Older Lie Nielsen plane blades

[Lee Ludden]

I recently purchased several unused, but older Lie-Nielsen planes that were made prior to them using the A-2 cryogenically-treated steel. Are the newer blades noticeably better? Enough so to make buying new blades worthwhile?

[Mike Henderson]

I can't imagine the new blades would be so much better that you should replace what you have.

Mike

[Tri Hoang]

I just got an old LN#5 complete with the old chip breaker and blade. After a little tune up, it seems to perform well. Blade is sharp & edge is OK but not as durable as my newer A2 blade (at 33*).

[Jim Koepke]

If you do decide to buy new blades, I will be happy to take the old blades off your hands.

If my memory is correct, the early LN blades were A1 steel. I was not able to find much information on A1 steel online.

About the only thing I can find comparing A1 and A2 is that there is more carbon in the A1.

jim

[Larry Williams]

The early LN irons are W-1 or 1095 which is the same thing. I think they're better than the later A-2 irons. Water hardening steel has finer grain and will take a keener edge. It will also stand up well to traditional bevel angles, a feature I think is important.

[Lee Ludden]

Thanks for the responses. I had purchased a large number of older, but unused LN planes as part of a larger purchase and am in the process of selling the duplicates and ones that I don't plan on using any time soon. The guy who purchased the #5 Jack plane expressed concern that the older blade was significantly inferior to the current one and wanted to return it. I don't want someone unhappy with a sale so I am refunding his money, but I wanted to know how much validity there was to his concern.

[Joel Goodman]

The early LN irons are W-1 or 1095 which is the same thing. I think they're better than the later A-2 irons. Water hardening steel has finer grain and will take a keener edge. It will also stand up well to traditional bevel angles, a feature I think is important.

This is as close to receiving the word from on high as we are all likely to get. If I was buyer I'd be reassured!

[Sam Takeuchi]

I think the concern comes from Brent Beach's LN W1 blade testing result. He gave it rather low esteem on this particular blade. You can read it here (http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/LNW1test.html).

You should simply make buyer aware that these are with earlier W1 blade. If buyer is aware and fine with that, then I don't think you should have problem selling it. Though if you don't inform your potential buyer, then taking return is the right thing to do. I don't think you should worry too much about it as long as you make sure potential buyer know it's W1.