Several weeks ago, I posted a request for advice about hand planes on this forum. I recieved many replys (all helpful). I thought I’d update people on what I’ve learned since then.
I bought two old Bailey planes, a #3 and a #4, both about 1920 vintage, and I was given a Baily #5, post WWII vintage. The fit/finish/performance of the planes is vastly superior to the late model Stanley and Record planes I had previously been cursed with. I have after market blades in the #3 and #5 and that, of course, helps a lot.
I bought an old Sargent #4. It is junky and I wouldn’t buy another one. The frog bedding is cheezy. The handles are of poor quality. The whole thing is disappointing. Maybe Sargent made a higher grade plane, but the one I have – which is marked only with ‘made in USA’ and it says ‘Sargent’ on the blade – isn’t worth owning.
I bought a Fulton #5. It is obviously less massive than the Baily #5. But the blade in it is almost as thick as a Hock. Overall, it is a good tool and Fultons don’t cost nearly as much as a Bailey.
I also bought a Millers Falls #90CBG (same size as a #4). It was made around 1960. The finish isn’t as nice as the Bailey #4 (I’ve been told the older Millers Falls #9s are nicer than the #90), but the thing is like a tank. It isn’t pretty, but it does the job. Millers Falls #90s can be had for very cheap prices and mine performs as well as my Bailey.
Several people recommended that I look at wood bodied planes. A few specifically mentioned the planes made by Steve Knight. I bought one of his 45 degree coffin smoothers. It is a beautiful tool and it handles tricky grain better than any of my metal bodied planes, though it will still tear especially tricky grain. The blade is truely massive and is about 0.25″ thick. I plan on making one myself with a bed angle of 50 degrees or so.
If anybody out there is tired of fussing with a cheap record plane, I’d suggest without hesitation that they chuck that record into the trash and by an old plane. I’d probably get a millers falls. The baileys are cosmetically better, but they cost maybe twice what a millers falls goes for. Use the savings to buy a Hock blade.
Replies
I have bought a number of Sargent planes and find them to be equivalent to older Stanleys if you by the proper vintage. I snap up Sargent "VBM" types whenever I see them. These planes were made in the teens through the 30's if my memory serves. VBM stood for "Very Best Made" and were Sargent's premium line.
My favorites in the Stanley/Bailey Bench Plane line are the types 11, 12. & 13. They have all the better fittings of the later Stanley planes, but are just better made, in my opinion. Cast iron is better, machining is better. All Stanley blades should be replaced with something akin to a Hock blade. They're to thin, and to soft. Try stroking a Stanley blade across a diamond lap then try a Hock blade. You'll see what I mean in the first stroke.
The older Sargent VBM autoset planes are pretty darn good.
My favorite in the Stanley line is my type 11 #4-1/2. Heavy casting and it cuts like a dream.
However, all vintage cast iron planes need a little TLC to get them humming. If you don't want to do that, then go buy a Lie-Nielsen or a Steve Knight plane.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Fulton is a Sears trade name and most Fulton planes were made by Sargent. I suspect both your Sargent and Fulton were made by the same people.
DGermeroth,
I must be the luckiest plane buyer ever. Some of the planes in my hanger (har de har) are regularly bashed by others, but mine work as well as I could want.
For example, I got a brand new Record #7 at a widow's sale eight or so years ago. I spent a few hours getting the sole flat, sharpening the iron, and generally tuning it up. It worked just fine.
Later I stuck a Clifton iron and two piece cap iron into it. ZOOOM! There was a marked improvement in performance.
Even before I put the Clifton parts into it, I had no good reason to replace my Record jointer; now, with the Clifton irons installed, I'm never even tempted. I'm sure that a well tuned Lie-Nielsen #7 would work better than my Record--but not four-hundred dollars worth better.
As I said, perhaps I'm just lucky. Or perhaps, with some careful work and a better quality iron, any plane of reasonable quality will give good performance.
Alan
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