INTRODUCTION AND
OVERVIEW
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Tabulation
These types of chisels are not covered by John Walter in his "Antique & Collectible Stanley Tools: Guide to Identity & Value" (Second Edition 1996). However, large quantities were manufactured and used during this period. They were of good quality and were renowned for their ruggedness and durability.
Why the 1936-1958 time frame for this study? Well, I used Stanley plastic handled chisels during the late 1940s and my primary research resources consisted of 1936, 1939, 1941, 1948, 1949, 1950 Stanley Tools #34 catalogs and 1950, 1954, 1956, 1958 Stanley Store catalogs.
TYPE DESCRIPTIONS AND GENERAL INFORMATION
No. R40 Heavy Duty Pocket Chisel (4½" long
blade)
This, along with the similar No. R50 Heavy Duty Butt Chisel and and R55 Glazier Chisel, were essentially No. 40, No. 50 and No. 55 "Everlasting" chisels with black rubber composition handles. The "R" prefix was an early 1930s designation -- it was dropped in 1949. These were very rugged, good quality chisels that could withstand a great deal of heavy use and abuse.
The above example chisel is stamped on on one side of the handle with the famous STANLEY within an Orange cartouche -- similar to that used on Bailey bench planes of this period. MADE IN USA was stamped on the opposite side of the handle and a plain Stanley cartouche logo was stamped on the top of the blade.
No. 60 Tang Butt Chisel (3" long
blade)
This, along with the similar No. 61 paring chisel, was introduced in the early 1930s pretty much concurrent with the introduction of the No. R40, R50 and R55 series chisels. What made these chisels distinctive was the use of "Stanloid" -- Stanley's much touted plastic -- for the handles. These were rugged, good quality chisels that held up well under heavy use.
The above example chisel is stamped STANLEY No. 60 on the steel tang -- this may be an early stamping inasmuch as later production chisels were stamped on the plastic sleeve. The heavy duty steel butt cap on the No. 60 chisel was a carry over from the "Everlasting" series of chisels.
Following is a tabulation of data that I have extracted from my Stanley catalogs that I hope will be of use to those interested in these chisels. I have paraphrased the Stanley descriptions in the interest of brevity and clarity. This is in no way a definitive study -- it ends at 1958 and I do not plan to take it further -- I hope others can carry it beyond that year.
