Calvert Stevens

[dannykaye]

Yes the frog has a slot for the adjuster, unfortunately the bent adjuster means that it jams in the slot so it is more annoyance than character

 

[Aled Dafis]

Sorry to sound harsh, but there must be something I'm missing with the Calvert Stevens, it just looks to me like a Bailey type plane that wants to be a Bedrock but just isn't. I'd much rather have a Quangsheng from Workshopheaven, or a Clifton (obviously). I've even heard a little voice in my head mention L-N a few times recently.

Please enlighten me.

Cheers
Aled

 

[katellwood]

Sorry to sound harsh, but there must be something I'm missing with the Calvert Stevens, it just looks to me like a Bailey type plane that wants to be a Bedrock but just isn't. I'd much rather have a Quangsheng from Workshopheaven, or a Clifton (obviously). I've even heard a little voice in my head mention L-N a few times recently.

Please enlighten me.

Cheers
Aled

I quite agree today, but what were the comparisons in the late eighties.

Norris's were silly money and like hens teeth, both Lie Neilsen and Clifton (Clico) were in their infancy. For new Records and Stanleys were allegedly the top of the tree and we are all aware of the quality of new at that time. In addition second hand were few and far between and you had to search (no ebay, no ukworkshop, no internet).

It could be argued that the CS paved the way for the far superior tools that are available today

 

[Vann]

It could be argued that the CS paved the way for the far superior tools that are available today

Agreed, and possibly that was the CS88s biggest contribution to better woodworking.

Apart from the quality lever-cap, cap-iron and cutting iron, the rest of the plane seems to be the normal tat of that period.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Agreed. The CS88 was a brave attempt by people with their hearts in the right place, but like many Mark One's it could be improved.

It could also be argued that if the CS88 had been improved, it might have made the Clifton bench-plane line commercially impossible at the time.

 

[woodbloke]

It could be argued that the CS paved the way for the far superior tools that are available today

Agreed, and possibly that was the CS88s biggest contribution to better woodworking.

Apart from the quality lever-cap, cap-iron and cutting iron, the rest of the plane seems to be the normal tat of that period.

Cheers, Vann.

No, I'd disagree, it wasn't 'tat' by any means. All parts of the plane were well made, solid and it was very heavy, but as a 'whole' it just didn't work well owing to the bump behind the mouth - Rob

 

[katellwood]

It could be argued that the CS paved the way for the far superior tools that are available today

Agreed, and possibly that was the CS88s biggest contribution to better woodworking.

Apart from the quality lever-cap, cap-iron and cutting iron, the rest of the plane seems to be the normal tat of that period.

Cheers, Vann.

No, I'd disagree, it wasn't 'tat' by any means. All parts of the plane were well made, solid and it was very heavy, but as a 'whole' it just didn't work well owing to the bump behind the mouth - Rob

Rob

Would you have kept yours had it not been for the bump,

The reason I ask is that I do not recall a bump on mine, in addition I checked it yesterday and it remains perfectly flat.

It was the first plane I had that had a decent iron and its the one I use the most in my workshop.

Thanks

 

[Dangermouse]

Sorry to the CS lovers, but to me it was just a gimick to sell a few more over priced planes. Its a basic design sole with such poor contact area as to be laughable, fitted with a Norris style adjuster to look posh. for the collector yes a rare plane for a collection. But to use, give me a bedrock or even an old ordinary fettled pre 1960 Stanley or Record any day.

 

[katellwood]

Sorry to the CS lovers, but to me it was just a gimick to sell a few more over priced planes.

At its time of production what was its contemporary, you even struggled to find a decent replacement iron for stanleys or records and the tools they were producing at that time left a lot to be desired (plastic totes, gaudy paintwork, poor irons, inadequate finish need I go on).

Other choices Draper, Footprint and those horrible bright green "Kunz" things no thank you.

But to use, give me a bedrock or even an old ordinary fettled pre 1960 Stanley or Record any day

This I can see the sense in but how did you come across a decent one? As I mentioned earlier there was no internet, ebay etc, all you could do was trawl the second hand shops (Colloquially known as Swap Shops in the area of my youth) or the classifieds in the local newspapers or if you were really lucky a hand me down from a relative or colleague.

To me the CS was a breath of fresh air, a decent laminated iron, an adjuster with minimal backlash (gimmick or not)(in addition with the norris style adjuster if you wish to update the iron to a much thicker replacement you had no worries that the Y lever was long enough to engage in the back iron), totes which were tactile as opposed to cold to the touch and a decent weight behind a tool to aid momentum whilst in use.

Yes there were issues, I was obviously very fortunate to get one without the bump in the sole and with a change of lever cap the CS became much more usable.

Compared to other new planes on the market at this time it was a Rolls Royce compared to a Ford, and as AndyT identified still holds its price today.

Finally I have Norris's, Lie Neilsens, Cliftons, Veritas and Stanley/Records of various vintages with replacement irons, my CS holds its own with any of them.

 

[Dangermouse]

I was talking about the plane itself not in context of its prduction period and if i was offered one today as a plane to use rather than to collect. I've no doubt it can hold its own against other planes. Its just over hyped, as thought its up there with the best and it definitely isn't.

 

[woodbloke]

Rob

Would you have kept yours had it not been for the bump,

The reason I ask is that I do not recall a bump on mine, in addition I checked it yesterday and it remains perfectly flat.

It was the first plane I had that had a decent iron and its the one I use the most in my workshop.

Thanks

No, even when I'd got the 'bump' out (and it took some doing with big files etc) and replaced the iron with a LN A2 thing, it was better, but only just...it still never seemed 'right', so I kept it as a user until I saw the 'path of true enlightenment' :mrgreen: (hammer) and tried the LV BU range of planes (starting with the jack). After that, there was no comparison as I found the BU planes infinitely better (and still do) so the CS88 went onto fleabay as I recall. I still have one bevel down plane, which is my Norris panel but that's going to be another 'keeper' even though it never gets used now - Rob

 

[dannykaye]

Well I tried to straighten the frog adjuster. Now I need to make a new one, a gentle tap and it fractured half way down the thread