B elow will be many pictures of planes I've restored. I will be the first to admit my skills as a restorer is limited. I do what feel is right. What feels right for you will be different. Many ways to skin a cat, mine were just a means to an end. Stanley No.5 Type13 cleaned by a 1 hour dip in an electrolysis tank. Generally, my restoration philosophy (huh?)is to bring the plane back in time, without doing any thing irreversible. Where possible, the factory finish is retained. This includes the original Japaning and the factory mill/grind marks. For this reason, I hardly use sandpaper, except to sand off flaking varnish from the wooden totes and knobs. Type 13 "sweetheart" #5, before restoration. Perhaps cleaning would be a better word. A 100 year-old plane has taken a beating, suffered the ravages of time. Rust, chipping, flaking, pitting, dents, scratches, insect bites, put away wet,forgotten, neglected, left in the
Kitchen top tinkering, Ramblings, shaky pictures, old discoveries, and things you are too afraid to ask.