Old Tool Restoration

Dont start me about silverline they really are rubbish.
These was not much to choose between Record and Stanley up to about 1950, after that the quality of Stanley planes steadily declined because they tried to compete with cheap imports. Record just stayed much the same. Until the 90s when Irwin took it over. Today , despite their high price, Records range of planes are about on a par with Silverline, made in the far east , no quality control to speak of, horrible machining.
If I was buying a 7 or 8 Id look for a Record with the earlier frog shape. You can look it up online, there are a couple of websites dedicated to Record plane history. A full length cast crucible steel blade would be a bonus.
The 078 or 778 is definitely the best rebate plane going, the smaller ones like the Stanley 93 are really only good for cleaning up machine made rebates, not making them from scratch. The longer fence with two slide bars was a significant improvement over the 078 if you regularly use the fence. The old wooden rebate planes work really well and have the big advantage of a skewed blade, you can pick one up in good condition for buttons. The moving fillister types have depth stop, grain cutter and fence but they tend to be sought after by collectors because of the nice brass fittings.
http://www.adverts.ie/search/user-727864

I strip the plane down to its parts and clean each part. Paint splatter is best scraped off with a wooden stick sharpened like a chisel, a metal scraper will damage the enamel. Fine wire wool soaked in oil is good for cleaning rust, I would avoid trying to repaint the body, it never looks good.
The sole and sides should be cleaned up by rubbing on a sheet of wet and dry sand paper taped to a sheet of glass. this will also show up any bumps or hollows. Clean the blade and cap iron with fine wire wool. The bakelite handles are fine and belong to that era. tthey are easy to clean with wire wool. You can get wooden replacements if you really dont like the bakelite.

That looks like a really nice no 5.1/2. If you post some picture of the frog with the blade and lever cap removed I can date it for you. I looks like late 1940s to late 1950s. If you clean up the upper part of the blade it will reveal the type of blade. It might have a blade that says "Best Crucible Cast Tungsten Steel". If so you are in luck. Record stopped making Cast Steel around 1950 and switched to a continuous steel process to reduce costs. Their cast steel blades are as good as any of the up market blades from Hock , Lie Neilsen or Quangsheng.

The ogee shaped frog first appeared in 1959 so your plane is sometime after that but before 1969. Its unlikely to have a cast steel blade but Record blades, even after the changeover, were still superior to most other plane blades. Be careful of the vinegar treatment, Rinse the plane repeatedly and thoroughly with a mild alkali solution to make sure that no acid has crept under the enamel. As my3cents stated correctly its the bottom of the blade ( and the top of the frog) that has to be clean and flat if you are to avoid chatter when using the plane, although I have to agree if your going to clean up the plane you may as well clean all of it.

This is the first time Ive uploaded an image to the forum so im not sure it will worK. Here is the cast steel blade by Record.
These are worth keeping an eye out for in car boot sales, provided they are full length they are a great upgrade over the normal blade without breaking the bank.
http://s871.photobucket.com/user/imakebiodiesel/media/stickers%20004_zpstbvxgerd.jpg.html

This thread is a continuation of a subject started in the Tool Suppliers thread, and is dedicated to restoring classic tools like Stanley and Record planes, cast steel chisels etc.
modsnip
You might be interested to see the planes that I use my self, Ironically I dont use Stanley or Record planes
These are my 18th century infill planes,
A Mathieson coffin shaped steel smoothing plane with rosewood infill and a Ward and Payne iron.
And an early Speirs Panel plane with dovetailed steel body, beech infill and a Ward and Payne Iron.


I love the mass of these planes, once you set it in motion its weight will carry it through any knots or twisty grain. The heavy forged cast steel blades are nearly 6mm thick at the business end so chatter just dosent happen. The re is no adjustment on these planes you set the blade with a mallet or small hammer which sounds like a hassle but it isnt really, the last time I had to adjust the smoother was over 2 years ago.
Collectors have made these planes very expensive if they are in mint condition but its still possible to pick up damaged or incomplete ones cheaply and restore then to their former glory.
I have made new infill on both these planes and done some brazing to the screw adjustment of the smoother.
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Good Idea, Ill ask him.