Record refined-plane handles side by side
…after reshaping, staining and protective coats and a couple of hours serious clean up and degrunging.
How can it be that a plane functions so much more responsively when it’s clean, refined and lovely to look at? It’s the same with Stanley planes that were made up until the 70’s, when they still had wooden handles or you retrofit more recent ones with wooden replacements. The wood absorbs vibration perhaps as much as thick irons do at least and have as much to do with dampening plane chatter as thick iron retrofits do. How many of you know that 98% of so-called chatter is not chatter at all?
I like the pre-chrome lever caps of old too, really. Something about the dulled metal appeals to me. But I don’t object to the glitzy chrome. Bit like shimmering bumpers on older style cars I suppose. My newly restored Record plane and any of my comments here or past in no way endorses modern Record Marples or Irwin models. You have to restore the new ones as much as older ones. I like the lever caps rather than the screw threaded bolts Record now uses.
I will probably run this Record alongside my old Stanley for a season to see if I like it over a longer trial period. I recommend Lie Nielsen planes, Veritas planes, Clifton planes but there is no doubt that they are expensive, especially as starter planes. Come on one of my tool restoration courses to find out how to fine fettle any bench plane.
This plane, the Record refined