adjustment nut
Classic	8–10	1899–1909	Y-lever depth adjustment introduced, Eccentric Lever Cap, settled design
Sweetheart	11–14	1910–1930	Heart logo (SW) on irons, peak casting quality and fit
Depression / WWII	15–17	1931–1945	Material savings, less grinding, wartime production without chrome
Post-war	18–20	1946–1967	Plastic components appear, thinner castings, quality declines

The most sought-after types are the same as for the No. 4 — 11–13 (Sweetheart era). For the No. 3 an additional consideration applies: original wooden parts are important, as the tote and knob are more likely to have been lost or replaced.

What to look for when buying

Flat sole — a shorter sole can warp just as easily as a longer one; check carefully
Intact frog — cracks disqualify
Original wood (tote, knob) — No. 3 parts are a different size than No. 4, not interchangeable
Types 11–13: look for SW logo on irons
Watch for corrected soles — someone may have milled the sole to hide damage

Source and references

Historical production type data from the Bailey Type Study (Patrick Leach). Standard reference for dating all Stanley Bailey bench planes.