The Stanley 151 is a design that has been around for nearly 100 years. In general, the tool worked well in a variety of situations (on both concave and convex surfaces, end grain, and spindle work), and its low price makes it very appealing. The blade is easy to adjust and remove for sharpening, and a lever cap keeps it steady in use. On the downside, the castings and machining were a bit rough on the tool I tested, and the tool was susceptible to a high-pitched chatter, even after sharpening the blade. I was able to reduce the chatter by giving the shave a complete tune-up.

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