All,
This is a series of philosophical thoughts concerning purchasing a plane. Krenov said,
“I make a good plane & then somebody else comes along & tells me it’s a good plane because this angle is like this, & this thing is like that, and you’ve got the wedge this way, and you’ve got the opening like that. And I say,”Oh, is that what make it good? I didn’t worry about that. I just made it.” Later on he says, “You can get so exact that you immobilize yourself with accuracy.”
What makes a “good” plane? Is it that the sole is ground to .0001″ or is it that you were able to plane a piece of wood and that your objective for that wood was met?
Krenov says,”Somewhere there is a flexibility that relates to the kind of person you are and the kind of work you do, and it has nothing to do with sloppiness. It’s just flexible enough to keep you from being paralyzed.”
I get the feeling from reading an article about Krenov (“Making Music with a Plane”) that maybe striving for the most accurate tool, whatever that may be, is really not the point in woodworking but producing results that are emotionally satisfying may be. That the means to the end is not all it is cranked up to be but the end justifies the means.
“A plane is no better than it’s cutting edge. But you can develop an imbalance in the relationship of your work and the sharpening. There should be a nice balance between the time you work and the time you care for your tools, …”
I think that the point here is that we become too obsessed with the tool and not what is produced by the tool.
Can a Stanley #whatever produce the same results as a L-N #whatever & 1/2? In the end will the results be the same and are you more interested in how you got there or what you produced? (What could you do with the difference in cost between the two?)
I believe that some of us are engineers and some of us are salesmen & for each type of personality there is a tool which satisfies us in some unspeakable emotional way which in our heart-of-hearts gives us satisfaction beyond measure. We both can achieve the results that we want but the road taken varies based upon our personality.
I guess that is why we can all be thankful that there is more than one manufacturer for almost every tool produced. We can also be thankful that we all don’t want to be garbagemen.
I haven’t decided which plane to buy and really it matters little so long as it is a good quality tool and will help me to produce quality furniture.
“You don’t get carried away by the fact that it an antique or that George Washington used it or something. You just think of what it will do and what you can do with it.”
Would T L-N say that?
The Undisciplined Life Is Not Worth Examining.
Replies
I have both LN's and shopmade planes. They all have a job to do and do it well. Most often, one works better on a piece of wood better than the others, so that's the one I use.
I also own numerous antique moulding planes. Most all have cost me somewhere in the range of $15 - $25 each. At one time or another I have used them all and keep them sharpened and ready to go to work. I don't own a plane/tool that is for sitting on the shelf and looking at.
DLB,
I have only a few planes... and they're all over the map in terms of price and fit and finish. My block plane, which I reach for most, is a middle-of-the-road Stanely that's not very nice to look at. I keep the blade sharp and I even polish it -because it helps get the job done. I get good results w/ the finer planes, also, and depending on what I'm working on, I sometimes prefer using them - simply because I get the same results while enjoying using a fine tool.
I also love to flyfish - and there are parallels between it and woodworking. One is that I can catch a trout on any flyrod, but I really enjoy having one of my finer rods/reels in my hand. Not sure why, but I know it adds to the whole experience for me... sort of how having a nicely fitted & finished woodworking tool can add to the experience (more than it adds to the results)...
My point is that I think that some people find an intangible value in using a fine tool. I don't think it has much to do w/ the results in most cases, but it's the experience... and that's what I'm after when I flyfish or woodwork - the experience. So if having a $300 LN in your hand is more satisfying than having the extra $250 in your hand, I say go for it. If you're totally focused on the work and aren't a tool-romantic, then I'd save the money, tune up your $50 plane and get to work. That's just my view on it.
TPZ
My feeling about this is mixed. I had a Norris A-6 for several years, I liked it and it gave me a certain feeling. But after some time I realized that I didn't want the tool I was using to be more important than the work. I'm not an artist in any sense of the word and I strive for plain craftsmanship. Other than some I inherited from my grandfather I've sold most of the tools that I felt were either extravagant or unsuitable for my workshop. I want to feel honest when I work and for me that means using tools that are suitable to the work and my ability level. I also think it's important to say that money is a consideration for me.
I think you guys are over thinking this. All Kenov is saying is don't get too caught up in the tools. Cutting wood is the fun part, not mucking with tools.
I also do a little archery. I shoot some local tournamnets and do OK. I shoot a simple recurve with no sights or other acceories. I don't like adjusting equipment, I just want to fling arrows. Some guys do nothing but tinker with their bows. They have the wrong focus according to Krenov. They are focused on their tools and not the joy of shooting arrows.
I'm not sure what Lie-Neilsen would say. I've never read anything by him. But I bet he agrees. That is why he makes his wonderful tools. So woodworkers can focus on the work and not have to fuss with the tools.
These are some of the best responses I’ve ever read on this subject. I too have L-N’s and home made planes, (after reading Krenov), and both are very useful, that curly cherry really needed the L-N 4 ½ and came out great. One thing to keep in mind, Krenov never built an eight foot tall secretary, so his tools were geared toward smallish cabinets and the like.
I fly fish and am an avid clays shooter, the better the tool, rod or double gun, the better I feel about the sport. But if no fish are landed or clays broken, the effort was not as rewarding. The same with woodworking, the tools are fun, but the cherry bedroom suite I built for my only daughter for her new place, now that is rewarding!
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