55/51/1-3

The downright shave is a tool used by coopers in the preliminary stages of smoothing the outside of a cask, before it is finished with a buzz shave. The shave is pushed downwards, hence its name, away from the operator to take away the wood shavings. The blade of this shave is inscribed 'I. & R. Sorby'. It was used in the cooper's shop at H. & G. Simonds Ltd., known as the Bridge Street Brewery, in Reading.

1 cooper's shave: wood; iron

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'The downright shave is used before the buzz for smoothing the outside of a new or repaired cask. The tool which is similar in general shape to the carpenter's spoke shave is pushed downwards away from the operator to take away their shavings of wood. The tool measures 11 inches wide and 4.5 inches in maximum depth', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – [Coopering – General Card, 55/37–55/56 and 55/66–55/68] – 'This set of Cooper's tools came to the Museum from the Cooper's Department, Messrs H & G Simonds The Brewery, Reading. Although the majority of the tools are modern, indeed some of them were never used, the tools are nevertheless the same as have been used for centuries by both urban and rural coopers.'

Wood, Metal, iron