Stanley, founded in 1843 in its headquarters town of New Britain, Conn., says it is using the recession to hopefully expand its market share globally. “We are choosing to take share...get aggressive and grow,” says Beau Parker, vice president of marketing for the newly combined unit. Much of that growth is expected to be overseas. In 2003, 67% of Stanley’s tool sales were in the U.S.; in 2008, that share had fallen to 40%. The combination of the two units will double the construction sales force, since each previously had separate teams that were not coordinated.

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The No. 4 smoothing bench plane includes a patented lateral locking adjustment that helps users make a heavier cut on one side, and there is a firm lockdown to ensure the blade does not shift in use.

The effort also involves the rejuvenation of the Stanley brand by reinventing and delivering some core products. These include a new line of five premium planes under the “Sweetheart” brand, which the company first introduced in 1915. The No. 4 smoothing bench plane includes a patented lateral locking adjustment that helps users make a heavier cut on one side, and there is a firm lockdown to ensure the blade does not shift in use. The retail price is about $179. Also available is the No. 62 low-angle jack plane with a Norris-style adjustment mechanism and cherry handles ($179), No. 60½ low-angle block plane ($99.99), No. 9½ Block plane ($99.99) and No. 92 shoulder/chisel plane ($149).

One might expect there would not be anything to patent on hammers, the oldest hand tool, but Stanley has four new patents on its new lines of hammers, say officials. “We put a minefield around this hammer so it can’t be copied in the field,” says Chris Wooley, leader of Stanley’s assembly and demolition unit.

Model 51-505 (a 16-oz. curved-claw, $14.99) and model 51-508 (a 20-oz. rip-claw, $17.99) feature a 70% larger strike face, which increases the “sweet spot” for better user performance. The hammers also have a dual-tempered head rim to reduce chipping and spalling. Other models of hammers and hand tools will be introduced in the fall.

Innovating on another ancient tool, Stanley also has introduced the world’s first line of lighted box-beam levels, designed to help eliminate errors in poorly lighted work areas. The vials and utile surface light up and can even illuminate the work area with patent-pending LED technology. Users can activate the lights with a recessed switch. Three AA batteries provide up to 60 hours of illumination. The levels are available in three lengths: 16 in. (model 43-518, $19.99), 24 in. (43-527, $29.99) and 48 in. (43-552, $39.99).

On the Bostitch side, which produces pneumatic tools, compressors, fasteners and supplies, Stanley has introduced a new mini impact nailer. The PN50 nailer is 60% smaller than previous models and is designed to allow the user to operate in tight spaces to attach hurricane ties, joist hangers, strapping and other metal connectors. It drives bulk nails in a multiblow operation, holding them in a magnetic drive channel. It weighs 1 lb and retails for about $49.