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A Rapier Hand Plane Overview

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british gateshead planes rapier
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34K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  33706  
3
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
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Rapier Handplanes...What's up with that? In North America, they are around, for sure, but there is not a whole body of research on them, as far as I know.

Produced in Gateshead, England by the Anglo-Scottish Corporation, these planes are an interesting alternative to the Stanleys.

I'm guessing they are all postwar, I dunno, I've never seen a really early example, if they exist at all. I suspect that with billions poured into postwar Europe for reconstruction, is when these factories started popping up, England and West Germany mostly. Most of mine, pictured above, have that plastic handle, which I really have no objection to. It might get uncomfortable in your hand if you've worked up a sweat…but they do stay tight to the sole.
My planes, pictured above: three #400's, one with the earlier 'slab' lever cap. Kinda resembles a Miller's Falls cap. A #450, similar to a Stanley 4 1/2 dimensions. And, a #500, again comparable in size to a Stanley.

Other chacteristics: Lateral adjustment lever is bent into an "L" when viewed from behind. Frogs on all of mine have a fore/aft screw adjustment. And… that unmistakable Chevrolet engine-block red/orange from the '60's!

I only know of the #300 thru #700 series, plus an #043 dado plane. There must be other planes or other tools produced by this maker!!

Any Rapier questions, answers, links, any info you have, please post it here!
 

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#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey, Glen, that Rapier cutter…is it for a #4 size?
Yes, I'm adding a new wing to my muze… gonna call it the Guggenheim. I've got a weird assortment of British postwar planes… Ever hear of a 'Acorn' brand? How 'bout a '4-Most'? I can't resist 'em.
It was DonW who said he'd never seen one… So I started this thread.
 
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#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Okay, here's some views of the Rapier #450 as promised:

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Views of the bed. Not much evidence of painstaking machining where the frog sits.

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Some exploded parts. Hopefully, the images stamped on the parts will show in these views. Seems like Rapier was obsessed with having their name stamped on every single part. I checked the tensioner screw on the lever cap, and by US standards, it's 26 threads per inch. That's an oddball! It's undoubtedly metric, which provides a clue as to whether or not Stanley or other American plane producer was involved in the development of Rapier planes. I'm thinking.. probably they weren't.

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Here's some frog details. I can't help but notice some odd inconsistencies here, like how they all have the extra process of a screw-adjustable frog setting…and a really cheezy 2-piece stamped steel yoke for the cutter height. To me this all screams of rushed production before all the glitches were ironed out, rather than, say, the road Stanley took of deliberate year to year improvements.
Lacking a good foundation of company history, we can fill in the missing details with our own hypothetical conclusions until somebody comes forth with some solid info.

Anybody recognize any pieces or castings that resemble that of other manufacturers? We gotta know!
 

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#7 ·
Thank you poopiekat-
Yes, I too am struck by the "odd inconsistencies". The main one that caught my eye was the flat frog bed (a feature I really like) in contrast with the total lack of work where the frog and bed mate. They didn't even remove the paint!
I asked for the #450 because I like the #4 1/2 size. But I also noticed that it seemed of a different era (type?) then the other Rapiers shown in your first photo of your collection. The differences that first caught my eye were the lever cap (cam vs. screw) and knob shape (Maybe just the difference between shaped wood and plastic). How about the beefier main sole casting compared to other makers? True or about the same?

Thank you for going to the trouble of sharing your collections and thoughts. To me you have the reputation of collecting a wide and varied assortment of planes by lesser known makers. I for one hope that you show us more of the uncommon makers that you have. I am interested in what you have to share.
chuck
 
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#8 ·
Thanks for the kind words, upchuck!
This Rapier #450 is indeed earlier, IMO, based on the wood handles and primitive-looking tension lever cap. The #400 with the MF-style lever cap is probably an intermediate design, chronologically.
Once this fever for buying handplanes winds down, and I have no idea when that is, I want to have everything cataloged. Every time I think about starting it, I end up coming home with an armload of new acquisitions, and I've got everything listed, but I discovered I have three different lists, written on 3 different graph pads! And then… do I want to group them by brand, or by size?
I suppose I'd have to just create one enormous Excel spread sheet. But then, I'd want to ID every plane with a numeric sticker. (Do they still make 'Dymo Labelmakers?)
Anyhoo… I do want to get started on a massive pictorial, focusing on British and Australian planes, there were so many different small-time flash-in-the-pan makers and I got many of them, as well as a pretty good representation of Pope Falcon planes too. Not sure which medium will be best for this. In due time!
 
#9 ·
Big undertaking…..catalog ALL the different maker's planes sold at Sears….

Dunlaps

Fultons

Companion

Craftsman Blue logo

Craftsman Red Logos

SEARS Red Lever cap

And those with the grooved sides, and not the soles.

Had a Shipleigh's plane, made by PEXTO for awhile…..
 
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#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
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Ooopsie! Found this Rapier block plane hiding among the other blocks. It's a #11, and I'm assuming it is comparable to other 110's out there. Odd how they added zeroes to the larger plane sizes, and knocked off the zero on this block, when compared to the Stanley numbering system. This is a good plane, and the knob is a nice little extra, since a lot of 110's don't have a knob, just a depressed finger pad. This has the parallel 2-pedestal support for the cutter. There's a trace of a decal on the cap, too.
 

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#17 ·
I just found this interesting plane and thought one of you could help nail down when it was likely made. The lever cap is the best feature. Looks like the plane equivalent of a 52 Buick. I just joined this Lumberjocks so I will get a photo of this place soon and figure out how to post it here.
Thanks.
 
V
#18 ·
Hi,
I have 2 Rapier planes.
The first is a 500, this was bought by my father around 1950. It has a cast frame and pressed steel fittings.
The screw threads used are a mixture of BSW and BA.

BSW - British Standard Whitworth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Standard_Whitworth
Note: some sources give his first name as Josiah others Joseph.
BSW has some size and pitches in common with UNC however the thread profiles are different.

BA - British Association https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Association_screw_threads.
BA has some size and pitches in common with standard metric threads however the thread profiles are different.
The 26 TPI stated by 'poopiekat' is 0 BA and actually has a pitch of 25.4 TPI (exactly 1 mm) and has an outer diameter of 6mm.

The other Rapier plane I have is a rebate plane, bought by my father in the mid to late 1950's. I can vaguely remember him buying it. It has a diecast aluminium alloy frame.
 
J
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
I was interested in the plastic handles . These are Bakelite which was the first ,original plastic discovered . We had an old Redifusion radio at home made of bakelite . You would have a job to break it . Very hard plastic . So hard and tough they never had to mention it .
But a straight up and down keyhole . Very naughty .
Notice the frog support at the back is central with two separate supports at the front .A classic three point stability . That`s good engineering .The frog base at the rear has a step to underline the design . No need to titivate anything there .
 
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#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi,
I have 2 Rapier planes.
The first is a 500, this was bought by my father around 1950. It has a cast frame and pressed steel fittings.
The screw threads used are a mixture of BSW and BA.

BA - British Association https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Association_screw_threads.
BA has some size and pitches in common with standard metric threads however the thread profiles are different.
The 26 TPI stated by poopiekat is 0 BA and actually has a pitch of 25.4 TPI (exactly 1 mm) and has an outer diameter of 6mm.

- VictorC
Click to expand...

Well, I did say it was probably metric. Have not yet seen a screw-pitch gauge with a leaf representing 25.4 TPI
 
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#24 · (Edited by Moderator)
Though color-blindness kept me out of the Selective Service in 1970, to me the shade is known as "Coral Red". If you google it, you'll see this color on Porsches and early VW Beetles. More likely you'll find touch-up paint for Corvettes and other GM cars at paint departments.

My suggested paint code is #FF-4040

Frankly, I'd just find something close to match. Nobody is going to deduct points for your re-paint, EVER.

I have a whole family of Rapiers, (see above), I like 'em, but they are more of a curiosity than a priceless Van Gogh.
 
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