Hi, new here and new to woodworking. I’m looking for advice for the a first hand plane. I feel like would be using it to clean up after using a dewalt planer, clean edges and genral use. Watching various video on YouTube. I think my options are the block, 4.5 and the 5.5. I don’t have large hands (I’m 5’7″). And I don’t feel the weight of the 5.5 would be an issue. I have enough money to buy something premium so looking at LN or LV. Rob cosman highly recommends the WR (for obvious reasons) and finally the Clifton. What are your views and advice?
Thank you.
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Replies
The LN planes are very good as are the Lee Valley. If you can afford it, I recommend you get a LN rabbit block plane which is very versatile. It can be used as a block plane and also used to clean up tenons. I would also recommend you get a Number 4 smoothing plane which you can use for lots of things including cleaning up surfaces and edges. The other thing I would recommend you do is to learn what is meant by "a sharp tool" and learn how to sharpen plane blades and chisels. Having really sharp cutting tools and learning how to get there is a real game changer and will help you enjoy your new hobby. You will get lots and lots of opinions on this site as you have asked a universal type question. Since you are new at this I suggest you focus on getting what you eventually buy to work well. There are tons of articles and videos on setting up planes and how to sharpen. Any tool you buy no matter how good will need to be sharpened and honed before you can use it properly and there after. So along with the planes you will need some sharpening stones and a honing guide. A good starter honing guide can be gotten for around $20 and you can get some Norton combination stones to get started, 220, 1000, 4000, 8000; will be two stones. Good luck and enjoy the adventure.
If you have the budget, I’d go with either a LN or LV (I’m a LN user). Try to avoid buying a bunch of lower end planes instead of one good one. As Hotdogman mentioned, buy your complete sharpening system along with your first hand plane.
#62 Low Angle Jack Plane should definitely be considered.
Similar to the others advise - I would recommend buying the best quality sharpening stones you can afford before buying a hand plane.
You will never regret purchasing a LN or LV.
A lot of people have said that a low angle jack is a good start. I'm a primarily a power tool user so i feel i wouldn't get as much use out of a #62 as I'll be using a jointer/planer. My idea was to use the hand tools to clean up the cut marks and to learn the tool. I don't know how things will turn out in the future, I do like the idea of a hand tool, feels more natural like manual drive. Also I've been watching a lot of Rob Cosman videos and would go for a #5.5 over #62. I don't know if this is even the right thinking process.
Rob Cosman is OK but remember his background as a tool sales person and he currently represents Wood River in Canada. I have bought some items from his company some of which he was reselling under his name at an increased price. The Wood River 5-1/2 is a good plane once tuned up. I own one but don't use it much. It is pretty heavy and on the large side. It would be good for facing boards and jointing edges. You said you are mostly a machine person at the moment. I don't think it would be my first plane to buy.
Yeah that's the consensus im reaching right now. More likely to go with a 4.5 and a block plane. I've been going around in circles with this, which number? which company ? Which is right for me?
Hi, thanks for the response.
I did buy the Trend diamond sharpening kit with the 300/1000 with the stropping leather and paste (thats like 8000+?)
hopefully that will be enough to get started. I know shapton do a 16000 ceramic stone but that honestly scares me lol
I've sharpen knives for cooking before using water stones 300> 1000 > 6000 but never tried tool iron.
The mindset i was in was when i wrote the OP was to go for the LN 4.5 for the extra weight and size and maybe the LV block but i will have a look at the rabbet block. Do you feel the 4 is better? why?
The wife has given me the budget to get both with a little change (she initially ok'ed me to get the LV 3 plane combo of #4 #6 and LA block with PM-11 so that's around $610)
i just feel like i wont like the Norris style. Being British i feel like Clifton is calling me...Its a nice problem to have so I don't want to squander the funds without asking what others thought.
I personally have never owned a Clifton plane so I can't speak to that. They have a good reputation. I have a LN smoothing plane and the rabbit block plane. I use them quite a bit and they do a wonderful job once you get them sharpened and honed up. I would start there and you will find your way to other planes to add as you use these. You are just starting so the end is not yet in sight. Your sharpening set up doesn't seem quite right to me. Diamond stones are ok but they can't get as fine a grain as you need. At least buy a Norton 4000/8000 combination stone with a honing guide and use that after your diamond stuff. You need to get the back of the blades close to the cutting edge to a mirror shine. You should be able to see your reflection in the blade. I have a English friend who also has allegiances. He just bought a 1960's Triumph Bonneville and is knee deep in the project. I like him he calls me "mate".
I thought the leather strop and paste takes it too the 8k range? i do have some cash left over so i could get the Shapton ceramic stones either 8k or the 16k.
i did get the veritas side clamping honing guide hopefully that should fit my needs.
If the Clifton had a union jack on it I probably already bought it lol
Im originally from Manchester but im living in CA right now. we say mate, but we say "luv" more lol
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My go-to is a Stanley 4 1/2 with a hock iron. I bought it from Patrick Leach with the description of it being a heavier than usual casting, might have been made in England if that tugs at you. Wider than a #4, as heavy as a #5. Feels great in my fairly thick paws.
Leather & paste IMO round a bevel leading to quick blunting. I will accept an argument for paste on MDF as a finishing stroke, but I would (did) buy the Shapton.
oh, i didnt know that about the leather and paste. would you still recommend it then? Because i ordered it today, i can still cancel and spend the $25 towards the Shapton. Amazon has a sale on them. Get back to me asap please so i can cancel or keep ><
for the Shapton would you say go for a 8k or the 16k?
spend the money on some sharpening stones. The leather strop is used while you work to keep an edge a while longer. That should come later on.
I dislike the 4.5 and 5.5. It's not the weight of the tool, but the width of the blade. Wider shavings are just more difficult than narrow. It makes a big difference. I'm not little, at 6'-3", and 220. But the #4 just gives me more control and better results. At times I prefer the #3, depending on what I'm doing.
If I lost all my tools and had to start over, my purchases, in order, would be:
L-N low angle block plane
L-N #4
Vintage #5 with cambered blade for roughing
L-N #7
Does the 3/8 really make a difference? im 5'7" and i wanted something a bit heavier. so i went with the 4.5. I hope i didnt make the wrong choice. I guess i'll fine out when it gets here, if i feel like its not right i'll return and wait for the #4 in bronze
When you see the .5 for a plane it has a wider body and blade. I find them a bit cumbersome to deal with and get better results with the standard models.
I think in a smoother weight is nice, but with a narrower blade. The LN bronze #4 is very popular for that reason, and probably because it’s also attractive. I finally bought one and it’s an almost perfect plane. I don’t see much purpose for a #4 1/2 in my work. If you are just cleaning up very minor marks from a well setup power planer even a longer plane like a #6 works well if you need a wider blade for a wide board. I find a narrower plane is easier to use on edges.
I started with diamond stones. They still have their purposes in my shop, but mostly the coarser ones for flattening the water stones and old tool blades. With a new LN iron you should be able to get by perfectly well with a Norton 4000 and 8000 set, though adding in the 1000 would useful. I no longer use the strop either - it’s too easy to mess up the cutting edge angle with pressure.
Step off the plank mate. You will never have enough tools anyway. Start with a good block plane and a smoothing plane and go from there. Even the best tools will not cut properly if not sharpened and honed before the first use. You will find that the better tools will shape up faster because they get them close to being ready for use.
First off, I have LN 4, 5, 7, 60.5 Block and Rabbeting Block, and the 62 low angle jack. I had a Veritas LA jack...but hated that Norris adjuster with a passion, and it came with PM-V11 steel blade...sent it back. I would avoid the PM-V11 like the plague. I have only the highest respect for LN...they are so well made and perform so well. I have some rehabbed Stanley's with great Hock blades but they just don't have the "feel" of the LNs. I do use a 073 Record shoulder plane infrequently and like it.
Second, I bought the 60.5 block first and probably use it the most...so probably I would recommend getting that first. The 4 and 5 get used second most (5 for jointing short boards). And then the LA jack for cleaning/mitering board ends etc. The 7 for jointing long boards.
I would buy all of them again in a heartbeat.
As others have recommended, start with a quality low angle block (many, many uses) followed by a quality smoother — my personal preference is LN. While I have both, I would start with the adjustable mouth block over the rabbet version for the flexibility of the adjustable mouth. The rabbetting function is sometimes handy, but can also be accomplished with a more versatile shoulder plane.
For a smoother, I would start with either the 62 (with a couple of irons) or the bronze #4. I have both, along with a vintage Stanley #4 with an A2 iron. For final smoothing nothing beats the bronze #4; its extra heft over the iron version powers through gnarly grain, which would also be a greater challenge with a 4-1/2 due to its added width. The 62 is great for shooting both edge and end grain, as well as for face planing of very gnarly grain using a high bevel angle on one of the irons.
As for sharpening, truly sharp means 2 mirror polished faces that meet at an angle. I agree with others that a strop can round over (or dub) an edge, so it is no longer truly sharp. Personally, I polish both the backs and the micro-bevel with a 1200 grit diamond stone followed by a 10,000 grit Shapton. With that I can plane curls that are .001” to .0015” thick, including on end grain. Ready to finish — no sanding needed.
So i pulled the trigger last night. I ended up getting the Lie-Nielson #4.5 and a #60.5 Rabbet block. if they had the bronze #4 I think I would of bought that instead. hopefully I don't regret my decision.
I want to thank everyone who has commented and helped me with this. Have a great weekend.
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All great advice. I have LN but not until I was retired. I also love LV. But if you’re new and learning also consider FaceBook marketplace to find some great vintage Stanley’s or Bailey. Take some time to clean and true up and have some fun while you learn.
Found a very, very old wood pattern maker chest. Filled. White vinegar and simple green.
More pinch dogs then I’ve ever seen😁
Anyway can’t go wrong either way.
All fun.
Just wanted to check... You have sharpening stones, yeah? And a sharpening jig?
There's honestly no way to use a plane without having them, and it can be really disheartening to try.
Yeah, I have the Trend diamond stone 300/1000 and the leather strop + paste (it came as a package with the lapping fluid). I over spent on this whole venture so the Shapton needs to wait a little longer. I also have the Veritas side clamping honing guide. Hopefully that should ok for the time being.
You might want a stone with a couple of smaller grits to go with that (a proper wet stone not a diamond one).
But I guess see how you go!
It's a really big jump from 1,000 to strop. Too big. I don't think you'll be happy until you get a 4,000 and 8,000.
The absolute BEST advice I can give you is this: Learn. To. Sharpen. First. Until you have this down, no hand plane is going to function as it should. The corollary is, once you CAN sharpen, you can buy any plane on your list and make it work beautifully. “Sharpen This,” by Chris Schwarz at Lost Art Press, is the best $20 you can spend; it makes it all very simple. Good luck!
I second mrchuck's recommendation of "Sharpen This." And, while you are on the Lost Art Press website, order "The Anarchist's Tool Chest." So much of that book is about which hand tools, including handplanes, one should consider purchasing first, what to look for in hand tools, how to purchase used tools, etc. Yeah, it would be awesome to build that tool chest, too. But the book is so much more than that. "The Anarchist's Tool Chest" is the book I recommend to beginning woodworkers...whether they think they want to focus on machine tools, or hand tools (you'll likely end up working with both anyways). It is an excellent introduction to the craft.
3 out of 10 WoodRiver planes are out of square on the shooting board. I’m willing to pay a little more for the LN plane if it has tighter tolerances. Anyone have experience with this?
Yes I had to put a Wood River 5-1/2 on my sander to get the sides square. I also have one of their block planes which is a pain in the neck to use. They have a spring loaded hold down which has a tendency to pop open. I agree spend a little more and get something with better machining.