If you were buying a plane blade ....

[Bill Brush]

I have a Stanley #8C plane from my grandfather's collection. It was neglected for years, and the blade, while serviceable, has some nasty pits. The chipbreaker is also sub-par. So I have decided to replace both.

So far I have looked at:

Lee-Valley A1, O1, and PM-V11
Lie-Nielson
Hock

So the question is not "which one is best" but "Which one would *you* buy?" and "Why?"

I sharpen primarily with either oilstones or sheet abrasive.

[Jim Koepke]

In the past Hock blades and chip breakers have been fine for me. My choice was for the O1 over A1 or A2 and they have worked fine. They can be a bit more work if you want a super polished back.

My worry with Lie=Nielson is with the chip breaker. Some folks have reported problems with being able to use it to full advantage. In other words if it is set close to the edge it doesn't work properly with the depth adjustment.

L-V does have replacement blades and cap irons specifically for Stanley/Record planes. Their PM-V11 offering would be tempting me if a new blade was on my shopping list. My spoke shave came with a PM-V11 blade and it is impressive. L-V also seems to have the flat back system down pat.

Though my satisfaction with Hock replacement blades has been very high, the new PM-V11 could sway my opinion.

The biggest problem with PM-V11 is it is more work to get it sharp.

jtk

[Curt Putnam]

I bought my Stanley # 8 from Tablesaw Tom. I decided that the iron & chipbreaker combo ought to be the equal of the body and so I bought the Lee Valley PM-V11 iron & breaker combo. Haven't yet used it

[Daniel Rode]

I have a #4 with a modern thick iron and chip breaker. It works well. I also have a pre WWI #6 with a vintage iron and chip breaker. It's not much of a sample and I'm fairly new to hand planes but I prefer sharpening and using the vintage iron and chip breaker.

Again, both work well for me but the thinner iron is easy to sharpen and IMO holds and edge every bit as well. I don't notice any less chatter in the thicker iron. I find it easier to adjust the curved chip breaker and get it close to the iron's cutting edge (to reduce tearout). The old Stanley irons worked well for a century and seem to work for me today. I'm not a connoisseur or any kind of expert; just a guy trying to make shavings.

I sharpen with a combination of diamond and water stones but my irons should sharpen just as well with abrasive paper or oilstones.

[Bill Houghton]

Lee Valley. Their blades come flattened, and sharp enough that I've actually used them, just to try out, right out of the box. This is not based on any comparison testing; after reading here and other places posts saying, "And it only took me an afternoon to flatten the [aftermarket iron from a respected name]," I decided on LV because I have better things to do with my time than finish the work on an expensive aftermarket iron.

[David Weaver]

Any. Makes no real difference in how much work you'll do.

I personally would rather have a good stock iron and cap iron than any of the above, but a good clean vintage stock #8 iron and cap iron is difficult to find.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I just purchased two PM-V11 replacements from Lee-Valley; one for a #5 and one for a #6. So, now you know which way I would go :-)

[Kees Heiden]

No idea about LN and LV, but I'be got a Hock which is very good. It took almost no work to flatten the back, it takes a great edge which lasts long enough for O1.

[Moses Yoder]

I buy Hock irons because I like them. Then there is the fact that Hock is specializing in just the irons where the other companies are building the whole plane. If I buy a whole plane it might be a LN or LV but if I need an iron it's going to be a Hock. Hock sells some other stuff too but his mainstay is irons.

[bridger berdel]

I would be seriously considering the clifton chipbreaker.
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/clifton2-58two-piecechipbreaker.aspx

I'm quite happy with my vintage high carbon steel blades, so I'd be looking for something as close as I could get to that. these days that seems to be O1 steel.

[Tony Wilkins]

Stu and some of the other Japanese tool vendors sell bailey style blades in Japanese steel construction. I've been intrigued by how that combo would work.

*Haven't used them but looked into them

[Bryan Robinson]

The Hock blades are great.

[Richard Kee]

Should you decide on Hock, I have both a blade and chipbreaker, never used, for $65.00 shipped.

[Cody Kemble]

Stu and some of the other Japanese tool vendors sell bailey style blades in Japanese steel construction. I've been intrigued by how that combo would work.

*Haven't used them but looked into them

I've looked at these too. Has anyone tried one out? I have a #4 that is in need of a new blade.

[David Weaver]

I had one, but it was a bit hard for oilstones thus sold it. It's actually a spectacular iron, like a carbon steel iron but wears like A2 (because of its hardness- blue steel is more similar to a higher carbon O1 steel otherwise). You don't want it if you use oilstones, but if you use waterstones, it sharpens more easily than any of the main line irons because it's only got a thin sliver of hard steel.

Be aware that it's a thin iron, slightly thinner yet than a stock stanley iron. That doesn't bother me, but if you're in the thicker is better crowd, you'll be offended by its thickness.

It may have been technically the best smoother iron I've ever used in a stanley style plane, as it wears extremely evenly and gives a very good quality cut even as it's getting dull.

[Derek Cohen]

I've looked at these too. Has anyone tried one out? I have a #4 that is in need of a new blade.

I have a laminated Japanese Smoothcut blade in 2 3/8", which is a #4 1/2 or #7 size. It is used in a Stanley #51 shooting plane.

The blade was last used when I compared PM-V11 (LV), A2 (LN) steels in a LN #51 shooting plane ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/MoreAboutShootingPlanesandTheirBlades_html_m589485 d2.jpg

Left to right: Smoothcut laminated, LV PM-V11, LN A2.

The results in order here were PM-V11, then Smoothcut, then LN A2 See: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/MoreAboutShootingPlanesandTheirBlades.html

I am not sure where one would purchase this blade now. As far as I am aware they are made by Tsunesaburo. I believe they are sold in the UK.

Several years ago I tested another laminated blade, a Chinese hand-made #4 from Galoot Tools. The review is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/Galoot%20Tools%20Performance%20Series%20Bench%20Pl ane%20Blade.html

As far as I know, these are available from Chris Scholz (Google Galoot Tools). An excellent blade, on par with the LN A2 it was compared with.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Weaver]

I had two of the chinese style blades, but single irons for a wooden plane. They weren't, in my case, quite as favorable (overhard, chippy and bellied when new - which is a rough combination with overhard), but it's possible that the stanley style irons are made differently.

Given the discussions about rikizai lately with knives, it looks like the tsune blades are just blue (not sure which one) factory laminated rikizai that are just laser or water cut, which is probably the reason that they are very consistent.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I already mentioned that I recently ordered some Lee Valley PM-V11 blades and chip-breakers, I also own some Hock blades that I like very much. One of the things that drove my initial purchase decision on the Lee Valley purchase was that I needed both a blade and a chip-breaker and they had the free shipping thing going on.... Figured I would give it a try.

[Shawn Pixley]

I've tried stock irons (Stanley and LN), IBC, Hock and the LV PM-V11 blades. They all have worked well. The thicker irons, can require filing the mouth a little depending upon which plane you put it into. I was given a 70's craftsman plane once. The only way I could make it work is with an aftermarket iron (IBC). The bigger problem is with the plane. This plane plus another (70's MF with plastic tote) I refuse to sell because they are fundamentally plane shaped objects and no amount of fettling will get it better than barely adequate.

The PM-V11 is nice as is the Hock iron. I don't think you could go wrong with either. I suppose for me it migh depend on the plane I was putting it into. I think I like the thicker, more durable irons in a jack for removing lots of material. I will be building a Krenov woodie soon. i was thnking of using the LV-V11 iron and chipbreaker for it. I'm not sure I have a logical reason for this other than I can likely be sure the combination works on my first wood plane construction and use. Reducing the variables is good scientific method.

For me the the differences in the steels are more important in chisels than in planes.

[Michael Fross]

Hello. I've had two hock blades and both took way to much time flattening them. My next will be a LV PM-V11 blade.

Michael

[miguel bernardo]

i bought a PM-V11 blade with chipbreaker for a very old stanley 4 1/2 and found to my dismay it didn´t fit the plane properly. The yoke on the blade adjustment wasn´t long enough and the hole on the chipbreaker was located a bit too far away from the tip, so the blade didn´t project properly. Frustrating. It is a type 8 (19th to 20th century?), so maybe it fits wonderfully on newer planes. I fixed it, but it was extra work. Just FYI. The PM-V11 is a wonderful steel, specially if you work exotics.

[Christian Castillo]

I have a laminated Japanese Smoothcut blade in 2 3/8", which is a #4 1/2 or #7 size. It is used in a Stanley #51 shooting plane.

The blade was last used when I compared PM-V11 (LV), A2 (LN) steels in a LN #51 shooting plane ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/MoreAboutShootingPlanesandTheirBlades_html_m589485 d2.jpg

Left to right: Smoothcut laminated, LV PM-V11, LN A2.

The results in order here were PM-V11, then Smoothcut, then LN A2 See: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/MoreAboutShootingPlanesandTheirBlades.html

I am not sure where one would purchase this blade now. As far as I am aware they are made by Tsunesaburo. I believe they are sold in the UK.

Several years ago I tested another laminated blade, a Chinese hand-made #4 from Galoot Tools. The review is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/Galoot%20Tools%20Performance%20Series%20Bench%20Pl ane%20Blade.html

As far as I know, these are available from Chris Scholz (Google Galoot Tools). An excellent blade, on par with the LN A2 it was compared with.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I believe you can buy the tsunesaburo plane blades at Tools from Japan, sadly, I dont see a 2 5/8" wide blade sold there.

[Tom M King]

The only replacement iron I've ever bought is a Hock for a Stanley block plane that I carried in my tool belt for a few decades, and finally there was nothing left to sharpen. The Hock O1 iron works really good, with the possible BIG exception of the square corners at the top. They are a real pain on a block plane. It's in a toolbox now for some possible new user in the future, and the plane has a NOS iron back in it. With my work, we mainly work only with Heart Pine, White Oak, and Walnut, so the original irons work just fine. If I used wood with natural Carborundum in it like Derek does, I might be looking for something "better".

[steven c newman]

If I could still find any, I would get the Berg irons. I have a "Shark" in my DE6c. VERY NICE!

Two: The last iron I went out and bought as just an iron was one of the Home Depot's Buck Brothers 2" wide iron. $3 It took awhile to flatten and sharpen, but it stays sharp! It is just a hair thicker than the vintage irons I have on the rest of my planes.

Three: at one time or another, i had a tapered, laminated iron by Union, and another two by Ohio Tool company. Tricky to get just right. Not a fan of them.

Most of mine are Vintage, either Millers Falls, SW Stanleys, and even older Stanleys. Also a couple Sargent made ones. Most are very good ones.

Four: Had a Wood River #4 V3 for almost a year. iron became harder and harder to get sharp. Settings were a PITA, too. gave up on it, and sold it. That was my "new" iron, not impressed....