How to Use and Sharpen a Stanley 80 or 81 Scraping Plane 

This video is invaluable. I have a No. 80 coming from ebay and this video gives me everything I need to know to get it set up. THANK YOU!

Sad story, my father recently passed away and the Stanley 80 was at the bottom of his toolbox. No Instructions although I do know how to use spokeshaves. I too sharpened it and tried to use it to no avail. This video sorted out every question i could possibly ask. Well done and I'm glad I came across this website. Used it and it does just what is says on the can. Many thanks.

I don't even know where mine came from, probably in a tool box I got at a yard sale or something. I'm a carpenter so of course it intrigued me but I had no clue what it actually was or how to set it up but I tried and didnt quite hit the mark. This was the first video I found on it and the only one I needed to get my #80 set up and working perfectly, so perfectly I took about a ¼in out of a scrap piece of 1x4 after watching this, it seriously is satisfying and a little bit addicting!!!! Thank you very much, you helped me add another very useful tool to my arsenal!!!

James: Watched this like 5 times today. Per our other discussion I used the kitchen knife honing tool to roll a burr onto the blade. It was AWESOME! Got the burr and super sweet shavings. Thanks again!

Thanks for demonstrating the direction to place the blade. I have a #80 (and no experience using one) and have been driving myself nuts trying to figure out the direction to place the blade. Greatly appreciated!

Sir, you have a great voice for audio books. I never thought listening to someone talk about scraping planes & card scrapers could be so oddly relaxing. If I watch 300 more videos I might even become a woodworker :)

Well, I’m glad I watched this. I was using mine backwards! No wonder it cut so poorly... lol

Thanks. I have had mine for years. Not many people know what it is. Good demonstration.

Thanks explained so succinctly. now I can use mine

James: After about 10 hours of trying to correct all the problems with my new 80, I have gotten it to a point where it works. Not well, but it is a start. The original owner of this Scraping Plane took a file to the back edge of the steel blade. He did not file it straight either. So, I had to use sandpaper and my diamond plates to flatten the back. Then, I had to reprofile the bevel to 45 degrees. This steel blade is really, really hard. I got it to something that resembles a good proflie so I could roll the edge and try it. It does scrape. Not like yours. Yet. Really rough and choppy. I still have a ton of work on the sole to flatten it out and still working on the blade. I even ordered wider diamond plates to work on this. (I will have them forever) Thank you for your explanation and information. You helped immensely with trying to restore this old scraper.

A friend just gave me one of these today. I did not know what to do with it until I watch you set it up and work with it. (he gave me a no. 12 also) Can't wait to clean it up and sharpen the blade. Thanks James.

Once again the Wright Archive saves the day. Just got a no. 80 handed down from my dad. While being a tool geek, he's more into metalworking and construction. So he had this in the back of a cupboard. Looking forward to putting it to good use

Thanks for helping me to become a better woodworker.

thanks; really enjoyed your video; have just obtained a vintage 80 and a 12 and will restore them to use.

Excellent vid and explanation!

I got an old record 80 and after messing with that for what seemed like an age, I've just watched this and realised I've been using the bugger backwards! Many thanks for some great info. (There were times I threatened to drop kick it up the garden!)

Thanks James, I just got a Stanley 81 off E Bay in good shape and ordered a Hock blade for it. Will be refurbishing it. This video answered so many questions that I signed up on your Patreon Account. Keep it up. You have the best You Tube Channel out there for working with handtools. If you lived closed I would love to hang out with you.

Thanks for the great explanation. I was given a box of planes by my father in law and didn't know how to use my no. 80. Looking forward to using it now.

So helpful. Just picked one up, was baffled initially by the bevel, thought i'd check whether you had a video explaining it........mystery solved!! All set to go 👍

Great video, just ordered a used Stanley #80 for 20 bucks. Seems like a really useful tool for difficult grains.

Very good review. I have just been given an 80 by my neighbour!

I have an Axminster 80, who are a mid range company here in the U.K. It has a shorter and thicker blade but after flattening it runs like a dream and is really easy for a newbie to use. It took some flattening though, about 30 minutes but because I get so breathless it does take me longer. I’m never too sure how long is acceptable for a new tool but I think it’s worth doing properly. I had to buy new as I couldn’t afford used, really tatty second hand Stanleys seem to be going for a fortune here in the U.K. That is if you can find one anywhere else but eBay which is a massive rip off for S/H tools, everyone seems to think their pile of rust and holes is worth a fortune. My next tool is going to be a brace and bits I don’t mind new bits but I don’t want a new brace with plastic handles so I’m going to have to hold out until I see one at the right price and condition. Another excellent and useful video, thank you James.

Thanks for this video. Its my goto reference for a quick reminder on dealing with my No. 80.

Perfect video, thank you, it answered all the questions I had and more 👍🏻😊

Thanks man! Appreciate your info.

Thanks much for this! Just today I found a Stanley 81 in an old toolbox that belonged to my grandfather and was wondering how it was used. Grandfather was a farmer and carpenter in the first half of the last century and built everything from barns to a chassis-mounted motor home. Guess I need to find a project for it.

Thank you! I just acquired a Stanley 80M and this was very helpful.

Great video James , looks really easy to use , couldn't believe how fast that thing took the finish off!!.. Amazing!! Now I'm going to try and find one . Looking forward to the next video , keep up the good work. Trev

Excellent video and process. You saved my project. Thanks for sharing.

good video, thanks! i have a smaller stanley scraper that ill have to get back into working shape, but im now thinking about getting an 80 too!

I have one and I love it. Mine is a Marke Kunz No 80

This looks like an amazingly satisfying tool to use. I'll have to keep a look out for one.

Thanks!

Hey James, great review and demo. That blade is doing a great job for you, as it did for me. Enjoy.

Great, instructive video! Could you tell me where you got your sharpening stones? Thank you!

Excellent tutorial! Thanks! Except for the Packers shirt. SKOL!

Got it. Thanks, James.

Very clear, and so easy to adjust! You was answering all my questions in real time. Wat to say now ? good done and thank you James.

Great tip. I have two that are in need of a tune up, this will help! Thanks!

Very cool scraper! I need one of these! Thanks for some great info James!

I just cleaned it up and applied a burr, this thing is amazing!

Great video... i would add : use a vise when burnishing...imo

I have struggled with the #80. I will give it another try as I have abig stack of figured walnut that is very diffucult to handplane.

I just bought a Kunz #80, looks brand new, there are machining marks in the sole, should I fettle it like I would a plane? The Kunz Christmas green paint takes some getting used to.

I came across your video about a week ago. I found a Stanley 80 in amongst old tools in a forgotten chest. Your video got me motivated in using it as a go to tool now. My question..... The blade has got a curve to it. About a 1mm to both ends. Is this just from age of sharpning/usage or must it be straigh ? I've sharpened/burred it as is and works fine. But would a straight edge be better? Seeing that as you tighten the "bend" screw it flexes convex to the surface you are working. Thanks.

Can it be used on the pull stroke with equal results? Also, aren't cabinet/ card scrapers to be used only on hardwoods?

Great video, very useful! I just picked up a No 80 that the previous owner had ground a fairly significant camber onto one side of the blade (including a 45 deg bevel following the camber). Sort of like a "scrub" scraper. It would be easy enough to remove, but I am wondering if there is a reason why someone might do that and if it would be useful to leave it that way.

i have watched your video so many times and sharpened my no 80 accordingly. but i always get heavy vibrations and chatter as i use it. any ideas as to what im doing wrong? thanks in advance looking foward to your insight .

A convenient tool. Good video. Like!

I have two Stanley number 80 scrapers however one of them has four holes one in each corner coming down through the sole and a much wider throat. I was wondering if anyone knows about these differences and how to utilize the different one.

I know that this is an older video, but i just learned why my #80 wouldn't work.... I was using it backwards.... Just got in to this "hobby" if you cant tell lol

When I was looking for new ideas for doing my floor I came across an article about this. It looked really interesting because it saves your thumbs and because the article made it sound like you were actually turning the edge rather than just making a burr. I wondered, and still do, if that makes the edge last longer than on a card scraper. Have any thoughts on how long this stays sharp as opposed to a card scraper? If so I may bite the bullet and get one since I have a couple other projects coming up it may be useful for.

Are you using a knife steel as a burnisher?

I think I want to get a scraping plane now... Cheers...

Could I use this on 100 year old hardwood to remove paint and glue?

I am restoring a sweetheart era 12 1/2. it doesn't have a iron/card. what could I use and how thick does it need to be? thanks

Would this work with wood that has multiple layers of paint on it as an alternative to chemical stripping?

I just picked up an old Stanley 80, and I noticed that the iron had one flat edge and one cambered edge, whereas you have two flat edges here? Is there any purpose to keeping one side of the iron cambered, similar to a scrub plane, or should I flatten that back out?

nice video James. I was wondering what is the difference between a burnisher and a steel and can i use my steel as a burnisher

thanks for sharing! what are your sharpening stones? where can i buy some? thanks

As a cabinet maker in England, I always heard these being called Dodgers, great for getting old polish off of old tables etc. This was about 50 years ago.

Nice, thx, I think I need one now...lol

Hi rob. I've got a problem. I have a lot of highly figured African rosewood. It's very dense and dulls my plane in 7 passes. It is so hard it puts chips in the iron very quickly. My problem is that it is so figured that I will get tear out regardless which direction I plane in. It also has these beautiful swirls but it's a nightmare to use hand tools on. I really want to use it but this tear out is driving me insane. Do you think the Stanley #80 will help? Do you have any other tips?

Where did you get those sanding squares? Thank you!

where can I get one of these without going through eBay?

Question! I have an 80, is the 81 worth owning?

After almost three years, I still cannot turn an effective burr. They should make scrapers like contact lenses. Use them for a month, throw them out (recycle) and use a new one. I keep trying....

First!

I believe the difference between the 80 and the 81 is the center screw. It's my understanding the 81 doesn't have one and therefore can't adjust as well as the 80. I believe the rosewood bottoms were available between 1909 - 1942, but I don't know if they were available for the 80, the 81, or both.

Good to hear that you Americans are using that wonderful word 'bonkers'. I found this on the internet 'Its origins are unclear, but bonkers is first recorded as British naval slang for “a bit drunk” in the 1940s-perhaps acting like someone has bonked, or hit, them on the head'. Some of us Brits thought Trump was bonkers, but in the world of bonkerdom, Putin puts Trump in the shade!

Great video! Thanks!!!

I’ve been following you for a few years now and I have learned a lot from you, I just got a new meet 80 this past weekend and your video was the first one that came up in my search, the only thing I have a question about is your burnishing rod, is a steel you would use on knives or would any piece of metal work?? Thanks for doing what you do and keep up the great work!!!

Can you still just make the blade out of old saws like a card scraper? Also, what’s with the magnet on the back of your card scraper?

Awesome!

I got one of them Stanley 80s. I can barely get it to do anything. I think the blade in it is shot. It's not really flat anymore. It's is all whipped out and bowed.

Great video. But some people round the corners a bit instead of leaving it square.

hi: what do you call the metal plates that you used to sharpen the blade?

Hello James Last week I bought a cabinet scraper on second hand market; it has same design and same dimensions than #80 Stanley , but no mark of manufacturer, only the "N° 180" . Have you ever seen this kind of tool? Thank you for answer Michel (from Cognac, France)

Stephen, just purchased a Bulldog number 80. The blade appears much thicker than yours, almost a plane blade thickness. Can this be a problem? Thanks!

I picked up a vintage Stanley 80 and had only guessed at how to sharpen, mount, adjust, and use it. Now I know so I expect it will work so much better and I will use it much more often. Thanks Patrick. You da man!

Thanks so much for this video, I have a Stanley # 80 and the information in this video clarified a few mistakes I was making!

This is EXACTLY the video that I needed! Thank you! Headed out to the shop to get mine sharpened!

Where do you find the coloring of your planes?

James, do you think it would help as a burnisher wood on wood if a piece of 6mm ply was glued to the bottom. I like mine as it is to be fair.

Great suff got a second hand no80 today, scraper edge looked like a scrub plane when i got it! I went from clueless to nice wisps in 30mins with your tutorial! Thank you

Wife ( better half!) Got me this and I did not know what or how to use it. I was doing it backwards lol. This helped alot

Where did you order your Stanly scraper 80.... Most reviews on ebay say poorly made....???? Looking to order one in the next few days.....

Just purchased a number 80 from Rockler. I've seen this used and I'm hoping to do some clean work. Thanks!

Hello, does anybody know if a knife sharpening steel can be used as a burnisher? The steel has lines/small grooves running along its length. The burnishers I have seen seem to be smooth along the length. Thank you

Thanks man. 1st video on the stanley #80 scraper, no need to look further

I bought one of these some time ago but struggled with it. I'm heading out to the shed this afternoon to set it up following your excellent advice.

Thanks for taking the time to share some useful knowledge!

Great video. Are you using a knifebm sharpening steel to burnish it?

After cleaning up and fixing the missing blade on the Stanley No. 80 that I was lucky enough to assemble from scrap parts I of course posted video of the process. As I'm going through and setting up the playlist your video series popped up on my feed. You have done an excellent job of explaining something that took me a while to get the hang of. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you, great video. I am getting one soon.

Wonder if you have a 80 chatter when using it on white oak ? My blade is made from a thin kerf circle saw blade. I cannot have the bend adjust screw touch the blade- it must be loose but still chatters. Thanks, Jim

Hey, how well does the No. 80 work on end grain?

What would you suggest using on a Boos butcher block when I want to get all the oil and grim off? It has an end grain top made of maple.

hey James, good stuff. I was working on some tuning/restoring tonight, and one of the tools was a No 12. Would you also put a 45 deg on that as well? I need to go back and listen for the reasoning behind that, I guess. Thanks for all the work you do!

Thank you so much for the videos. They all seem to be great so far...and I am kinda of a fussy woodworker. Can I roll the edge with a nice smooth round of mild steel or is hardened better? Wish i got back into woodworking long ago. I've forgotten more than I now know. Spent a year and a half as a pattern maker for a foundry. Been in sawdust most all my life. Wish I was as fly on the wall in your shop.. Thanks again!!