Tool Profile – Sargent no. 507 Rabbet Plane

Sargent no 507, c. early 1940s

The Sargent no. 507 Rabbet Plane with its open arches on each side is one of the more unusual and interesting block planes ever made. From both a functional and design standpoint, it is reminiscent of a Stanley no. 10, but in a 7 inch block plane. Stanley, however, never made a comparable model to this plane. The closest they came was with the no. 140 Skew Angle Block with a removable side, enabling it to function as a rabbet plane. Like the Stanley no. 140, the Sargent no. 507 can function as both a rabbet plane and a normal block plane.

You can see the critical stress area is at the top of the cheeks

Manufactured from 1919 to 1947, the no. 507 is a very functional, albeit somewhat fragile design. The cheeks are easily cracked or broken if the plane is dropped or mishandled. However, used with care, this is one of the most functional of all specialty block plane designs. Using a mechanism similar to low angle blocks, the blade depth is adjustable via the rear knob. The throat is not adjustable, but for a rabbet plane this isn’t much of a handicap. The front knob is mahogany, which looks very much like rosewood and is screwed into place via a steel screw that attaches to a raised boss at the toe of the plane.

For more information on Sargent Planes including the #514, I strongly recommend Don Wilwol’s fantastic reference book, The Sargent Hand Plane Reference Guide for Collectors and Woodworkers!