Via the Online OED: mid 16th century: from the verb rub + -er1. The
original sense was 'an implement (such as a hard brush) used for
rubbing and cleaning.' Because an early use of the elastic substance
(previously known as caoutchouc) was to rub out pencil marks=2C rubber
gained the sense 'eraser' in the late 18th century The sense was
subsequently (mid 19th century) generalized to refer to the substance
in any form or use=2C at first often differentiated as India
rubberI.e.=2C a scrub plane.-T

> Date: Fri=2C 10 Aug 2012 08:48:17 -0400 Subject: Re: [OldTools] Re:
> Case plane / rubber plane? From: zacharydillinger@g... To:
> oldtools@r...
>> My first thought was a long plane=2C for making rubbed edge
>> joints=2C but
> I see the inventory has a jointer plane already and the rubber plane
> isn't listed with the bench planes. I suspect this might be one of
> those things that will be difficult to get a good answer on=2C as the
> eccentric nature of local names for tools makes it tough to figure
> out. For example=2C who would ever think a "cut and thrust" would
> refer to a dado plane? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
>> If you look at the implied motion of "rubber plane"=2C as in used to
> rub=2C rather than the material rubber=2C it might suggest a scrub
> plane or a scraper plane=2C neither of which explicitly appear on the
> inventory. I would expect them to be near the bench planes on the
> list=2C but I've seen historical inventories that are rather jumbled.
> Those are my best guesses but=2C as I said=2C I suspect this will be
> tough to deduce.
>> --
> Zachary Dillinger The Eaton County Joinery
> www.theeatoncountyjoinery.com 517-231-3374
>>> On Fri=2C Aug 10=2C 2012 at 5:18 AM=2C Thomas Conroy
>>>  wrote:
> > Tom=2C
> >
> > Don may be on to something. My gut feeling is that "rubber plane"
> > means "a plane that rubs" or possibly "a plane to make something
> > that rubs" rather than "a plane made out of the material called
> > rubber" or "a plane for cutting the material called rubber."
> >
> > A fast check on-line suggested that "rubber" for the material was in
> > use by the end of the 18th century (anyone have the OED? I didn't
> > buy it when it was cheap=2C more fool me)=3B however=2C I suspect
> > that the abbreviated term was still rare in the 1840s=2C and that
> > "caotchouc" or "india rubber" would have been more common.
> > Furthermore=2C vulcanization was patented only in 1844 and before
> > vulcanization the uses for rubber were very limited since it became
> > brittle in moderately cold weather and sticky in moderately warm
> > weather. With so few tools available at the Back of Beyond (fair
> > enough=2C Tom?) I doubt they would have hauled along a special plane
> > just for a rare and little-used material.
> >
> > Tom Conroy Berkeley
> >

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