No. 60-1/2 Rabbet Block Plane with Nicker Lie-Nielsen Toolworks

No. 60-1/2 Rabbet Block Plane with Nicker

1-60-1-2-R

$205.00



No. 60-1/2 Rabbet Block Plane

Ideal for cutting small rabbets or trimming tenons to fit. Based on the Sargent No. 507, this low angle, fixed-mouth block plane has open sides with a blade that extends the full width of the body. It’s a great design, handy as a block plane and wider than most rabbet planes, making it easy to trim tenons to fit.

When set to cut, two circular A2 nickers protrude .010" on each side for scoring cross-grain cuts. The low angle of 12º makes it an excellent choice for end grain. Unbreakable Ductile Iron body ground flat and square to .001". Bronze cap.

  • 1-3/4" overall width, 6-1/4" long
  • Blade is 1-3/4" wide x 1/8" thick
  • Blade is bedded at 12°
  • Weight 1.65 lbs.

The No. 60-1/2 Rabbet Block Plane rated
"BEST VALUE BLOCK PLANE"
- Fine Woodworking Tool Guide, 2014

Click here to download a PDF copy of the instructions for this tool.

Rabbet Block Plane

Our Rabbet Block Plane is 1-3/4" wide overall, with a full width blade pitched at 12°. The sole is ground flat to .0015", and the sides are ground square to the sole. The mouth is fixed, and set to take a maximum .005"- .008" shaving. If this is too tight for the work you want to do, file a small chamfer on the leading edge of the mouth to increase chip clearance.

Geometry:

In the Low Angle Plane, the blade is bedded at 12°, making the included cutting angle 37°.

Sharpening:

The blade comes ready to use, but honing a secondary bevel of 5° or 10° will increase performance, help achieve a razor edge quickly, and improve edge life in hardwoods. You can find sharpening instructions in a printable PDF format here:
Sharpening Instructions PDF

For more information on advanced sharpening we recommend David Charlesworth’s video Plane Sharpening, available in both DVD and streaming formats.

Blade Adjustment

Hold the tool in one hand, with your fingers supporting the sole, and your thumb on the cap iron just in front of the screw. Loosen the spinwheel and, with your thumb still holding the blade and cap, adjust the blade. Tighten the spinwheel. Do not overtighten — you should be able to adjust the blade after loosening the spinwheel about a quarter turn. The blade is about .005" wider than the body. Align the edge of the blade with the side of the body that you want it flush with. Laying the tool on its side can help you do this quickly and accurately. Or, if you prefer, you can grind a little material off the side of the blade to make it flush with both sides.

Nicker

The circular nicker, made of A2 Steel, protrudes by .010" and can be rotated to expose the edge as needed. Retract by rotating so the flat is at the bottom. Occasionally you may need to hone the flat on a fine waterstone to sharpen.

Materials:

The sides of the Ductile Iron body are stout. However, because the sides are open at the mouth, the “frog” may flex under the blade as pressure is applied to the cap iron via the spinwheel. Very little pressure is necessary to hold the blade, so if you wish to minimize the flex, back the spinwheel off a bit. We have intentionally left the leading edge of the frog section thick for strength. If you ever decide to surface the sole, be careful not to remove too much material.

The body is cast from Ductile Iron, a very strong alloy that will take a lot of abuse. These castings are fully stress-relieved, a process that removes inherent stresses and ensures that the tool will remain flat and true. The cap is Manganese Bronze. Other parts are Brass; the adjuster nut is Stainless Steel.

The blade is A2 Tool Steel hardened to Rockwell 60-62, cryogenically treated and double tempered. Our heat treating technique ensures that the blade will take and hold a very fine edge for a long time. After heat treating, the blade is fully surface ground on the top, back, and cutting edge, giving a smooth, flat surface that will take a mirror finish very quickly. The 1/8" thickness provides solid chatter-free cutting.

Maintenance:

The body casting is ground flat and true (to .0015"). Occasional hand lapping with fine wet/dry sandpaper (320 grit or higher) on a flat surface will help remove dings and keep it true. The cap iron can be polished with any good brass polish, or allowed to patina with age and use. Occasionally, the tool should be disassembled, cleaned, and moving parts oiled. The blade should be kept lightly oiled to prevent rust, especially when the tool is not in use. We recommend Jojoba Oil, a plant based oil product that is non-toxic, odor-free and easy to use. Also, in our shop, we use a fine abrasive handblock to remove any light surface oxide from tool bodies and blades. Jojoba Oil and abrasive handblocks are available from us.

Find everything you need for tool care.

Guarantee:

Materials and workmanship are guaranteed for the life of your tool. Call for repairs or replacement parts. We are available for advice if you ever have a problem using your tool.

Proposition 65 Notice:

Bronze and brass alloys contain lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.