Stanley No. 6

Maker	Stanley Rule & Level Co.
Model	No. 6 (Bailey pattern)
Type	Bench plane — fore plane
Material	Cast iron, rosewood (tote, knob), brass
Sole length	457 mm (18")
Iron width	60 mm (2⅜")
Production period	1869–1984 (traditional production)
In collection	2 purchases (2020–2024)

The Stanley No. 6 is a plane for intermediate work on longer surfaces.

It sits between the jack plane (No. 5) and the jointer (No. 7). Longer than the No. 5, but shorter and lighter than the No. 7. In some shops it replaces both — long enough to flatten, manageable enough for preparatory work.

Character

The No. 6 is practical without ambition. It does not excel as the No. 4 does for final smoothing, nor is it as dominant as the No. 7 for jointing. It is a shop plane — essential for some, redundant for others.

A sole of 457 mm and an iron width of 60 mm make it significantly heavier than the No. 5. Over longer work sessions fatigue comes earlier. The right choice depends on the task.

In the collection the No. 6 appears less than the No. 4 or No. 5 — fewer were sold, because many craftsmen replaced it with a different number.

Type Study (Bailey Type Study)

The Stanley No. 6 went through the same design iterations as the other Bailey bench planes:

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

For the No. 6 the corrugated bottom variant is worth noting — reduced friction and was a factory option.

What to look for when buying

Flat sole — a longer sole is more susceptible to twist; check the full length precisely
Frog without cracks — heavier planes fall harder
Corrugated bottom: grooves must be clear — clogged grooves reduce the benefit
Original wood — the No. 6 tote is a different size than the No. 5 or No. 7; mismatches are common
Iron width 60 mm — same width as No. 7 and No. 8, but iron length is shorter

Source and references

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