Wood River #1

[Kyle Iwamoto]

319431319432
OK as requested, I'm going to post my mini review of my newly acquired WR #1 plane.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a plane guru, far from it. I am not a pro woodworker either. Hobby woodworker at most. I do suffer from that plane collecting disease, gottahavethat.

Here goes.
Cute little guy, pictured by my Stanley #4, and the bottoms. Looks like a real plane. Built really well, as far as I can tell. Blade and chipbreaker are top notch, out of the box it was sharp, had to give it a run. Bottom was flat. Didn't check the 90 to the sides as who would really shoot with this. Fit and finish is the best I have seen. Although this is the only NEW plane that I bought. All others are vintage planes. Can't afford a real Stanley #1. He's pretty cute. Can't figure out how to hold it. I have big hands, and can't hold it properly. If you had REALLY tiny hands, you couldn't grip it properly either. I planed down some rough oak, and it cut easily. Takes a full width cut no problem. Yeah the blade is like an inch wide, but, it does full blade cuts no problem.
Did I say he was a cute little guy? So I sharpened the blade. Surprise. The blade does not fit in my honing jig. Too narrow. Hand honed the blade. Bevel was nice and sharp, couple passes up to 1200 grit. Back was reasonably flat. Took a few minutes on my 800 stone then though to 1200. This is the surprise. I took my curly koa display stand I'm building, and planed down the curly koa with NO chipout. I earlier used my (other) #4 with a Hock blade and I had some pretty good chip out. Pretty much expect that on curly koa, some sanding and done. This cute little guy planed it down and removed all of the chipout. I was and am amazed. You're only taking an inch of wood off at a time, so maybe that is the trick, but just for that, this is a keeper, and not a shelf sitter. Maybe I gotta re-tune my Hock bladed #4, but that's later. I did have it set pretty aggressive for the oak I was planning down earlier. Oh yeah, just for laughs, out of the box, I did try some end grain on the oak, and the #1 cut that too.

Bottom line. Is it for everyone? Probably not. Collector? No, probably not either. It is well built, not a toy. I had some overtime just burning a hole in my pocket, and a Woodcraft 15% off sale. It's a cute little guy, and I'll probably grab it before any of my block planes from now. If you just gotta have a #1, I think you need it. And no, it will not just sit on the shelf. It's a user.

[bridger berdel]

I used mine today to smooth some edge banding on some plywood. I hold it about like a block plane.

Yep, it works well.

[ken hatch]

It is a cute little guy.

Mine sets on the shelf above my desk at work with a hunk of Cherry so if someone wants to see how a hand pane works they can have a go at it. Better than a photo but I can't say I have much use for it except as a work plaything.

BTW, has anyone mentioned it's a cute little thing?

ken

P.S. Would I buy it again? Of course I would....it's a cute little guy.

[Jim Koepke]

My #1 is an LN. It isn't just a shelf sitter either.

Yes it is cute.

And yes, knowing what I know now I would buy it again.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Glad you like it Kyle!

[Rob Matarazzo]

I've owned one for a month or so and really like it. I keep it in a convenient accessible spot on my workbench so that it gets used a lot. As for as holding it goes, instead of trying it hold it like I would a larger plane, I place the tote in the crotch between my right thumb and index finger and hold the knob with my other hand.

[Phil Mueller]

So far, I have been able to resist cute little things, but this may become the exception. Thank you for the post.

[Mark Stutz]

This one is even cuter.:)

319462

[Harold Burrell]

This one is even cuter.:)

319462

PLEASE tell me that this is not yours...

I mean, unless you WANT me to drive to your house...in the middle of the night...wearing a ski mask... :eek:

[Frederick Skelly]

This one is even cuter.:)

319462

Wow, it sure is. I've never seen a 601.
I'm guessing you don't use that beauty ?

[Mark Stutz]

Sadly, it isn't mine. Patrick Leach had tgese for sale. I don't know if they are still available or not.

[Harold Burrell]

Sadly, it isn't mine. Patrick Leach had tgese for sale. I don't know if they are still available or not.

I do not even want to know what something like this would sell for! :eek:

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I would imagine a 601, which I never even knew existed, in that nice condition would sell for way more than the last #1 I saw, which went for over 3 grand.
That is a cute guy too. Way too valuable to use though.

[Mark Stutz]

Kyle, Stanley never actually made a 601. This is purely a modern recreation done by Patrick Leach, of what Stanley "could have done".

http://www.supertool.com/601.htm

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Ah, at a mere affordable sum of 695, a bargain to boot! I was wondering why you said if he's still selling them. And it had the box. I was initially thinking, for some reason he had bought a number of them as an investment. And a solid investment at that.
Now THAT plane is a collector plane destined to increase in value.....

[Frederick Skelly]

Kyle, Stanley never actually made a 601. This is purely a modern recreation done by Patrick Leach, of what Stanley "could have done".

http://www.supertool.com/601.htm

Ok - I heard he'd done that but forgot it until you said so. That makes much more sense and explains why I've never seen or heard of a 601. DOH!

That sure is beautiful, but personally, I think Id rather buy the LN for $225, than the one Mr. Leach did.

[John Powers]

it sounds like its a cute plane you can't actually hold?

[Allan Speers]

That 601 sure is purdy, but I gotta' ask:


In what situation would you actually reach for a Bailey #1, instead of a small block plane? Even a #3 strikes me as a bit non-essential.

[Jim Koepke]

That 601 sure is purdy, but I gotta' ask:


In what situation would you actually reach for a Bailey #1, instead of a small block plane? Even a #3 strikes me as a bit non-essential.

The #1 iron is actually narrower than most block planes. It also has a chip breaker which most block planes do not.

Mine is used for smoothing on small parts. Occasionally on small areas with real twisted grain. Sometimes it is also used on a corner joint where the face of one piece is slightly proud of the adjoining face.

Some folks feel they only need a #4 or a #7 bench plane to accomplish every task. It is possible and if that is their choice, fine. My choice is to have a full range of planes to accommodate my mood at any given woodworking moment.

jtk

[Mark Stutz]

Don't have a #1, but I have a small coffin style infill that is 6.5" long with a 1.5" iron that is very useful for small areas of tear out where I don't want to go over the entire surface again.

I use my #3 quite frequently on smaller pieces, and if I had a #2 that would be nice as well.

[Rob Matarazzo]

....
In what situation would you actually reach for a Bailey #1, instead of a small block plane? Even a #3 strikes me as a bit non-essential.

If I want a free hand to help stabilize the work, then I'd grab a block plane. If I want a two-hand grip on the plane, then the No. 1. Of course, there are many situations where you could use either.

[Tom Stenzel]

The #1 iron is actually narrower than most block planes. It also has a chip breaker which most block planes do not.

Mine is used for smoothing on small parts. Occasionally on small areas with real twisted grain. Sometimes it is also used on a corner joint where the face of one piece is slightly proud of the adjoining face..
jtk

Jim, you've long offered to have Creekers stop by. I was wondering if you weigh everyone when they go into your shop and when they leave.

Just askin'.

:D

-Tom

[Jim Koepke]

No, I trust most people want to be honest.

Besides my wife writes down the car tag and does a background check. (just kidding)

jtk

[Allan Speers]

Ah, of course.


It's funny: I have quite a few really small woodie smoothers, including coffins, and I use them all the time, but somehow when I see a metal bailey-type plane, I just automatically think of rougher work, no matter how small.

Weird.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

That 601 sure is purdy, but I gotta' ask:


In what situation would you actually reach for a Bailey #1, instead of a small block plane? Even a #3 strikes me as a bit non-essential.

Highly figured woods, guitar purfling, string inlay, small dovetail key repair... But really handy for building Oompa Loompa furniture. :-)

[Richard Darjes]

Patrick Leach had them manufactured and sold them himself. I think he sold it for at least $450. Stanley never manufactured a 601 so it is technically not a reproduction but rather an "imagining" of what a 601 would have looked like. I saw one once at a tool show being resold by someone else and it was a very well made little thing, but I didn't even ask the price. I don't know how many Patrick Leach had made but it might be as many as 50 or 100.

[Mark Stutz]

Patrick Leach had them manufactured and sold them himself. I think he sold it for at least $450. Stanley never manufactured a 601 so it is technically not a reproduction but rather an "imagining" of what a 601 would have looked like. I saw one once at a tool show being resold by someone else and it was a very well made little thing, but I didn't even ask the price. I don't know how many Patrick Leach had made but it might be as many as 50 or 100.

It's currently on the site listed for $695, but I have no idea if any of them are still available.

[Rob Luter]

To those #1 owners......

Beyond the cool/cute factor (arguably significant ;)) what advantages if any do these hold over a standard block plane? Does the tote offer greater utility? I've got a decent selection of standard and low angle blocks with adjustable mouth openings and never seem to be lacking for the right tool for the job.

Edit - Missed Jim's response to a similar question above.

[Mike Siemsen]

I have had my Lie Nielsen for well over 20 years (April of '92). Kids loved it as it fit their hands well. I use it on occasion when I need it