Overview
The No. 5¼ junior jack is a narrow, lighter jack, 11½ inches long with a 1¾-inch iron. Stanley made it for manual-training and school shops where a full jack was too much plane for young hands.
Gallery
Click any photo to view it larger. Photographs courtesy of Jim Bode Tools.
Specifications & Variants
The #5¼ base size and its factory variants, with the sole length, cutter width, weight, and years of production for each.
The standard cast-iron version that the variants below are based on.
Corrugated junior jack, and the rarest plane in the entire American Bailey series (though not the most valuable).
Genuinely rare, and faked examples exist, so buy with care.
Dimensions are nominal factory figures; casting tolerances vary slightly across types.
Identifying Features
- Size marking: The 5¼ designation is usually cast into the toe of the sole.
- School-market plane: It was built for manual-training programs, so many show schoolroom wear.
Dating is shared across all sizes. Use the identification guide and the quick-reference table to pin down your plane's type.
History & Design
History
Introduced in 1921 and made into the 1980s. A pre-production example found in New Britain, with no frog screw and an older frog style, hints at an earlier test batch.
Design
It splits the difference between a smoother and a jack: long enough to flatten short stock, light enough for all-day use. The 1¾-inch iron matches the No. 3.
For Collectors
The plane itself is uncommon but affordable. The corrugated No. 5¼C is the rarest plane in the American Bailey series, and fakes exist, so buy carefully.
Market Value
Based on 15 realized sales of the #5¼. Prices range from $89 to $165, with a median of $125.
| Condition / grade | Typical range |
|---|---|
| User grade | $89 – $110 |
| Good / Fine | $110 – $125 |
| Fine & better | $125 – $165 |
Uncommon but affordable as a user; the corrugated version is the real rarity.
These are past sale prices gathered from Jim Bode Tools, not a current appraisal. What any given plane is worth depends mostly on its condition and type.
Sources & Credits
Patrick's Blood & Gore
Primary reference for plane history, dimensions, and collector notes.
supertool.com/StanleyBG