Clifton No. 6 – Fore Plane

The Clifton No. 6 is a Fore plane, designed for leveling and preparing surfaces before final finishing. With a 60 mm wide blade and a longer body than Jack planes, it allows for more precise correction of irregularities and straightening of wood pieces.

It is frequently used between the roughing and finishing stages, making it ideal for preparing boards before using a finishing planer.

Manufactured in Sheffield by Thomas Flinn & Co. under the Clifton brand, this planer combines traditional manufacturing methods with high-precision machining, resulting in a robust, stable, and highly effective tool.

Like other Clifton planes, it comes practically ready to use straight out of the box, although many woodworkers 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 meticulously machined. The sole and sides are precision ground, ensuring stability and smooth gliding over wood.

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

The cutting iron is produced from cryogenically treated and hardened O1 steel to between 60–62 HRC . Approximately 3.8–3.9 mm thick , it offers high 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 and adjustment wheel, 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 more 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 type of cut desired.

Main features

– Fore planer for leveling and preparing wood
– 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