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Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - Printable Version

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Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - HomerLee - 09-02-2015

Its not a lot but OK for $7. A Miller's Falls wood carving set in original box, Buck Brothers curved carving tool, a chisel marked "Robert Duke" "cast steel" and a couple block planes, a Stanley 60 1/2 parts plane, not shown (made a whole plane out of another 60 1/2 I had), and the prize, a P & C version of the 60 1/2 dated 1945. I had never heard of P&C planes; this one I'm almost certain was made by Millers Falls.

What is interesting to me is that the P & C block plane seems to be superior to my Stanley 60 1/2 which has been my favorite block plane. The P & C has a heavy casting (obvious in the second picture, P&C on the right) and if you look at the second picture you can see that the machined area where the iron rests is almost four times as large as the Stanley (on the left). Only downside is that the Hock iron in my Stanley will not fit the P & C.

I had read here that some of the Millers Falls planes were thought to be superior to their Stanley counterpart, in this case that appears to be true.

Are there many P & C planes out there? They may be more common out here in the west as P & C was located in Oregon. I'd never come across one before.







Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - Gregory of Sherwood Forest - 09-02-2015

I wasn't aware that P&C made woodworking tools at all. I know of their mechanics tools from the early 1920's or so, but other than screwdrivers, nothing for woodworking. Is only the blade marked, or the plane body?

That machining looks similar to a MF, so you could be right on that score.


Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - blackhat - 09-02-2015

Might not seem like a lot but I calculate that out at about 6 points above the " You Suck " line. Nice haul.


Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - C. in Indy - 09-03-2015

I just this week obtained a "P & C" block plane exactly like you show. It actually came in the mail from Alaska in a lot of things I purchased.

I've also seen a "Proto" brand 60-1/2 style plane that sure looked like a Millers Falls 56B.

Yes, too bad the Hock blade won't work with the round-stub frog/adjuster. Nice plane!


Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - GNP - 09-03-2015

I have a Millers Falls 56 that won't win any beauty contest, and I reach for it over my LV. Never saw a P&C. Oh and 7 bucks, nice score.


Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - Admiral - 09-03-2015

Looks like a MF to me as well. They always went a bit heavier in their castings, likely on purpose to differentiate from Stanley. Some early Craftsman blocks look like MF to me as well, but Sears always changed some small design aspect in their specs.

Goes to show you that Stanley isn't the only game in town.


Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - HomerLee - 09-03-2015

Gregory wrote:
"I wasn't aware that P&C made woodworking tools at all. I know of their mechanics tools from the early 1920's or so, but other than screwdrivers, nothing for woodworking. Is only the blade marked, or the plane body?"

On the side where Stanley stamped 60 1/2 the plane has P&C in the elongated hex stamp, "R" in a circle, and the date 1945. Blade is unmarked.

C in Indy wrote:
"I've also seen a "Proto" brand 60-1/2 style plane that sure looked like a Millers Falls 56B."

"Yes, too bad the Hock blade won't work with the round-stub frog/adjuster."

Interestingly P&C became part of Proto. See the link below on the history of P&C which became General Tool. I discovered that P&C was once located in Lebanon, OR, only 15 miles from where we live.

I just noticed the P&C iron seemed heavier than the Stanley so I measured. The P&C is .088", the Hock .094", and the Stanley .078". So Millers Falls apparently comes out ahead again.

The iron has plenty life left so should be good to go after the horse butt and green compound.

https://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/peterson-carlborg.html


Re: Rust Hunting and a "Bedrock" 60 1/2 - Bill_Houghton - 09-03-2015

Sweetheart era Stanley 60 and 60-1/2 and 65 planes bed their irons similarly: the bedding surface runs up and around the lever cap screw. I haven't seen many 60s in the period after Sweetheart and before WWII, but other Stanley block planes of that vintage (even lowly 220s) have far wider bedding surfaces than the 60 you show.

$7 for that haul? That's where that strong breeze has been coming from! It's the air rushing in to fill the vacuum you created.