Mixing and matching

[p111dom]

All my hand planes are old Record's pre 80's or older. I find then all adequate but do find myself lately hankering after some high quiality hand tools. I'm looking at some Ashley Iles chisels after reading the thread on here but I can't afford LN priced for hand planes. However I can afford the blades. My question is can I fit or modify my Records to take LN or another higher quality blade? Would I also need a new cap iron? Is there any advantage/dissadvantage or is it all apples and oranges?

 

[woodbloke]

All my hand planes are old Record's pre 80's or older. I find then all adequate but do find myself lately hankering after some high quiality hand tools. I'm looking at some Ashley Iles chisels after reading the thread on here but I can't afford LN priced for hand planes. However I can afford the blades. My question is can I fit or modify my Records to take LN or another higher quality blade? Would I also need a new cap iron? Is there any advantage/dissadvantage or is it all apples and oranges?

Some LN blades won't fit into Record or Stanley planes (as I found to my cost) 'cos the slot is in the wrong place. If you want a better blade have a look at the CHT site where there are some excellent Hock blades in either A2 or high carbon steel - Rob

 

[Chris Knight]

You will likely need to file the mouth of the plane to take a thicker blade. It's not difficult, you just need to be careful to keep it straight and go slowly so as not to "overshoot". I put a Cliton Victor blade in an old Record and it was a considerable improvement.

 

[PAC1]

You can get replacement blades to fit from either Hock, Clifton or I understand specially made LN blades. Whichever you go for I would say replace the chip breaker as well

 

[Paul Chapman]

In addition to the Clifton blades, their two-piece cap irons also improve matters. The fixed part is flat and screws to the blade, in effect stiffening it and the detatchable part doesn't bend the blade in the way a normal cap iron does. All in all, makes for a far more rigid set up

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

In addition to the Clifton blades, their two-piece cap irons also improve matters. The fixed part is flat and screws to the blade, in effect stiffening it and the detatchable part doesn't bend the blade in the way a normal cap iron does. All in all, makes for a far more rigid set up

Cheers :wink:

Paul

...except that the front bit always falls off Paul :evil: (or at least is does for me) unless it's fixed in place with a dab of silicone - Rob

 

[Chris Knight]

Rob,

It's meant to come off so that you can sharpen the blade without removing the rest of the cap iron and spoiling the setup - or did you mean it comes off in use somehow?

 

[woodbloke]

Rob,

It's meant to come off so that you can sharpen the blade without removing the rest of the cap iron and spoiling the setup - or did you mean it comes off in use somehow?

Hi Chris - I take off the front bit to hone the blade (if it hasn't already fallen off :x already) but then when I do Mr C's famed 'ruler trick' the rest of the thing fouls the side of the DMT (iIrc) so I usually end up taking off the whole assembly, which rather defeats the object of a removable front section...and no, the front bit's never fallen off in use :lol: :lol: I just find these two part cap irons more of a fiddle than they're worth and I would far rather take it off completely to hone the iron - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

I, in fact, always remove the whole of the cap iron for honing. I see the main benefits of the Clifton cap iron as its extra thickness (it's about the same thickness as their blades) and the fact that it lays flat on the blade - it provides a tremendous increase in rigidity.

All my bench planes have Clifton cap irons and so I am used to holding a finger on the end piece when I remove the blade assembly - the end piece falling off is often quoted as a big problem but it's not. The end piece engages with a slot and a pin, so it doesn't fall off unless you're careless.

I like 'em anyway

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Peter T]

Most of my planes are old Records I've got from e bay.

I have a no. 4 and a no. 5 1/2 fitted with Ray Iles replacement irons, which are 3mm thick.

They drop in with no mods necessary, although the mouth on the 4 is very tight.

 

[bugbear]

All my hand planes are old Record's pre 80's or older. I find then all adequate but do find myself lately hankering after some high quiality hand tools. I'm looking at some Ashley Iles chisels after reading the thread on here but I can't afford LN priced for hand planes. However I can afford the blades. My question is can I fit or modify my Records to take LN or another higher quality blade? Would I also need a new cap iron? Is there any advantage/dissadvantage or is it all apples and oranges?

If you get the Ray Iles or Smooth Cut/Samurai blades, they'll fit nicely and are a good deal cheaper than the other after market blades. Despite this, I've not really heard a word against their quality.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Japa ... -22303.htm

http://www.classichandtools.com/acatalo ... des_1.html

BugBear