STANLEY 5-21-122 Surform Combination Planer File, 255 mm blade

STANLEY 5-21-122 Surform Combination Planer File, 255 mm blade

The STANLEY 5-21-122 is a combination plane-and-file from the Surform system, with a die-cast metal body and a replaceable 255 mm blade. The manufacturer designates it a SURFORM Metal Body Combination Planer File - a tool that works both as a plane and as a file.

Two working positions

The key feature is that the blade fits in two different positions. In one the tool is worked as a plane, with a long stroke across the surface. In the other it works as a file, with a more aggressive bite. One tool therefore covers both coarse stock removal and the smoothing that follows.

The Surform blade

The blade is perforated steel, 40 mm wide and 255 mm long. The holes pass shavings up and away instead of collecting them ahead of the edge - which is why a Surform does not clog on soft materials, where an ordinary file jams after a few strokes. The blade is replaceable; STANLEY states that the article is supplied with a standard-work blade, 5-21-293. The shop stocks both suitable consumables - 5-21-293 and 5-21-299.

Body and handle

The body is die-cast metal and 305 mm long, with a polypropylene handle. The metal body holds the blade taut and does not flex under pressure, which is the difference from the plastic planes in the same range. Overall dimensions are 300 x 115 x 40 mm at a weight of 1.38 kg.

Applications

Used for shaping and smoothing timber, plywood, plasterboard, gypsum board, plastic and soft non-ferrous metals. Typical jobs are taking a plasterboard edge back to the line, trimming a door that binds, and smoothing a ragged sawn edge.

Note on the designation

The manufacturer's marketing name says "310 mm" and refers to the body, whose specified length is 305 mm. The 255 mm in the shop record's name is the length of the blade - both figures come from STANLEY's data, they simply measure different parts.

Technical specifications

Questions and Answers