Clifton No. 4½ – Smoothing Plane

The Clifton No. 4½ is a wide finishing plane, designed for the final smoothing of larger surfaces. With a 60 mm wide blade, it allows you to remove large chips and obtain extremely smooth surfaces with great stability.

Manufactured in Sheffield by Thomas Flinn & Co. under the Clifton brand, this planer combines traditional manufacturing methods with high-precision machining. It is a robust and balanced tool, designed to offer high performance for both professionals and demanding woodworkers.

Clifton planes are designed to work practically out of the box, without the need for long hours of preparation, although many users prefer to sharpen the iron before first use.

Construction and materials

The body and frame are made of high-quality gray cast iron, with all critical surfaces fully machined. The sole and sides are precision ground, ensuring stability and smooth gliding over wood.

The rear grip and front button are made of carefully shaped, sanded, and sealed walnut, providing comfort and control during use.

The cutting iron is made of cryogenically treated O1 steel, hardened to 60–62 HRC. Approximately 3.8–3.9 mm thick , it is significantly thicker than many traditional planers, offering greater rigidity and stability during cutting. The one-piece counter-iron ensures a firm and effective clamping.

Several components are manufactured from polished brass and polished stainless steel, including screws, adjustment wheel, and other mechanical elements, ensuring durability and smooth operation.

Bedrock System

Clifton planes use a system based on the well-known Bedrock design, originally used in some of the older Stanley planes. In this system, the frog sits on a fully machined surface in the plane body, creating an extremely stable base for the cutting iron.

This design increases the overall rigidity, reduces vibrations, and allows for extremely controlled cuts.

Another advantage of this system is that it allows adjusting the planer jaw opening without disassembling the iron assembly , making it easier to fine-tune the tool according to the type of wood or the desired finish.

Main features

Wide finishing planer for larger surfaces
– Width of the iron: 60 mm (2 3/8″)
– Cryogenically treated O1 steel iron
– Iron hardness: 60–62 HRC
– Iron thickness: 3.8–3.9 mm
– Body made of precision-machined gray cast iron
Walnut handles
– Components made of polished brass and stainless steel
Bedrock-type frog system for maximum stability.
– Precise adjustment of the mouth opening
– Made in Sheffield, England