Stanley · No. 55 · 1897–1962
Stanley advertised the No. 55 as a planing mill in itself. Justus Traut and Edmund Schade designed it, it came out in 1897 and it stayed in the catalog until 1962. It works like the No. 45 but adds a sliding section that moves up and down and an adjustable auxiliary bottom, so it can carry cutters with uneven profiles like ogees. Both fences tilt to 45° for molded chamfers. Patrick Leach lists it at 15¼ pounds, and after buying one, using it and selling it, he calls it a temperamental monster. The name isn't a cutter count. It shipped with 52 cutters, usually in four wooden boxes, and only reached 55 standard cutters in 1925. Stanley also sold 41 optional cutters and made custom ones to order, so sets in the wild vary a lot.
Identify and date it
The No. 45 shares many parts but lacks the adjustable bottom, so it can't run some No. 55 profiles. Stanley stamped each cutter's part number near the heel, which lets you check a set against Stanley's list. A screw below the tote that fits a hole in the sliding section dates a plane to the WWI era through the Sweetheart era.
If you’ll use it
Leach thinks it suits a short run of molding at most. For a profile you'll cut again and again, he'd rather have a dedicated wooden molding plane.
If you’ll collect it
Complete sets in their original wooden boxes are what collectors want. Leach says a set of the optional cutters is worth more than the plane and its standard cutters.
Rusted rods make the fences bind, and seized parts can snap when forced. The L-shaped angle iron that holds the center bottom (part No. 42) often breaks from being knocked on the end of the board, and fence castings and their rosewood faces get broken or repaired.
Buying guide
For a working No. 55, buy a full set of cutters, and a plane titled with 52 cutters asks about $526 delivered, low in the $500–850 band where most of the about 31 listed sit. Stanley shipped 52 cutters, usually in four wooden boxes, and 55 from 1925, and it stamped each cutter's part number near the heel, so count them in the photos against Stanley's list. Planes with no cutters named run from about $36 at auction to $262, so ask what comes with them. Check for rust on the rods, a whole L-shaped angle iron under the center bottom, and fence castings with no cracks or repairs. Collectors want complete sets in their original wooden boxes, and a Sweetheart-era set with four boxes asks about $773.
$36.15est. delivered
The lowest current price on a No. 55, with two bids and under a day left. The title names no cutters, so treat it as a plane body and ask what's included before you bid.
VINTAGE STANLEY NO. 55 UNIVERSAL COMBINATION PLANE HAND TOOL
$525.95est. delivered
Titled with 52 cutters, the standard set before 1925, at about $526 delivered, the low end of the band for a set you can use. Ask for a photo of the cutters laid out so you can count them.
Stanley No. 55 Combination Plane with 52 Cutters Made in USA
$773.15est. delivered
A Sweetheart-era No. 55 with four boxes and 54 cutters per the title, at about $773 delivered, inside the band. Collectors want complete sets in the original wooden boxes, so ask for photos of each box and check the cutter numbers against Stanley's list.
Stanley No 55 Combination Plane SW Sweetheart 1921-35 4 Boxes 54 Cutters #SW01
$261.99est. delivered
Titled with some rust, at about $262 delivered with no bids yet, well under the band. Rusted rods make the fences bind, so ask for photos of the arms, whether every thumbscrew turns, and how many cutters come with it.
Stanley 55 Universal Combination wood plane Patented and it Has Some Rust
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$36.15est. delivered
$20.50 + $15.65 shipping
Auction · 2 bids · ends in 17h 25m
Good buy
No cutters named. Ask what's included.
Seller: bigguy9
100% positive
Used$525.95est. delivered
$499.95 + $26.00 shipping
Buy It Now$499.95
Good buy
52 cutters per the title.
Seller: mflindies
100% positive
Used$773.15est. delivered
$745.00 + $28.15 shipping
Buy It Now$745.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Good buy
Sweetheart era, four boxes, 54 cutters per the title.
Seller: maricli
100% positive
Used$261.99est. delivered
$249.99 + $12.00 shipping
Auction · no bids yet · ends in 6d 14h
Project piece
Some rust per the title. No bids yet.
Seller: comedypicker
99.5% positive
Used$222.06est. delivered
$212.50 + $9.56 shipping
Buy It Now$212.50
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
Type 1B per the title, no cutters named.
Seller: ldrunner100_0
100% positive
Used$613.06est. delivered
$599.99 + $13.07 shipping
Buy It Now$599.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
Type 1, about 1897–1905 per the title. "51/52 cutters" suggests one may be missing, so ask.
Seller: nich-768817
100% positive
Used$508.43est. delivered
$500.00 + $8.43 shipping
Auction · no bids yet · ends in 9d 9h
Check the seller
Seller has zero feedback. Too much money to risk on a new account.
Seller: tr47_87
No feedback yet
Used$3,395.00est. delivered
$3,350.00 + $45.00 shipping
Buy It Now$3,350.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Priced high
Boxed, with four boxes of special cutters. About 5.7 times the median ask.
Seller: johnbm
100% positive
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