Having a vintage tool missing a part can be aggravating, and you often find that the going price for a part can make that bargain incomplete tool anything but a bargain. I’m always delighted when I find out there is a common source for replacement parts.

I was idly scanning through Instagram this week, when I came across a wonderful Hand Tool Of The Day https://www.instagram.com/handtooloftheday/ post. They had thought to try out a Veritas small router plane cutter in a Stanley 271 small router. It works! I happen to have both the Veritas small router plane, and a Record 271. I popped out to the workshop to see how well it worked in the Record.

It’s a very snug fit, but it works in the Record too! I’m not very fond of the Veritas Small Router. I’ve found it very difficult to lock the cutter down well enough that it does not move and twist in use. The same cutter in the record is rock solid. I tried some deep aggressive cuts, and it never shifted at all. So if you happen to have a 271 style router plane missing a cutter, check out the Veritas small router plane cutter. They are cheap and easy to buy. As an added advantage Veritas sell a cheap depth stop to attach to this cutter, which will work fine with your 271 as well.

Many thanks for Hand Tool Of The Day for this wonderful part source!

271 cutter

Hand Tool of The Day’s (https://www.instagram.com/handtooloftheday/) photo showing the cutter and depth stop in use in a Stanley 271

271 cutter

The Record 271 and Veritas small router side by side.

271 cutter

Record 271 with Veritas cutter and depth stop installed

271 cutter

Test cut’s, it’s rock solid. Made some fairly deep aggressive cuts and the cutter works better than in the plane its designed for