I recently sold a Stanley No. 5 wood plane for $25.  I had a hard time pricing it because it looks like on Ebay that they sell anywhere from $10 - $60.  Do you think I asked too little for it?  I am new to this and wanted to see if I could learn something from anyone willing to share advice.  Is the variability on Ebay likely due to the condition of the plane?

See my pictures below.

Corey,

  Condition is key, but age plays a factor also.  Some people (like myself) prefer certain vintages over others.  I prefer a type 11 plane which is the last vintage that has the low front knob (WWI era).
The fact that yours has still has a sticker makes it work more also.

  Jim

Thanks Stanley62

Do you think I priced it fair, or too low?

With a #5 there really is no logic.
Your plane looks to be about type 15 or 16 maybe?
This is after the first world war but before the second.
A very fine tool.
It looks at though you could have cleaned it spiffy good all over and made $40.
But that is at least a couple hours + of work.
   As it sits, $25 was perfectly right down the ol alley, over the plate,  in the very center of the strike zone.
Someone got a great tool.

You could have parted it out on ebay for considerably more though.
The tote on the back, with the sticker, is worth at least 25 all by itself.  Probably more.

  But this is a super weird thing about planes. Guys will actually pay more for a separate tote, than they will for a complete plane! I don't know why but its totally true.
Reproduction totes are going in the $40- range now. 
  If you'd pulled it apart and sold the blade and cap iron separate.  Just the small hardware separate and just the wood, all in separate auctions, you'd have made about 50.
The perfectly good body you would likely have to be throw away as it woudn't make 5 dollars and you'd have to pack and ship a box for that.
   
  But for the complete, easily restorable,  brilliant quality, type 16 plane? That some guy is going to use for the rest of his life?? Equal in utility to anything ever produced? 
25 is near top of the scale. 
Like I said, don't look for logic.

The world makes no sense
  yours Scott 

"Don't go for logic" is the thing to remember.  Both of my 5s were bought for me at garage sales by people who never, I mean never, paid more than a dollar at a garage sale.  Both low knobs, one is a 5C.  I paid $35 for a nice 4 low knob -- less than what I would have to pay for a new, and lesser quality plane.

You couldn't pry any of them from me with a crow bar.  But not because they have the Stanley name on them.  These are quality tools, tools that do the job.

If I were to sell an old Stanley, I wouldn't think of it as an old tool.  I'd think of it as an excellent tool that happened to be used.

Somebody got a good deal, and you got a reasonable price.  Sounds good all around.

Quote from: Branson on December 20, 2011, 07:00:10 PM
"Don't go for logic" is the thing to remember.  Both of my 5s were bought for me at garage sales by people who never, I mean never, paid more than a dollar at a garage sale.  Both low knobs, one is a 5C.  I paid $35 for a nice 4 low knob -- less than what I would have to pay for a new, and lesser quality plane.

You couldn't pry any of them from me with a crow bar.  But not because they have the Stanley name on them.  These are quality tools, tools that do the job.

If I were to sell an old Stanley, I wouldn't think of it as an old tool.  I'd think of it as an excellent tool that happened to be used.

Somebody got a good deal, and you got a reasonable price.  Sounds good all around.

Oh, the Stanley no5..... this was the first and only plane I received as a "brand new plane."  Thanks for reminding me....  my x girlfriend was worth something.... her mom came to visit us and bought me a brand new stanley no 5 from Woodcraft. ... it was a HUGE present!!!!!!  I managed to lose out on the x, but, at least I got the Stanley out of it!!!  (How many future mother in laws buy their prospective new 'daughter' a woodworking plane????)
    I'm a big fan of the no. 5 for the previous reasons...  but, it's a good plane.  I have to admit, though, I have a Record no.  6 that I really love. I would say that generally when I pick up a plane, I grab a block plane, a no.3 , a no.6, or my wooden jointer/ fore plane (which is 36 inches long).  For some reason, I think the Record no.6 has a wider body then it's counterparts. But, I could be way off base on that.
       Yesterday evening, I was ready to throw every machine and person within a ten mile radius of me out the back door!!! I told myself to calm down, ditch the power tools, and get back to the  basics.  After I stepped back from the piece of furniture I was building, took a 'time out', and re-evaluated the structure of the piece of furniture I was building/ designing,  I had a new perspective.  It's amazing that walking away from a project for a few minutes can make a difference, but, that's what helped me!
    Well, I suppose I'll stop talking/ typing now.
Cheers,
bird.

>took a 'time out', and re-evaluated the structure

That is the voice of experience -P

It took me years to develop that skill, Just walk away, do something else, stop thinking about the problem...and the next thing you know, some totally different solution pops into your head....

Another thing experience has taught me is to build jigs. I can eyeball a dimention surprisingly well, usually within 1/8th, sometimes better, but it's annoying how often that turns out not to be close enough....

I still havn't learned to test my levels tho, I went nuts the other day trying to figure why I couldn't mount a mirror straight, eventually I discovered my level was borked :(

Bird, Rusty has it right.  Whenever I'm stumped, ticked, fuming, just shy of throwing something at a wall,  I know its time to lay the tool down.  Go get a drink of water, walk all the way around the back of the shop, and come in the side door I don't hardly use.   It just does something, resets the mind, starts another gear turning, walking up to the problem from a new angle usually makes  something jump up and says YES, do it this way now.

Quote from: john k on December 21, 2011, 07:22:41 PM
Bird, Rusty has it right.  Whenever I'm stumped, ticked, fuming, just shy of throwing something at a wall,  I know its time to lay the tool down.  Go get a drink of water, walk all the way around the back of the shop, and come in the side door I don't hardly use.   It just does something, resets the mind, starts another gear turning, walking up to the problem from a new angle usually makes  something jump up and says YES, do it this way now.

Yep, you couldn't be "more right."  Walking away is so much better then staying involved in something that will end up with objects being thrown across the room!!!!!!!!!!!   Even, I, have learned that lesson! 
     It's always a joy to hear from you folks.
cheers,
bird.