Customer Reviews

Stanley 21-399 6-Inch Surform Pocket Plane

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This little puppy does about anything you need for shaping, forming, planing, and carving. If you need to cut something down to size quickly, then this is the tool for the task. It might look like a cheese grater, but the blade handles about any material - wood, drywall, PVC, car Bondo, countertops, and even aluminum. The nice part is that you never have to sharpen the tool - just buy a new replacement blade. I don't like to put my block plane on just any material, and it takes some time to keep the plane iron sharp, so the Surfom makes for a really versatile substitute.

The only reason I own this little gem is for drywalling. It fits in my pocket so I can whip it out to plane down drywall sheet edges quickly. That's important when your trying to fit them in difficult places like corners and closet ceilings, especially if you're standing on a bench or some other awkward position. It smoothes those edges and removes stock in a hurry. It pays to keep some extra blades around, though. Moisture combines with drywall dust to corrode steel, so the blades can rust between jobs. I wouldn't start a drywall job without this tool. Thanks..!

This tool is a must for tight drywall joints. It will scrape the rough edges right off and you'll have an easier time finishing. I don't use it for wood , although I suppose you could if you had a new blade.

So, it's light, it's small, and therefore, it's deceptive. I work in a frame shop, and these little guys will trim plexi (acrylic sheeting) without cracking it, and in no time. Took one to a block of white oak today, and shaped it no problem. Second test: Honduran Mahogany. Same result, aquick removal of material (even with a well-worn blade) and a relatively smooth surface after.

I have owned this little "pocket plane" for a few years now, using it on both drywall and wood. I can say that is does indeed work wonders on drywall - it cuts agressively so you can quickly shape the drywall as you need it. With wood however, it is another story. Here the main benefit of this thing - its small size -is also its main drawback. Your hand gets tired pretty quickly if you try to remove much wood with this tool, because it is a one handed operation. I have no complaints about its ability to cut and remove wood, just that what you ask of it is very limited by its small size.

I recommend this tool to anyone who will use it on drywall at a jobsite, otherwise pay the few dollars more for the two handed model!

I've been cutting beadboard paneling with a small circular saw in order to use the pieces to resurface the inside sides and backs of some kitchen cabinets. I'm so glad to have stumbled across this tool. It allows me to really fine tune the edges, after I cut so as to get a perfect fit. You can take off just very thin slivers of material, and very rapidly. For this application, it has worked so much smoother than a regular plane and so much faster than just corse sand paper. And it's cheap, too! Thanks, Stanley.

I've had a couple of these for quite a few years. I mainly use them for putting contours on jewelry box lids. I start in the middle of the lid, going with the grain, and dig deeper as I get to the edge, then "lip" it up a little. This little plane allows me to adjust the flare of the cut as I go along, makes a more random looking contour. Trying to do this with a regular handplane takes twice the work because you can't make those flare turns in the middle of the cut. Hope that made sense to the reader. Guess ya gotta be there. At any rate this is a great little tool, for not a lot of money. I have quite a few hand planes, and use them all the time. This is more of a carving tool for me than a plane. You can get very nice results with just a little practice. Highly recommend.

NO ITS NOT A PLANE!!! It's a surform. If you want to plane wood get a suitable plane. I use my block plane when I need smooth results.

But, it is one of the handiest tools I own. From rough shaping surfboards to smoothing drywall cuts, knocking off rough wood edges while doing rough work. Great on redwood outdoor projects when you want to round over edges. Anywhere you want fast removal of material. This too will find so many uses you won't believe you didn't already have one. The holder lasts forever! Mine was bought in 1978.

This item arrived promptly and when I started using it, it did exactly what I needed it to do. It seems quite durable and it's great to get such a good value.

Another tool that just works. I edged up some pine shelf boards just the other day that I had cut a bit lazily with my jigsaw. The little pocket plane shaved that excess edge off with gusto and left an edge that only needed a few strokes with a fine file and some sandpaper to be perfectly smooth and ready for primer and paint. This tool fills up with wood shavings quickly when used, but its no trouble emptying it a few times as you work. I have a much larger plane for bigger jobs but for smallish planing jobs I just grab this. It's works fast and works well.