Clifton 3/4″ Rebate Plane #420

The adjustable shoulder rabbet plane was a Preston invention from about 1900. Preston was taken over in the 1930�s by Record, which continued on with the designs unitl the 1970’s. When Clifton decided to make a premium shoulder plane, they went back the original designs and tried to duplicate the original fit and finish of the Preston planes. To a large extent they succeeded. Note: If you want to learn more about Preston and shoulder planes take a look at our exhibit in the permanent collection on English Shoulder Planes and you will see details of all the great classic designs.
This plane has a fine mouth and a heavy blade which enables a fine cut – something that is critical in a shoulder plane, which is used for correcting shoulders and in other operations in which you must plane end-grain and cross-grain. As a long-time hand tool user, I would suggest that first plane you buy should probably be a No. 3 or No. 4 smoother, but after that a shoulder plane of about this size is the next logical purchase. When you are doing joinery, there is no substitute for a tool that is designed for taking that hair off of a rabbet, trimming the shoulder of a tenon to perfection, thinning the face of a tenon just a touch, and cutting and cleaning up raised panels.
Note: Rebate is an English term. The American word, which comes from the Scottish is Rabbet. Clifton, which is based in Sheffield, England calls this plane a rebate plane. Preston used the term: shoulder rabbet and as an American I follow suit. Both terms are correct.
Made in England. Extra blades available below.