ReferenceStanley No. 5 specification
Specification plate
- Kind
- Jack plane
- Length
- 14 in.
- Iron width
- 2 in.
- Weight
- 4¾ lb
- Catalogued
- 1869–1984
- Corrugated (C)
- 5C, 1898–1970.
- Half sizes
- No. 5¼ “junior jack” for manual training schools: 11½ in., 1¾ in. iron, 1921–83 (the 5¼C, 1921–42, is the scarcest plane in the US Bailey series; fakes exist). No. 5½: 15 in., 2¼ in. iron (2⅜ in. from 1939), 6¾ lb, 1898–1958.
- Bed Rock version
- 605 (1898–1942), probably the most common Bed Rock; 605C (1898–1935); 605¼ (1925–43), one of the scarcest Bed Rocks, never corrugated; 605½ and 605½C (1898–1935).
Sizes, weights and catalogue years from Patrick Leach’s Blood & Gore.
UseWhat the No. 5 is for
The all-rounder: Leach calls it “the most useful of all the bench planes”, often with the iron ground slightly convex for removing stock. Wood Review suggests a No. 5 and a block plane as a beginner’s first pair.
CollectingCollectors’ notes
- With the No. 4, Leach says the No. 5 is what made Stanley a fortune.
- One of the two most common antique Stanley planes (Highland Woodworking).
DatingHow old is my Stanley No. 5?
Date it with the collectors’ type study: patent dates behind the frog, the lateral lever, the lever-cap logo and hole, the knob and the iron logo narrow it to a range of years. The study was written around the No. 4; other sizes follow it with minor differences. A Bed Rock 605 or an English-made plane needs other references.
Before you buyWhat to check on a used No. 5
In-person checks
ValueWhat is a Stanley No. 5 worth?
No source we trust publishes a figure. Very common, so a sound, flat, complete example is what buyers pay for.
QuestionsFrequently asked questions
How long is a Stanley No. 5 plane?
14 in., with a 2 in. iron, weighing about 4¾ lb (Leach).
When was the Stanley No. 5 made?
Stanley catalogued it from 1869 to 1984. To date your plane, use the type finder.
Is there a corrugated No. 5C?
5C, 1898–1970.
Is there a Bed Rock version of the No. 5?
605 (1898–1942), probably the most common Bed Rock; 605C (1898–1935); 605¼ (1925–43), one of the scarcest Bed Rocks, never corrugated; 605½ and 605½C (1898–1935).
ReferencesSources
Patrick Leach asks that Blood & Gore be credited by name. Where sources disagree we show both. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan1.htm
- www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan15.htm
- info.highlandwoodworking.com/handtools/hand-plane-basics.html
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_plane
- popularwoodworking.com/article/introduction_to_handplanes3
- woodreview.com.au/reviews/handplanes-by-numbers
Last reviewed October 2026