Stanley · No. 71 · 1885–1973
Stanley's No. 71 levels the bottom of anything cut below the surface, like dadoes for shelves, stair stringers and recesses for hinges and lock strikes. Patrick Leach says patternmakers and stairbuilders loved it, and that every shop should have one. It's D-shaped with a turned wooden knob at each end, and an L-shaped cutter drops through a big opening in the sole. It came out in 1885 with straight ¼ and ½ inch cutters, and a V-shaped smoothing cutter followed in 1917. Stanley opened the throat around 1890, added a shoe to close it in the mid-1890s, an adjusting wheel on the cutter post in 1902, screw holes for a wooden sole in 1909 and a fence in 1939. The brass routers you'll see weren't made by Stanley. Leach says they're patternmakers' copies.
Identify and date it
The No. 71½ is the cheaper closed-throat version, with solid sole ahead of the cutter. Early planes are japanned with varnished maple knobs, later ones nickel plated, then fitted with black-painted knobs and finally plastic ones. A notch at the top of the cutter and an adjusting wheel on the post mean 1902 or later.
If you’ll use it
Buy one with its cutters and the clamping collar, since those are what go missing. Two small screw holes beside a larger one near the cutter show it came with the 1939 fence.
The cutter clamping collar and the cutters themselves are easy to lose, so many planes turn up without them. The fence's screw and washer are often missing too.
Buying guide
Buy a complete No. 71 with its cutters, clamping collar and depth rod, and one titled complete and working asks about $91 delivered from England, under the $100–230 band most of the about 101 listed ask. Cutters and the collar are what go missing, so count them in the photos, and skip the plane with no iron or depth stop at $114 delivered, which costs more than the complete one. An adjusting wheel on the cutter post and a notch at the top of the cutter mean 1902 or later, with fine depth control. Boxed English-made 71s ask $200–270 delivered, mostly from UK sellers with $37–59 of shipping, and closed-throat 71½ titles are on the page too, the cheaper version with solid sole ahead of the cutter.
$27.76est. delivered
The lowest current price on a No. 71, with four bids and nearly three days left. The title names no cutters, so ask what's included, and stop around $70 bid, since a complete, working one is $91 delivered.
Nice Antique Carpenters Tool Router Plane Stanley No 71 Nickel Finish 1884
$91.04est. delivered
Titled complete and working, at about $91 delivered, under the band. It ships from England and $38 of the total is shipping, so check that the cutters, collar and depth rod are all in the photos.
Stanley England No. 71 Router Plane, Complete and Working
$119.70est. delivered
Boxed and titled complete and excellent, at about $120 delivered with one bid and six days left. Boxed 71s here ask $200–270 delivered, so we'd stop around $180 bid.
Stanley No.71 Router Plane Woodworking Tool - Complete,Boxed,Excellent Condition
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$27.76est. delivered
$12.06 + $15.70 shipping
Auction · 4 bids · ends in 2d 19h
Good buy
Nickel finish. The 71 came out in 1885, so 1884 isn't the year it was made.
Seller: threeys
100% positive
Used$91.04est. delivered
$52.94 + $38.10 shipping
Buy It Now$52.94
Good buy
England-made, complete and working per the title. $38 of it is shipping.
Seller: thestowe-bay
99.5% positive
Used$119.70est. delivered
$100.00 + $19.70 shipping
Auction · 1 bid · ends in 6d 10h
Good buy
Boxed, complete and excellent per the title. One bid so far.
Seller: terrisemidriven
100% positive
Used$86.28est. delivered
$79.95 + $6.33 shipping
Buy It Now$79.95
Our take
US seller. The title names no cutters.
Seller: petes_junque
99.9% positive
Used$114.00est. delivered
$90.00 + $24.00 shipping
Buy It Now$90.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
No iron and no depth stop. Costs more than a complete one.
Seller: manningantiqueandvintagetools
100% positive
Used$135.00delivered
$135.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$135.00
Our take
Oct. 29, 1901 patent date per the title. Free shipping.
Seller: jimbo-mt
99.4% positive
Used$238.45est. delivered
$198.44 + $40.01 shipping
Buy It Now$198.44
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same title as another UK seller's boxed 71. Compare photos.
Seller: chrismanhaydon
100% positive
Used$290.95est. delivered
$275.00 + $15.95 shipping
Buy It Now$275.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
71½ closed throat, Type 5 per the title, one ½-inch cutter. About twice the median ask.
Seller: oldwalkandtalkknives
100% positive
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