What's a razee?

[Ben Rafael]

I see the term applied to jointer planes a lot.
What does it mean?

[Dave Matson]

It just means the rear tote is lower down than "normal." This lowers the center of force required to move the plane, possible making it easier to push. Wikipedia has a write-up on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razee_plane

[george wilson]

A razee is a plane with the back end cut down to about 1/2 its height,to make the handle lower,especially for manual training for boys. It was to make the height less of a problem.

A razee was also a man of war ship in the days of sail,that had had its uppermost deck cut off. This is probably where the plane took its name. I don't know if they cut the deck off to make the ship be less top heavy,or because the upper deck got in very bad shape. Sometimes ships of the line were just too top heavy.

[Ben Rafael]

Thanks for the explanation.

[Derek Cohen]

Ben, you need a picture - speaks louder than words:

My razee jointer ..



There are also razee smoothers, etc. Perhaps others will post theirs as well.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bill Houghton]

There are also razee smoothers, etc.

Stanley No. 36 "transitional," mixed wood and metal, using the Bailey mechanism planted on a wood body. In my opinion, one of Stanley's prettiest planes.

[Ben Rafael]

Derek,
Is that your shortest jointer?
Thanks for the pic; it is indeed worth a thousand words.