Realized my dad's old hand plane cuts way better than my new $200 one

Took me bringing my granddad's 1950s Stanley No. 5 to the cabinet shop last Tuesday and getting a perfect shaving on oak while my fancy modern one still chatters on pine to see that the old steel and a good sharpening beat any new gimmick every time - anyone else have a vintage tool that just works better?

3 comments

3 Comments

ninab951mo ago

Oh, I hear you loud and clear. That shiny new plane probably has a plastic handle and a blade that's ground to a terrible angle, right? I've been down that road myself. What really got my attention was you mentioning the chatter on pine. That's a dead giveaway the blade geometry or the sole flatness is off. Have you tried checking the sole of your new plane with a straightedge? I've found that most new planes need at least an hour on a flat surface with sandpaper before they'll even think about behaving. The frog alignment on those modern ones can be a real headache too. Makes you wonder what they spent that $200 on, doesn't it?

parker_bailey1mo ago

Hey @ninab95, I gotta say I'm not totally convinced it's that deep though. I've pulled brand new planes out of the box, checked the sole with a straightedge, and it was flat enough for what I do around the shop. That chatter on pine could just be user technique or a dull blade that needs a quick hone, not a sign the whole tool is junk. Spending an hour sanding the sole sounds like overkill unless you're building guitars or something super precise. I think people sometimes overthink this stuff and scare off beginners who just want to smooth a board for a shelf.

ninaross1mo ago

parker_bailey said it's not that deep, but honestly I think that's exactly the problem. People settle for "good enough" and end up fighting their tools for years without realizing it.