ReferenceStanley No. 6 specification
Specification plate
- Kind
- Fore plane
- Length
- 18 in.
- Iron width
- 2⅜ in.
- Weight
- 7¾ lb
- Catalogued
- 1869–1970
- Corrugated (C)
- 6C, 1898–1970.
- Half sizes
- None
- Bed Rock version
- 606 (1898–1941); 606C (1898–1934).
Sizes, weights and catalogue years from Patrick Leach’s Blood & Gore.
UseWhat the No. 6 is for
Stanley advertised it as “simply a short jointer”. Opinions split: Leach has never found the size useful, while Wood Review’s writer calls the No. 6 his favourite.
CollectingCollectors’ notes
- Leach says it is “definitely not as numerous” as other sizes.
DatingHow old is my Stanley No. 6?
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 606 or an English-made plane needs other references.
Before you buyWhat to check on a used No. 6
In-person checks
ValueWhat is a Stanley No. 6 worth?
No source we trust publishes a figure.
QuestionsFrequently asked questions
How long is a Stanley No. 6 plane?
18 in., with a 2⅜ in. iron, weighing about 7¾ lb (Leach).
When was the Stanley No. 6 made?
Stanley catalogued it from 1869 to 1970. To date your plane, use the type finder.
Is there a corrugated No. 6C?
6C, 1898–1970.
Is there a Bed Rock version of the No. 6?
606 (1898–1941); 606C (1898–1934).
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
- woodreview.com.au/reviews/handplanes-by-numbers
- info.highlandwoodworking.com/handtools/hand-plane-basics.html
Last reviewed October 2026