Stanley rb10

[Jameshow]

Is the Stanley rb10 plane really that bad.

Stanley rb10 and it's brothers must be the least loved planes in the plane world. Is it really that bad?

Ideally as a cheap rebate plane for when I don't want to adjust my 78 fence and depth adjuster.

Finally surely it cain't be to hard to convert to a normal style blade perhaps even with a bit of 1/8th steel plate.

No 10 planes cost £50+ so a cheaper alternative might not be too bad??

Cheers James

 

[Just4Fun]

Stanley rb10 and it's brothers must be the least loved planes in the plane world. Is it really that bad?

I just aquired a Stanley RB5. (I didn't mean to but it came with a load of tools in a tool box I bought at a flea market). I haven't used it yet but my hopes are not high. It seems it could be a pain to adjust the blade but maybe it is something you get used to. Then again I have never owned nor ever wanted a block plane so maybe I don't even need this RB5. It will be interesting to see what other, more experienced, folks make of this family of tools.

 

[robgul]

There's an RB10 on ebay at the moment with bids at about a tenner.

I had one years ago but it disappeared - purely for reasons of nostalgia I bought a mint condition one a couple of months ago . . . it planes, for very basic use - that's about all I can say! (although I was surprised to find that you can still get the blades from Amazon and other sources)

 

[IWW]

From Stanley's own blurb on the RB 10:

Features & Benefits

• Cutting depth adjustment and distortion lever
• Die-cast plate rectified on 3 sides
• Fully adjustable for depth of cut, cutter alignment
• Lacquered finish
• Multi-use - Smoothing plane and workbench rebate plane
• Supplied with 6 easy to change blades placed in the rear handle

I think item 2 may be one good reason for their lack of appeal to serious plane users.

"RB" doubtless stands for "replaceable blade" and the "10" references the #10 bench rebate. Given a choice, I know which one I would reach for if I needed a bench rebate (I don't, I had a 10 1/2 for a few years but we never hit it off together). It's a little heavier than I expected for die-cast body (1.1Kg) compared to 1.9Kg for the "real thing".

It is interesting to me that a whole lot of tools with replaceable rather than resharpenable blades started appearing from the 1960s on. Were folks becoming so useless no-one could sharpen an edge any more? I just can't abide the wastefulness of disposable blades in anything (well, maybe scalpels, for other good reasons besides convenience!). Does anyone else re-sharpen their Stanley knife blades, or am I the only weirdo who does? I swear the edge is far better after sharpening than the factory edge, and a packet of blades lasts me a very long time......

Cheers,
Ian

P.S. What on earth is a "distortion lever"???

 

[Jameshow]

Razor blades!

Must try sharpening a Stanley knife blade!

Cheers James

 

[robgul]

From Stanley's own blurb on the RB 10:

Features & Benefits

• Cutting depth adjustment and distortion lever
• Die-cast plate rectified on 3 sides
• Fully adjustable for depth of cut, cutter alignment
• Lacquered finish
• Multi-use - Smoothing plane and workbench rebate plane
• Supplied with 6 easy to change blades placed in the rear handle

I think item 2 may be one good reason for their lack of appeal to serious plane users.

"RB" doubtless stands for "replaceable blade" and the "10" references the #10 bench rebate. Given a choice, I know which one I would reach for if I needed a bench rebate (I don't, I had a 10 1/2 for a few years but we never hit it off together). It's a little heavier than I expected for die-cast body (1.1Kg) compared to 1.9Kg for the "real thing".

It is interesting to me that a whole lot of tools with replaceable rather than resharpenable blades started appearing from the 1960s on. Were folks becoming so useless no-one could sharpen an edge any more? I just can't abide the wastefulness of disposable blades in anything (well, maybe scalpels, for other good reasons besides convenience!). Does anyone else re-sharpen their Stanley knife blades, or am I the only weirdo who does? I swear the edge is far better after sharpening than the factory edge, and a packet of blades lasts me a very long time......

Cheers,
Ian

P.S. What on earth is a "distortion lever"???

Carpet fitters that I've used usually have a stone to sharpen Stanley blades (they, of course, use the knives with the "twist and release" blade changing mechanism for speed.

 

[Nigel Burden]

I sharpen Stanley knife blades and the blades on my Swann Moreton multi tool.

Nigel.

 

[IWW]

Razor blades! ....

Got me! Orright, so I DO use disposable razors. My old pot used his cut-throat up til his 80s, but switched to Gilletes for his last few years. Don't blame him I'm mid-seventies but wouldn't trust myself wielding a cut-throat.....

Anyway, thanks for the 'support', Nigel, glad to see I'm not the only Stanley-knife sharpener....

Cheers,
Ian