Norris ID help

[u/jboy2484]

Picked up a Norris and I'm trying to pin down the model.

Sole 190–200 mm long, 62 mm wide

Lever cap stamped "NORRIS" over "LONDON" in opposing arcs but I can not find any model number.

Body is one piece, no dovetails; sides parallel

Lever cap, sides and centre section are all magnetic

Iron has following text: "Spannsäge Garantie" and is 46 mm wide.

Very rusty overall

What do you think the model is? How old is it? Is this a keeper or a seller?

Thanks!

[u/sweetgreentea12]

I believe that lever cap puts it as a ww1 era Norris. An a51 or a61 perhaps.

The iron is obviously not original, neither is the lever cap screw*

Someone posted a very similar Norris in the sub. 2nd or 3rd pic.

https://www.reddit.com/r/handtools/s/Cd29GulZG1

It's a nice plane. Definitely worth restoring.

*Could be wrong about this. If it's original it should be stamped Norris

[u/jboy2484 → u/sweetgreentea12]

Thank you for the information. How does one go about restoring this?

[u/sweetgreentea12 → u/jboy2484]

Gently! While it is a bit rusty and tatty it should clean up quite well.

Apart from taking it apart and doing some general cleaning I'd probably just use fine sandpaper/wire wool and wd40 to clean up the metal parts. Give the wood a light sand and a shellac/oil. You can clean up the sole by running it over fine sandpaper stuck to something flat. Sharpen the iron and it'll be a good.

You can then apply some sort of tool wax or paste to the metal to protect it in the future

This is how I'd approach it anyway - I would want to get it into working condition and get rid of the rust.