In Shop Blog, Techniques, Tools

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One of my first handplanes, a Stanley No. 5, had a shopmade tote that was all kinds of wrong. Wrong shape, wrong wood, wrongly made.

So as soon as I could, I bought a replacement front knob and tote. These also were all kinds of wrong. Wrong wood, wrong glossy finish, wrong high knob. But the tote was the right shape, so I kept it on the tool for the last decade or so.

Today I put on a vintage rosewood tote and the original low knob on the plane and went to work raising some drawer bottoms. I have no idea if the tote is of the correct vintage (nor do I particularly care), but it sure looks and feels right to me.

So thanks to Carl Bilderback, who sent me the tote after seeing my flashy one (and probably rolling his eyes).

– Christopher Schwarz

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