Stanley · No. 51
The No. 51 is Stanley's plain raised-handle spokeshave, and it was already in the 1900 catalog under the heading Bailey's Iron Spoke Shaves. It's 10 inches long with a 2⅛-inch cutter and a flat bottom, and a cap iron held by a thumbscrew lets you set the cutter without a screwdriver. It has no adjusting screws, which is the difference from the No. 151. Stanley also made it as the No. 52 with straight handles and the No. 51R with a rounded bottom for tighter inside curves. Spokeshaves shape curves like chair legs, paddles and tool handles, and they chamfer edges. Stanley's 1937 catalog counted the 51 among its three most popular spokeshaves, and every handle came with a hole so you could hang it on the wall.
Identify and date it
The No. 151 looks similar but has two knurled adjusting screws above the cutter, and the No. 53 has a thumbscrew that opens and closes the mouth. The No. 52 is the straight-handle version of the 51. The 1937 catalog drawing shows cross-hatched grips on the 51's raised handles.
The body and handles are cast iron, and Stanley sold a malleable-iron No. 151M as practically unbreakable, which tells you the regular castings can break. Look for cracked or brazed handles and a missing cap iron or thumbscrew.
Buying guide
The No. 51 is common and cheap, with about 68 listed and most asking $40–60 delivered, and a plain US-made one asks about $29. Check the photos for the cutter, the cap iron and its thumbscrew, since one listing at $39 delivered has no blade, and zoom in where the handles meet the body for cracks or brazed repairs. Sweetheart titles ask $35–58 delivered, so you're paying a little for the logo. If you want screws to set the cutter, that's the No. 151.
$20.08est. delivered
The lowest current price on a No. 51, a Sweetheart-titled one with two bids and under a day left. Stop around $20 bid, since a plain US-made 51 is $29 delivered with Best Offer.
Vintage STANLEY No. 51 Sweetheart Spokeshave Spoke Shave Tool Fine Woodworking
$28.70est. delivered
A US-made 51 at about $29 delivered, well under the $40–60 band. The title doesn't mention the blade, so check the photos for the cutter, cap iron and thumbscrew.
Vintage STANLEY No. 51 Spoke Shave USA 10”
$47.34est. delivered
Titled clean, with its black japanning, at about $47 delivered, inside the band. Ask for a photo of the cutter's edge and of the handles where they meet the body.
Exc. Nice Clean Stanley Tools No. 51 Spoke Shave Black Japaning
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$20.08est. delivered
$12.99 + $7.09 shipping
Auction · 2 bids · ends in 13h 57m
Good buy
Sweetheart per the title. Ends within a day.
Seller: fatbackandstringbean
99.8% positive
Used$28.70est. delivered
$17.00 + $11.70 shipping
Buy It Now$17.00
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Good buy
10-inch, US-made. Blade not mentioned.
Seller: pickerspalace-com
100% positive
Used$47.34est. delivered
$32.49 + $14.85 shipping
Buy It Now$32.49
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Good buy
Clean, black japanning per the title.
Seller: winchester54
100% positive
Used$38.51est. delivered
$28.99 + $9.52 shipping
Buy It Now$28.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
No blade. Costs about what a complete one does.
Seller: thingsgottago
100% positive
Used$43.13est. delivered
$35.00 + $8.13 shipping
Buy It Now$35.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
Red handles, with blade, per the title.
Seller: grcele91
99.7% positive
Used$43.85est. delivered
$29.00 + $14.85 shipping
Buy It Now$29.00
Our take
Flat sole, US-made per the title.
Seller: supersport496
100% positive
Used$35.23est. delivered
$26.24 + $8.99 shipping
Buy It Now$26.24
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Check the seller
Same title as another seller's 51. Compare photos.
Seller: 603-vintage-north
99.8% positive
Used$73.50est. delivered
$60.00 + $13.50 shipping
Buy It Now$60.00
Check the seller
Feedback is 93.5%. Top ask here, with nothing to explain it.
Seller: oldetoolsandmore
93.5% positive
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