The Stanley No. 604 C Type 5 is a highly collectible, premium vintage Bedrock series smooth plane manufactured by Stanley Works around 1911. The “604” designates a smoothing plane equivalent in size to a standard No. 4 Bailey plane (9 inches long with a 2-inch wide blade), while the “C” stands for a corrugated sole designed to reduce surface friction against the wood.Â
Key Characteristics of a Type 5 Bedrock
The Type 5 represents a revolutionary milestone in the Bedrock lineup:Â
- Flat-Top / Square Cheeks: This is the first type where Stanley milled off the round, curved upper edges (cheeks) of the plane body, creating a distinct flat-top profile.
- Patent Dates: It features two distinct patent dates cast into the bed behind the frog: “APR-19-10” and “MAR-25-02” (or 1895 and 1910 configurations depending on production overlap).Â
- Advanced Frog Design: It features the highly sought-after triple-screw frog mechanism. This allows the user to advance or retract the frog to adjust the mouth opening size with extreme precision without removing the lever cap or cutting iron.Â
- Lever Cap Markings: The lever cap features a traditional keyhole slot and is cast with the word “BED ROCK” across the center.Â
- Wood & Components: Outfitted with a premium rosewood tote and tall knob, a 1-1/4 inch brass adjuster nut, and a standard Stanley spinning-disc lateral adjustment lever.
Type 5 “flat-top” Bedrocks are arguably the most popular among both tool collectors and modern woodworkers due to their sheer mass, lack of blade chatter, and mechanical adjustability.
This plane is in remarkable condition. The japanning is 98% intact. For a plane that is approximately 115 years old there are very few insignificant minor cosmetic blemishes. One thing to point out and note is that the lever cap & blade are actually from a later type 7 plane (1923-1926). However this does not affect or diminish the planes ability or performance in any way.
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