Faithful, Stanley or Irwin Plane

[Apps]

I am looking for a little advice from those with more experience please. I am looking to buy a bench plane to smooth smaller pieces (10cm to 50 cm) of timber in a hobby environment. Having looked around and read various websites and looked at the dreaded "You Pipe" videos I believe I am really looking at a No 4 type plane.

When it comes to brand there appears to be a huge cost difference £25 to £55 between the three brands Faithfull Irwin and Stanley.

So, is there any actual difference in the quality or would I merely be paying for a name? weirdly Stanley (the more expensive) appear to have plastic handles.

Does anyone have any experience of the brands in question.

Oh and no, the significant other will not permit a purchase of veritas etc Many thanks in advance.

 

[kmcleod]

my advice, go with something like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12695492...OuEbmtE41wvqsQFwnfv4lV4g==|tkp:Bk9SR7DPps2rZQ

second hand stanley 5 1/2 planes on ebay, watch some some tube videos on how ro flatten the sole, sharpen the blade, and 'tune up' the tool, and go from there.

older second hand tools work well if you tune them up, and cost a fraction of the Lie Neilsen / Vertias offerings out there, and are a good way into building skills and knowledge

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I am looking for a little advice from those with more experience please. I am looking to buy a bench plane to smooth smaller pieces (10cm to 50 cm) of timber in a hobby environment. Having looked around and read various websites and looked at the dreaded "You Pipe" videos I believe I am really looking at a No 4 type plane.

When it comes to brand there appears to be a huge cost difference £25 to £55 between the three brands Faithfull Irwin and Stanley.

So, is there any actual difference in the quality or would I merely be paying for a name? weirdly Stanley (the more expensive) appear to have plastic handles.

Does anyone have any experience of the brands in question.

Oh and no, the significant other will not permit a purchase of veritas etc Many thanks in advance.

Do not purchase any new and cheap planes. They are all cr@p and will cause much frustration. You can get them to work, but they will require many, many hours of fettling. Better to buy a good vintage Stanley or Record #4. Ensure it is rust free and complete. Even better still, get one that has been fettled by someone who is knowledgeable.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Eshmiel]

Or make one - easier than you might imagine. Mind, one way of making them requires a plane. Dang that Catch 22!

I've made some from scrap wood but using Veritas metal parts (blade & adjuster) for around £70 each. They work very well and are easily maintained. One learns a lot in making them. But you do require some tools to do the making.

*************
Derek is right about ultra cheap modern planes. They may be fettle-able with the many hours, watching-how and developing skills via mistakes (which may mean you need to begin again with another one). But they may also be unfettle-able and so a consumer of many, many hours of your time; and your temper.

The thing about the likes of Veritas and Lie-Nielsen is that they hold their value. Effectively you can "hire" one for, say, five years by buying then selling for what you paid or more.

 

[Apps]

my advice, go with something like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126954926682?_skw=stanley+5+1/2+plane&itmmeta=01JNED9MYFM0H57DHHDTK69634&hash=item1d8f1a725a:g:QZ4AAeSw15FnuNvy&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1d873XiwCwpHfV6vccSxhEL6upMbuJO2DBzwBxohcS6aobDaShU/x7kDlKDCuUfMjzvwO3bKsEhz/CZ6394yteM2TA8aC8inHT28WjfahtZj6TkMYogthl5r4EMklfhR6HSRAvYTcoT6ilTTbPuTwk8HCInFVTuldUmjbMZRXvg78qXNmwRUS7v+HgBhaaE/Hoc2jJJNyBlDbO9hPtfG7Ci99ZBkCIXJuT8nXToAxQ1m3M4s+nc9N1k67nEnbtDp2kIJbJuCJ8yXvo0QWQJnwOuEbmtE41wvqsQFwnfv4lV4g==|tkp:Bk9SR7DPps2rZQ

second hand stanley 5 1/2 planes on ebay, watch some some tube videos on how ro flatten the sole, sharpen the blade, and 'tune up' the tool, and go from there.

older second hand tools work well if you tune them up, and cost a fraction of the Lie Neilsen / Vertias offerings out there, and are a good way into building skills and knowledge

I Certainly will not be buying the Lie Neilsen / Vertias offerings.

Second hand looks very appealing, if a little more expensive but I assume the quality is better than the current day versions. I'm not afraid to have a go at tuning up / restoration, but I'm always concerned of being sold a pup, hence looking at new.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Second hand looks very appealing, if a little more expensive but I assume the quality is better than the current day versions. I'm not afraid to have a go at tuning up / restoration, but I'm always concerned of being sold a pup, hence looking at new

Just looking on eBay and there seems to be quite a few decent looking no 4’s available for under £25. It’s not too difficult to avoid pups. A bit of surface rust is not a problem but make sure the sole has no pitting*. Buy a Record or Stanley. Avoid anything with any cracks in the body. I’d go for one with a brass knob for adjusting the depth of cut as it probably means it’s older and made before quality was sacrificed to compete just on price.

* A few on eBay don’t have pictures of the soles - it may be worth messaging the sellers (who may not know what they are selling) to ask them to provide an extra picture.

 

[RobNichols]

I have Faithful No.7 and No.10 planes. Due to their nature they aren't used a lot, but are just the ticket for some jobs. I'm really pleased with them. The No.7 needed a little flattening to start with, but that was only a little work, and since then it's done excellent service. When I was starting out their low price allowed me to get these planes when even second hand ones would have cost me two or three times as much.

Then when I wanted to get a low angled plane new seemed the right way to go as second hand ones aren't that common and are relatively expensive IMO. I went for a Melbourne and am very pleased with it.

However, for standard planes 3, 4, 4 1/2, 5 and 6 I've gone second hand and I don't regret that decision. They are cheap and it is not at all difficult to pick up a good one.

That said my favourite planes (the 3 and 5) have been greatly enhanced by adding hock blades and chip breakers. When you add the cost of good blades and modern chipbreakers to the price of a second hand plane, the price of some good new planes looks less extravagant.

If I was looking to go for a safe bet by going new for a standard plane, I think I'd be looking at getting a Verum or Quangsheng. They combine a decent design with a solid modern blade and chipbreaker.

I expect I'll continue buying second hand because I enjoy fettling them. But for someone new to planes, I'd suggest they look at the Verum and Quangsheng ranges.