Fellow Tool Lusters,

This is undoubtedly the biggest and best tool gloat I've ever had. While not
a $5 Stanley #1 in terms of cash out lay, it certainly far exceeds that
plane in usefulness, beauty, and rarity.

WARNING: Drooling is inevitable. Please protect your clothes and keyboards
appropriately before clicking on the following urls. Behold a one-of-a-kind
Clark & Williams Razee Smoother....

(FYI, there are underscores in the names, though they don't show here)
www.smu.edu/~mdelong/Side_view2.jpg
www.smu.edu/~mdelong/Heel_view2.jpg
www.smu.edu/~mdelong/Toe_view2.jpg

This beauty is modeled after a Scioto Works razee I picked up for $15 at
last years MWTCA meeting in Omaha. I have a monkey on my back who has a
Jones for razee planes, and although I believe Scioto Works were lessor
grade planes, this one had perfect weight and balance, and just seemed to be
an extension of my arm. The mouth is gigantic, but I had planed to rectify
that problem when I came up with the idea of using it as a model for C&W. I
was already the proud owner of another one-of-a-kind C&W plane, a small (a
little larger that a block plane) square-sided smoother modeled after a
plane in the Dominy collection, so I knew the great quality to expect.
Though it is not the type or style of plane they prefer to make, I
successfully begged Bill Clark into taking on the project at last August's
SWTCA meeting in Arlington, TX. The design was changed slightly to
accommodate a 55d angle.

Bill told me what the mouth opening was, but it didn't register in the gray
matter up top (not much does anymore). All I know is it's tighter than a
gnat-a%&, takes a tissue-paper thin shaving, and leaves a glass-smooth
surface in its wake. This weekend I slapped it to some of Paul Taran's
Select Grade Curly Maple, that has previously only been tamed by a hand
scraper, and the maple just melted into a glassy finish. This is one of
those tools that causes epiphanies.

When Bill called to tell me the plane was ready, he congratulated me for
having a one-of-a-kind Clark & Williams plane. The one-piece construction
proved to be a real challenge and he said he was not eager to ever make
another. That's good news for me but really bad news for all Galoots who
lust after toted woodies. With Clintonesque heart-felt feeling...I feel your
pain....neener, neener.

Shamelessly submitted,
Mike
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Mike DeLong
Southern Methodist University
Director of Investment Systems