I have been away from woodworking for a couple of years (not by choice). I used to buy my Record hand planes from Garrett-Wade but they don't have them. Is the company out of business?
I bought one of their low angle block planes for about $35 around 2000 now the cheapest I can find is $99 from Lee Valley.
Have prices really gone up that much on hand planes?
San Edwards
now in St. George, UT
There's a big split in the market now.
The "normal" plane makers are pretty much dying.
Planes are now either cheap "use once" handyman grade, or premium (drool) grade. There are very few buyers in the middle.
The $99 block plane from Lee Valley is a dramatically better tool than anything record have made in the last 40 years.
(they once made a #18 which was very, very good, hence the 40 year qualification)
BugBear
The Irwin conglomerate has now made some drastic business changes, and has destroyed both the Record company and the industrial Marples company. the Jos. Marples company still is there, as private. Irwin continues to make the Blue Chip chisels in the Irwin name, who knows if they've changed that good steel to some- thing cheaper. But, new Record anything is no longer being made. There is one business in Germany that still has NOS Record planes for sale, no doubt at marked up prices
Irwin is actually in the Rubbermaid conglomerate. Vise Grip is now under Irwin as well, very sad shit.
From now on, when I need a new plastic item for household use I will go to the .99? Vietnamese super store. The plastic is just as bad as Rubbermaid's anyway.
Alex
Yes, I see. Well now that I am retired I can't afford the drool kind so I'll make do with what I have. I wish I had bought a few more of Steve Knights planes before his prices went up.
Never did like Rubber Maid anyway.
San
hey they never went up that much (G) but you can always ask for a deal.
On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 01:17:31 GMT, Steve Knight calmly ranted:
May I have one of each for $10?
Oh, wait, I already HAVE one of each. ;)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- A PSYCHOLOGIST looks at everyone -else- ||
You could still check antique stores and e-bay... or other people's shops, for that matter. I got a fairly nice Bailey smooth plane from my dad's basement for nothing because he had absolutely no use for it, and no idea how to use it even if he had. Took me a while to get it back into working shape, but it shaves fine enough to read newsprint through now (after a little help from some more experienced woodworkers, that is) I've also seen quite a few old Stanleys for $25 and under at thrift sales and junk stores. It's kind of a lost art, so people don't know what they have anymore.
Here's a Record 60 1/2 you can bid on, in fine shape:
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