Minty Record Tool Works No. CS88 “Calvert‑Stevens” Metallic Plane — Sheffield, England
1988–1990 Short Production Run • Cast‑Iron Body • 2‑3/8″ Cutter • 9″ Long
A minty Record Tool Works No. CS88, the famous “Calvert‑Stevens” metallic plane produced in Sheffield, England, and one of the most ambitious premium planes Record ever made. Designed to bridge the gap between a standard Stanley‑type bench plane and the high‑end Norris infill planes, the CS88 stands out as Record’s finest effort in precision plane manufacture.
Developed by Martin Calvert (production engineer) and Mel Stevens (plane production manager), the CS88 introduced several innovations that set it apart from anything else in Record’s lineup:
- A superior frog seating, machined to extremely fine tolerances
- A much heavier body casting than other Record planes
- A Norris‑style adjuster providing both depth‑of‑cut and lateral adjustment
- Select Indian rosewood handle and knob
- Individually numbered body casting under the rear handle
- A distinctive dark‑green enamel finish, replacing the usual Record Blue
This plane features a cast‑iron body, a 2‑3/8″ cutter, and measures 9 inches long. Production was extremely short—introduced in the 1988 catalogue and discontinued by October 1990, giving it the shortest run of any Record plane and making mint examples highly collectible.
A superb, minty CS88—beautifully made, historically significant, and one of the finest modern metallic planes ever produced by Record Tool Works.
Always free shipping from Michael Rouillard Tools.
SKU: T16720Categories: Lie Nielsen, Shop All
