Record Rosewood Handles?

[JohnPW]

Does this Record No 4 1/2 have rosewood handles?

The handle does have the dark stripes but the knob doesn't seem to and it's also darker overall.

The knob looks like the ones on my later Record planes (1970s).

 

[G S Haydon]

John I will tentatively say yes. Could you unscrew them and have a look underneath?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you're going to use it - strip the varnish and oil them, you'll be certain quickly enough. They look rosewood to me, though.

 

[adidat]

i think there rosewood

adidat

 

[bugbear]

It's early-ish, going by the blade shape. But the finish on the handles is NOT original, and it's not nice. Strip them, and you'll be much more certain of the timber, and be in a position to put a nicer finish on.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

It's early-ish, going by the blade shape. But the finish on the handles is NOT original, and it's not nice. Strip them, and you'll be much more certain of the timber, and be in a position to put a nicer finish on.

BugBear

Hi BB, are you sure about it not being the original finish? The survival of the transfer and condition in general suggest to me that this plane has not been messed about with. Also, I've seen other planes with handles finished in a thick glassy varnish which could be what has been used here. Often it crazes over time and gets to the point where it's quite easy to chip bits off with a knife, as the first step to removing it all. (I do agree that alternative finishes are nicer and would recommend Tru-oil for this.)

 

[Racers]

The shape of the tote looks wrong to me, and the colour of the Rosewood, I recently got a No5 with rosewood handles that where a lot darker than that.
This is it after a restore

The varnish was striped and a couple of coats of wax aplyed.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

It's early-ish, going by the blade shape. But the finish on the handles is NOT original, and it's not nice. Strip them, and you'll be much more certain of the timber, and be in a position to put a nicer finish on.

BugBear

Hi BB, are you sure about it not being the original finish? The survival of the transfer and condition in general suggest to me that this plane has not been messed about with. Also, I've seen other planes with handles finished in a thick glassy varnish which could be what has been used here. Often it crazes over time and gets to the point where it's quite easy to chip bits off with a knife, as the first step to removing it all. (I do agree that alternative finishes are nicer and would recommend Tru-oil for this.)

I've never seen the old varnish glossy - it's ALWAYS crazed. Could be I've never seen a really well looked after old Record I suppose.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've seen the over glossy finish before, it was on another pale coloured rosewood tote. It was on a Marples. It was also slightly smaller than usual and, having fairly large hands, I found it slightly uncomfortable.

 

[toolsntat]

Lovely looking plane =P~ 8) 8)

You have a problem with the handles yes/no ?

I would say Walnut myself :roll: :wink:

Andy

 

[AndyT]

David Lynch (who says he has been collecting Record planes for 40 years) has this very useful guide to dating Record planes: http://www.recordhandplanes.com/dating.html where he says that rosewood was used until the 1950s when it was replaced by beech. He dates the style of transfer seen on your plane to 1930-56. You could probably get a more accurate date by looking at other features that he lists. I don't think your handles are beech.

Has this plane spent the last fifty years in a box btw? It looks almost new!

 

[JohnPW]

I've looked at that dating page. Assuming it's all original;

the flat top iron and back iron makes it pre mid-1950s
the rounded inner corner of brass wheel: 1954 or before
lateral lever has rotating disc and no lettering: 1931 to 1939, BUT mine has a black satin finish, it's not paint but a very thin coating possibly a surface treatment.

The lever cap is plated (has small chip near R) but I don't know if it's nickel (1931 to during WW2) or chrome (from 1956).

Maybe it's from when Record were changing from rosewood over to stained beech, hence the different knob and handle colours. I think the knob is not obviously rosewood and it might be stained beech.

The amazing thing about it is almost every surface is clean, bright or glossy! It does have some paint chips and some very slight tarnishing, and there are 2 small spots of light rust. I'm afraid it's too nice to use! I'm reluctant to even take the knob off and anyway I can't find a good fitting screwdriver. As for striping off the varnish, well the less said about that the better. My guess is that 2 things have contributed to its condition, it hasn't been used a lot and most importantly it has been kept indoors.

 

[AndyT]

I'm afraid it's too nice to use!

Are you sure?
I think it's too nice not to use!

Assuming the sole is flat, it's a really good example, from a high grade maker, when quality was at its best. It will be the equal of a new Clifton costing over £200. There is no need to remove the varnish - as has already been noted, it's in unusually good condition. (You are right not to mess up the slots if you don't have a suitable screwdriver.)

So what do you use instead to plane with? Something cheaper and worse? Or shell out hundreds to get an equivalent?

I'm assuming you own this plane and do do woodwork!

 

[bugbear]

Maybe it's from when Record were changing from rosewood over to stained beech, hence the different knob and handle colours. I think the knob is not obviously rosewood and it might be stained beech.

Agreed on your knob/tote mismatch; the picture shows it clearly.

It's commonly (IME) the other way round - beech tote, rosewood knob.

BugBear

 

[MIGNAL]

What's wrong with the colour of the handles? If we are referring to Braz. Rosewood it can vary enormously in colour.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Was Brazilian ever used? I've only ever seen Indian.

 

[Racers]

Only as a stripe down the middle :wink:

Pete

 

[woodiedonald]

I'm pretty sure that the knob is rosewood, see the pale white-ish dots on it? its open grain, that isn't on beech, also you'd see ray fleck on two places opposite to each other if it was beech along with the little short dark lines the ray cells show up as on tangential grain.

 

[woodiedonald]

The rosewood they used must have varied a bit, maybe rosewood in general does i dont know, heres a piccy of mine, fairly dark, i sanded them down to bare wood before and still the same colour it isnt the finish on them that darkened it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

That's usual - Indian.