The Stanley No. 113 Circular Plane was used for planing convex or concave surfaces. It was one of three models Stanley had for circular planes. The other popular models were the ones known as the Victor design first produced by the Leonard Bailey company: The No. 20 Victor Circular Plane and the 20 1/2 Victor Circular Plane.
The Stanley No. 113 Circular Plane is characterized by the thin steel sole that can be made to follow a convex or a concave surface depending on how the plane is set. The sole is attached to the main casting by rivets or screws at the front and the back. This is an interesting looking plane, especially as it relates to the large round knob on the front of the plane that is used to adjust the flexible steel sole for a convex or concave surface.
The knob on my plane is a casting that is nickel plated with the embossed words Stanley Rule & Level Co. in a circular design around the knob. I’ve seen other nickel plated knobs that did not have the embossed word, but a Victorian design in stead. On other 113 planes, those that have a japanned lever cap, the knob is also japanned in stead of nickel plated.
There are front and rear pivoting arms that connect the casting to the flexible sole. On the left side of the casting is are gears that allow the front and rear arms to be adjusted simultaneously as the adjustment knob is turned.
This 113 plane is a later model that has the typical lever cap that holds the plane iron and cap iron in place and a lateral adjusting lever. Earlier models did not have these features. The main casting is japanned with the No. 113 cast into the casting near the front of the plane beneath the nickel plated adjustment knob.
Dimensions: The flexible sole on this plane measures 2 1/4″ wide at it widest point and 10 1/4″ long. The plane iron is 1 3/4″ wide. See the photos below for details.
