A while back I picked up a old Record No. 4 plane for I think it was £4. Anyroad, I finally got around to sorting it out. A complete strip, de rusting and several hours pushing the bottom plate up and down various grades of oily wet and dry on top of a sheet of tin float glass and bobs your uncle.
Since the Tormek was set up after sharpening the blade I hauled out the other planes, sharpened them, cleaned them and got rid of the odd scratch .
The other No. 4 has been a disappointment, I got it in a hurry as Footprint was closing down and the quality control had gone to pot so I've wanted a good quality Jack for a while.
The 4th along is a monstrosity I made as a A level project, a hybrid that could also be used as a block plane. A daft idea but it got me a trip to the Record foundry / factory at Attercliffe in Sheffield, a guided tour and some freebie parts.
i also restored everything except the actual base plate on a big old Stanley No. 6 bailey I got with the pattern makers chest years ago. I had hoped my tool guy in Colne would skim the bottom and sides with his milling machine but he said they were too thin. So now I have to scrounge a long piece of float glass and recycle a broken sanding belt to make a perfectly flat filing surface to get rid of the pits and scratches.
ATB
Tom