Stanley or Record ?

[TRITON]

What do people prefer, plane wise ?.

I'll start off with Record.
first smoother was a record, then got a No6 from somewhere and its went from there.

The Smoother is ok, can be a bit chattery are times, but it pretty good. No6 which was the 2nd one i got has a stayset and tungsten blade, holds an incredible edge and it's my go to for anything with interlocking grain or where i need to minimize tearout.
Also got an 077, 078 and a 2506, looking maybe for an 010(Complete the rebate collection ). Should pick up a No5, but if i get the 010, thats pretty much the same length.

I've also always wanted the Record Compass plane, but tbh i've no idea where I'd use it. Router plane would be a nice addition too, but I've a LN one, and i cant justify getting another router unless one pops up for a song.
No7 and No8 are also in my sights, but bloody hell those No8's dont go cheap. Corrugated would be lovely for those two.

 

[Vann]

What do people prefer, plane wise ?.

I'll start off with Record.
first smoother was a record, then got a No6 from somewhere and its went from there...

Well technically.... if it's a Record then it's a No.06...

I prefer Record to Stanley of the same age. Record seemed to hold their quality longer.

I almost have the set - No.03, 03ss, 04, 04ss, 04 1/2, 04 1/2ss, 05, 05ss, 05 1/2, 05 1/2ss, 06, 06ss, 07, 07ss, 08 and 08ss (from the days when acquiring planes was my obsession ). I even managed to pick up most of an 02 (missing double iron, lever cap, and a chunk off one side) that the owner was going to bin. No corrugated soles.

I think Lie-Nielsens are very nice, as are Cliftons (Veritas bench planes are not to my taste), but damned expensive (and I refuse to buy anything Chinese).

One day I'll work through my herd of planes and work out which ones to keep and which to let go. In the meanwhile my Record 04ss and 05, and Clifton No.3, are my 'go-to' planes. A Marples M7 gets some use too.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[shed9]

I suspect most people just prefer what they have, ended up with or just came by by accident or circumstance. When it comes to tools with such heritage however, the construction period is also going to influence use and ownership. Both marque's have their epochs and downfalls in manufacture over the years. For me personally, I found I bought and kept the Stanley's purely because of initial circumstance but eventually just because I found it easier to date Stanley's over Record so I had a better idea of what I was getting, especially for Internet purchases. that said, I'm not committed to any brand as such and wouldn't turn down a Record if I came across a good one that fit my requirements.

(and I refuse to buy anything Chinese).

Whilst that's your opinion and I respect your right to that (you might even have a valid reason to back that up), but I get quite bored of these generalisations of an entire nations output. I wonder how people would respond to comments such as people refusing to buy German, Canadian or even New Zealand product via broad sweeping statements. Don't mean to derail the thread, just needed to raise the fact that a people don't define a product to the point of being dismissed, not in 2022 at least anyhow.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

(you might even have a valid reason to back that up) ...

Several, I suspect.

 

[shed9]

Several, I suspect.

I don't doubt it but dropping an off tangent generalisation on Chinese product is a tad 1970's without context.

 

[clogs]

it's all well n good but for the unoficianated, all those numbers don't mean a lot...
a ribbed sole plane I have seen in a F/Woodworking mag yonks ago....
might find an old'ish metal plane, get it working then machine it on my mill just to FEEL the benefit....but the rest --- god knows....
a list with photo's giving the main dif and faults n advantagege's would make a good read....
perhaps a nice project in it's self for a rainy afternoon...
I have several little pocket sized, plus a couple or three bench planes, one is very, very heavy I bought new 40 odd years ago, and 2 jack planes....1 new'ish compass plane, guess they are all Stanley or Record, apart from the new'un all boot from yard sales n workshop clearances....
gotta say most of everything planed here is by machine except for hand fitting of doors n the like...
Vann,
u wanna line em all up and post a photo/close up video......?
r u rebuilding anything at the moment.....?

I worked with a guy who used a sweet looking Norris, fancy wood if I remember..Ebony ?
nearly 50 years since.....
I asked when he retired or popped off if I could buy it.....
he popped off and his kids kept a few screwdrivers but the rest went in the bin....grrrrr...
I've made a list of who get's what I treasure....
or the next guy she marries will get a nice tool kit......hahaha...
I'm 20 years older and falling to bits gradually.....

 

[Richard_C]

I wonder how people would respond to comments such as people refusing to buy German, Canadian or even New Zealand product via broad sweeping statements.

I suspect a plane from New Zealand would be very desirable and perfect for planing the underneath of boards...

 

[Vann]

...For me personally, I found I bought and kept the Stanley's purely because of initial circumstance but eventually just because I found it easier to date Stanley's over Record so I had a better idea of what I was getting, especially for Internet purchases...

You must be referring to USA made Stanleys as (to the best of my knowledge) no-one has come up with a way of dating English Stanleys yet (though there is a very good site for dating Records thanks to the late David Lynch).

...but I get quite bored of these generalisations of an entire nations output...

It's not the output I have a problem with (that's the fault of western producers demanding cheap products). It's ethical issues over Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South China Sea, Uyghurs, organ harvesting, censorship and repression.

I suspect a plane from New Zealand would be very desirable and perfect for planing the underneath of boards...

Where's the 'slightly offended' emoji? I'll have you know that Marcos planes are made in New Zealand (by a Zimbabwean)

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Stanley or Record? Don't forget old red Marples. They can sell for good money though - I listed a No.7 here for £80 iirc - it didn't sell - and put it on ebay where it sold for £150. Woden are decent planes, as well.

 

[shed9]

You must be referring to USA made Stanleys as (to the best of my knowledge) no-one has come up with a way of dating English Stanleys yet (though there is a very good site for dating Records thanks to the late David Lynch).

To an extent yes, it is not easy dating post 1961 Stanley planes but then in my experience it's much more of skeet shoot when buying a Stanley from the latter era and I tend to avoid anyhow. The sweet spot for me is the Type 11/12, maybe a 13 if a good example and sometimes a 17 again if a good example as these were much heavier castings. Not really looked into Records much but will have a trawl through the web again at some stage and look up David Lynch's info.

It's not the output I have a problem with (that's the fault of western producers demanding cheap products). It's ethical issues over Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South China Sea, Uyghurs, organ harvesting, censorship and repression.

Apologies Vann, a totally viable rationale, I apologise for calling the reference out. I went through a phase of sourcing non Chinese product for those same reasons in regards to tools for a long time but kept finding out that despite claims by some manufacturers of country of origin being non PRC, more often than not I generally found out they were.

 

[pe2dave]

Router plane would be a nice addition too, but I've a LN one, and i cant justify getting another router unless one pops up for a song.

I rarely pick up one without picking up a second. Both ebay recons. One to work down to depth, second the 'define' the depth and check when I'm there. Repeatable.

 

[TRITON]

Agree, but currently the Record router plane commands a high price. I'll bide my time till one comes along at the right price.

 

[Chisteve]

I've restored lots of stanleys and records in the past, prefer older stanleys, the older pre and just after the war records are very good also

The stanleys are a little better put together and refined compared to the records both work well if sharpened and well set up

Very little between them in my opinion

 

[Droogs]

It's an odd thing, in my head I believe most of my planes to be Records with a Stanley #5 1/2 and then when asked, Record are stated as my prefered maker. However I have just become aware that all my metal "bench" planes used to prep, size and finish bits of wood into cuboids ready to make stuff are in fact Stanleys. from #4 to #7 and all in between. Whereas nearly all my other planes for joints, rebates, fluting, moulding and inlay are Record #405, #71, #80 etc, Ulmia or Mathieson woodies. Oh and a couple of rider blocks

 

[Vann]

...Oh and a couple of rider blocks

Shouldn't that be written in tiny text so that we can't read it?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Droogs]

Both were gifts, one from my dearest love on fathers day, Oscar my pooch (I suspect that SWMBO actually got it as we don't give him pocket money ) and one as part of my UKWSS one year. I enjoy using them both but really love my low angle 60 1/2, shiny gunmetal knob and all

 

[Jonm]

but I get quite bored of these generalisations of an entire nations output.

people don't define a product to the point of being dismissed, not in 2022 at least anyhow.

I do not want to derail the thread but I would say that in 2022 there is every reason to dismiss products from certain countries. I am thinking Taiwan, 60% worlds chip supply, recent shelling around the island by China disrupting planes and shipping.

 

[Jarno]

I like Record, they are somewhat less collectable and still very good, the old ones. I think the 778 is a lot better than a Stanley 78.
Still have a few gaps in the collection, would like an old Record 5, as I think the 5 1/2 is too heavy for general use, maybe another 4, a 6 although I really do use that only rarely. Maybe an older 7, mine is pretty recent, it is a light (thinner) casting, but with ribs, so that is good, but the frogs on the older Records are better.