Coachmaker's rabbeting shave mystery

[Branson]

In the past two weeks I've found (and bought) two brass rabbeting shaves.  One in the wild, and one on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190658625220&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1120

After I bought the first one (at the dump) I did some research, and found the Stanley 71, but I also found a bunch
of brass shaves that were shop made, like the ones I bought.  In fact, there was one Stanley up for sale, and all
the rest were shop made.  They outnumber the Stanleys by something like 10 to 1.  Why was that?  Why were
all these guys casting their own when the tool was available off the shelf?  Quite a few were made to use the
Stanley blades (the first one has a Sweetheart blade). 

[lauver]

Branson,

I think scottg has made more than a couple of shaves and scrapes.  Perhaps he can shed some light on why people make their own.  I doubt it's only about the cost.  I suspect some guys just like the challange of makeing their own and other are shooting for the "better mouse trap".  Just a theory...

[rusty]

Are you certain they are hand/shop made? It is the kind of thing a small starting brass foundry could easily make and sell, it might not be very polished, but it could be made very cheaply...

An interesting related question is, was Stanley's unusually expensive?

[Branson]

Are you certain they are hand/shop made? It is the kind of thing a small starting brass foundry could easily make and sell, it might not be very polished, but it could be made very cheaply...
An interesting related question is, was Stanley's unusually expensive?

Yeah, I'm pretty certain the examples I've found are shop made, or made one-off by pattern makers.  There is some difference at work here.  I have a few shop-made planes, made for special and probably individual uses.  Like I have 12 molding planes that belonged to one of the RXR carpenters who worked on Pullman cars.  Six of these were his own make.  What I have found, though, is one Stanley 71, and one Stanley 61 (iron instead of brass), and about a dozen shop-mades, not counting the two I now have.  It's out of proportion, seems to me.  Maybe it can shed light on the "Stanley" marked brass examples.  I haven't researched original prices of the Stanley 71, but the numbers still seem out of proportion.

[Branson]

Branson,
I think scottg has made more than a couple of shaves and scrapes. 

I'm kinda waiting for Scott to weigh in on the topic myself.  Especially since he's the other spoke shave fanatic here abouts.

[rusty]

To answer my own question a bit, in 1940's"

Stanley 51  $6.60/12
Stanley 52  $7.20/12
Stanley 64  $4.80/12, 24c/extra blade
Bailey 151  $10.20/12
Bailey 152  $10.20/12, 25c/extra blade

In the same catalog, Buck Bros Socket Butt Chisels are $11.11/12
Stanley 140 Block Planes are $3.05/ea
Putty knives are .50/ea
So are standard Stanley screwdrivers
Fancy Hurwood Ice picks are $6.60/12

So,no, they weren't preposterously overpriced....
In fact, they are rather cheap.....
Cheap enough to be sold by the dozen...
For about the price of a good ice pick....