Now I Need a Plane or Two and Bench Chisels

[Patrick Cox]

Thanks for everyone's help with my hand saw search. I feel very good about where I ended up. I already have my plan for back saws - I plan to purchasing a LN Tapered Carcus Saw and a LN Tapered Tenon Saw.

Now I need to pick out a couple of Planes and Bench Chisels. Based on everything I have read to this point on Planes, I have in mind that I should start with a Jack Plane and a Block Plane.

In terms of use, for my initial projects I am planning to purchase S2S boards, mainly yellow poplar or pine, and then I will use the hand planes to finish prepping my wood and then I guess squaring up and then cleaning up edges and joints...etc.

But here are some questions I have on this...

1. Should I go Low Angle for the Jack Plane and the Block Plane? I have read that these are more versatile but just looking for experienced input on this.

2. LN vs LV - I know this is a personal decision but is there more to this than aesthetics and ergonomics? One thing I have read about the LV planes is that they offer a special metal (PM-V11) that I believe is supposed to hold its edge longer. Is this true and is this worth it? I think I also read these may be more difficult to sharpen but I am not sure. One thing I can say is that when I called the two companies for help with planning my purchase, LN was immediately more helpful. Someone from LV is supposed to call me back but that has not happened yet. So my initial experience with LN has been better.

3. One thing I did notice about LV is that they have a beginners plane kit that does get you a discount and this did interest me...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=74187&cat=1,41182


Bench Chisels
And then finally on Bench Chisels, I guess my main question is on the special steel that LV offers. Is this something that would be beneficial?

Thanks for any guidance you can offer!

Pat

[Rob Luter]

The starter set from LV would serve you very well. I have the LA Jack and it's a high quality tool that never fails to perform. I own other LV tools as well and find them equally impressive.

I have two sets of bench chisels. My first set was a set of Irwin/Marples I got at a Rockler affiliate. They were affordable, but took a great deal of work to get the backs flat. They hold an edge fairly well. I use them for rough work and anything I need to do outside. I saved my pennies and invested in a set of Lie-Nielsen bench chisels a couple years ago. I also have a couple of their mortise chisels and a corner chisel. They are REALLY NICE tools. I use all these for fine work. They were ready to use out of the box save for a quick honing. They are A2 and hold an edge a good long time.

I can't speak to the LV chisels personally. Based on my experience with their other tools, they'll probably perform well. There's a Chris Gochnour review of them here (http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guide/product-finder/veritas-pm-v11-tool-steel.aspx).

[ken hatch]

There are reasons why BD planes by far out number BU planes in use. This is getting too far into the weeds but LN only offers A-2 steel for their chisels and planes, LV offers 3 different steels, O-1, PM-V11, and A-2. As you become more experienced that may make a difference.

Good luck,

ken

[Mike Cherry]

Your gonna get a lot of opinions here. I would advise you to try and visit a LN hand tool event or find someone local that may have some of the tools youre interested in. You cant go wrong with either company in terms of quality build and customer service. You will have an opinion on ergonomics and that is what I ultimately let influence my decision. My suggestion, if you cant put your hands on the tools first, is to buy one chisel from each company in different sizes and then you can see which you like better. The resale for these tools is very high and you will lose almost nothing if you decided to sell one. PMV-11 is a fantastic steel but I would not let that sway my decision. If you decide you like LV better, get the PMV-11 and enjoy not sharpening as often.

Finally, if I had it to do over again, I would get the LN rabbet block plane and a standard run of the mill vintage stanley #5 or #5 1/2.

[Prashun Patel]

I think that's as good an intro set as any. But as you use them, your personal preference for style (BD vs BU), brand, and preferred sizes will evolve. So don't plan on buying once and never again. Buy quality (or restore well) and take care of them as if you plan to sell them eventually.

Mike's advice about the chisels is a good one too. The criticality of that decision will depend on what you plan to use them for, how often you reach for them, and personal ergonomics. I wouldn't normally recommend this for tools, but for bench chisels, I think the best would be to buy a set of Narex bench and mortise chisels. These won't break your bank. Then you can take your time and work with individual LN or Veritas or Japanese (as if that's not a whole world in itself) chisels to get a feel for what works best for you.

With any of these bladed tools, your results are 25% the tool, and 75% your ability to sharpen, so practice that part as much as you can.

[Robin Frierson]

You're going to need to learn to sharpen those chisels and plane irons. You might want to pick up a book on sharpening or start watching some videos. Lee Valley has a lot of good sharpening tools. Most people use stones for sharpening. But I've switched over to the lee valley power sharpener and a granite plate for the backs. You may have a frustrating experience with those planes unless you know how to sharpen.

[Normand Leblanc]

I have written a paper in my blog about this bevel-up or bevel-down.
http://ancienscopeaux.ca/en/conclusion-bevel-up-or-bevel-down/

You can do everything with both types of planes. I now prefer BD because of the chipbreaker effect and this is after using BU for years.

Normand

[Patrick Cox]

Thanks for the replies so far. When I was searching for Hand Saws, I received some good suggestions on sources for vintage saws. So does anyone have any good, reliable sources for old Stanley planes?

Thanks

[Robert Engel]

I always recommend a #4 smoother and a LA block plane for the first planes. Then, depending on whether you are milling rough stock by hand, add a scrub plane and a camber blade #5.

IMO there is no advantage to a BU plane for a beginner. I use mine for any more is shooting and faring out dovetails. Perhaps one day I will get a couple extra blades and sharpen at diff angles.

There is a guy on Lumberjocks named DonW I believe who sells refurbed Stanleys. I would stay away from Ebay.

If you do find Stanley you like, I recommend you compare the price to a similar WoodRiver from Woodcraft. I know some people cannot bring themselves to use a plane made in China but I'm past that. They stack up against the LN planes I have very well. If it matters (and it does to me) they have a thicker blade and cap iron, better adjustment mechanism, and if you don't like it, you can send it back!! I've bought a couple vintage Stanleys over the years very usable, fine planes, but upgrading to a thicker blade I could have just got a WR.

[Curt Putnam]

Is LV's PM-V11 superior? Yes. Is it worth it? Pretty much a personal call. The harder you work your tools the more it is worth it. Just as easy to sharpen as the other steel type although may take a few more strokes depending on your sharpening media. As to planes, you will need a jack, a smoother, and a jointer. Buying a jack 1st is not a bad way to go but you still need a smoother to finish with unless you resort to scrapers or sanding. JMO & YMWV

Curt

[Phil Mueller]

The two sources I have used are Josh at Hyperkitten.com, and Patrick Leach. Lone Pine Toolworks is another, although I have not yet purchased from them. I have also purchased from fellow SMC members who list in the classifieds. You can also post in the SMC classifieds a "want to buy..." message. You will need to be a "contributor" to SMC to use the classified area. I think it's $6/year.

Seems like almost everyone owned a block plane. I find them regularly at estate sales...some worth buying, some best left. I enjoy my LN block plane, but reach as often for the $15 yard sale Stanley.

[Patrick Cox]

I always recommend a #4 smoother and a LA block plane for the first planes. Then, depending on whether you are milling rough stock by hand, add a scrub plane and a camber blade #5.

IMO there is no advantage to a BU plane for a beginner. I use mine for any more is shooting and faring out dovetails. Perhaps one day I will get a couple extra blades and sharpen at diff angles.

There is a guy on Lumberjocks named DonW I believe who sells refurbed Stanleys. I would stay away from Ebay.

If you do find Stanley you like, I recommend you compare the price to a similar WoodRiver from Woodcraft. I know some people cannot bring themselves to use a plane made in China but I'm past that. They stack up against the LN planes I have very well. If it matters (and it does to me) they have a thicker blade and cap iron, better adjustment mechanism, and if you don't like it, you can send it back!! I've bought a couple vintage Stanleys over the years very usable, fine planes, but upgrading to a thicker blade I could have just got a WR.

Hi Robert,
Thanks for your reply. My plan is to work from S2S stock and clean up my boards from there with hand planes. So would a smoother plane only work for that or would I need a scrub plane in that instance.

And I am curious to learn more about your reservations about beginners using BU planes. Maybe just a link to more commentary?

Thanks!

[Phil Mueller]

Patrick, I'll give you another POV. The first plane I could feel confident using was a BU Jack. I don't know why. I had a high quality #4 initially that I struggled with. I will say after some time with the BU Jack, I've acquired a #3 and #4. Knowing what I know now about setting up and using the smoothers, I've come to enjoy those as well. I haven't played enough with difficult wood comparing a BU to a BD...but I do believe all of the more experienced folks here when they say a BD will avoid tear out better than a BU. It's why I am working more with the #3 and #4 lately.

David Charlesworth recommends a 5 1/2 BD as a first plane. I'm awaiting arrival of a vintage #5 to work with that a while as well.

My point is only that the LN 62 was my go to for squaring stock, jointing edges, final smoothing, and shooting. I found it very forgiving during my early learning with planes, and perhaps that familiarity just makes it the plane I'm most confident using at the moment. I would keep it on your consideration list as a good all around plane.

Given you will be working S2S, and assuming you won't be attempting at first to remove a lot of thickness (i.e. taking a 3/4" board down to a 1/2" board), you likely won't need a scrub plane.

[Tom Stenzel]

Hi Robert,
...
And I am curious to learn more about your reservations about beginners using BU planes. Maybe just a link to more commentary?

Thanks!

There's probably more collective experience with BD planes here at SMC. People go with what they're familiar with.

Personally I think Robert is correct. The next poster will probably say I don't know what I'm talking about. They would be correct too.

Don't try to go in too many directions at once. Keep in mind that purchasing different steels will guide what you use for sharpening. I've stayed with traditional steels and oil stones out of sheer inertia. I'll change if I have to.

If I had to deal with the woods that Derek Cohen works with I might sing a different tune. They apparently grow around old engine blocks and slabs of granite and incorporate the iron and stone into themselves.

-Tom

[Patrick Cox]

Patrick, I'll give you another POV. The first plane I could feel confident using was a BU Jack. I don't know why. I had a high quality #4 initially that I struggled with. I will say after some time with the BU Jack, I've acquired a #3 and #4. Knowing what I know now about setting up and using the smoothers, I've come to enjoy those as well. I haven't played enough with difficult wood comparing a BU to a BD...but I do believe all of the more experienced folks here when they say a BD will avoid tear out better than a BU. It's why I am working more with the #3 and #4 lately.

David Charlesworth recommends a 5 1/2 BD as a first plane. I'm awaiting arrival of a vintage #5 to work with that a while as well.

My point is only that the LN 62 was my go to for squaring stock, jointing edges, final smoothing, and shooting. I found it very forgiving during my early learning with planes, and perhaps that familiarity just makes it the plane I'm most confident using at the moment. I would keep it on your consideration list as a good all around plane.

Given you will be working S2S, and assuming you won't be attempting at first to remove a lot of thickness (i.e. taking a 3/4" board down to a 1/2" board), you likely won't need a scrub plane.

Thanks for your reply Phil. Most of what I have read indicates that a Jack plane is a good place to start with bench planes. And I suspect that is the direction I will go, with a block plane and smoother plane to follow. However I am still struggling with the BU vs BD decision. My sense if that the more experienced woodworkers prefer the more classic BD planes. I am just not sure if that is the place to start for me, a beginner. I may call LN tomorrow to discuss with them.

Thanks again!

[Joe A Faulkner]

Unless you have a friend or mentor with sharpening equipment who lives near you, you can't get too far down the road with edge tools without adopting some type of sharpening approach. New plane blades or chisels from LV or LN require sharpening. I encourage you to read up on that topic and make a decision on your initial sharpening approach and time that purchase with your plane or chisel purchase.

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

I'm probably the least talented or proven woodworker here, so take this with a grain of salt

I have all Veritas planes, and I really like them. They tend to be a bit cheaper and the pm-v11 is nice. I am a bit disappointed that I don't have a NX60 block plane, and my personal pleas have been ignored, but the DX60 is pretty awesome so I'm ok with it for now. I have spoken to LV customer support twice. The first time the phone was answered by Rob Frickin Lee! The second time wasn't him, but the service was still great. I have both the LN and LV honing guides. The LV works with my blades, and the LN doesn't seem to. I have the LA Jack (love it), the DX60 (love it), and the skew block and custom #7. The custom planes are also a really neat idea. I haven't used the last two yet, so can't comment on how great they are.

I havent ever ever had an opportunity to hold or try the LN planes though. I won't buy a smoothing plane until I get to try a LN #4 in bronze. Hopefully, I'll get to next week.

I have the Narex set of bench chisels. They are my practice sharpening fodder. I bought a Blue Spruce 1/2" bench chisel and a LN 1/4". Ive also used the LV pm-v11 bench chisels quite a bit. The LN just fits me the best.

Uh, not sure I've answered any questions...but I have read that block planes should prolly be LA. I'm not sure how well he is liked on these forums, but Chris Scwarz book "The Anarchists Toolchest" is a good read, and I wish I had read it before I really started buying tools.

[Jerry Olexa]

Much wisdom above...the value of SMC!!!

[Mike Walsh]

I have a set of 6 LN bench chisels that are great. Quality is superb and they hold an edge very well. For planes I have a Stanley #4 bought on eBay for $25. After some tune up and new blade, cap iron from Hock it performs really well. Learning how to sharpen both the chisels and plane blade (2 wks at Bennett St school last summer) was the best investment

[Trevor Goodwin]

Welcome to the rabbit hole Patrick!

My recommendation, if you have the dough: Get a new #5 jack plane from Veritas, Lie Nielson, Woodriver (aka Quangsheng/Luban/Juuma), Clifton, or Kunz Plus. They are all good brands. A #5 can do everything a beginner needs to do: Flatten, Straighten, Shoot, and smooth. You don't need a #4 to smooth, it just makes it a bit easier. In my opinion, a #4 has too short a reference surface for flattening and straightening furniture sized pieces, obviously it can work but it's far from ideal. If you plan to have the one plane for a while, get two blades and sharpen them differently: One for straightening and flattening with a cambered blade, and one that's almost flat for shooting and smoothing.

The 2nd plane I recommend is a low-angle block plane. This can be used for end-grain, narrow edges, and smoothing small sections. Yes, a low effective cutting angle (eg 38*) can lead to tear out, but if you only take light cuts and close the mouth a LA block plane is good for smoothing with stock blade angle.

For chisels, I think a cheap set at you local hardware store is great for starting out. With a $20 set of 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1" you can do 99% of your chiseling tasks. Once you decide what your set is lacking you can upgrade to nicer ones.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

For chisels, I think a cheap set at you local hardware store is great for starting out. With a $20 set of 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1" you can do 99% of your chiseling tasks. Once you decide what your set is lacking you can upgrade to nicer ones.

I agree with this. My chisels are the modern Stanleys with the bright yellow handles. I bought a set of four years ago before I knew any of the premium lines existed, and while I like the nicer brands, I cannot honestly justify replacing them.

The combination of a No. 5 and a low angle block is also good advice in my opinion. I hope you understand you do not need to buy new to get a good tool though. You can save a lot of money buying a Stanley and spending an hour cleaning it up. Another reputable source is Jim Bode. A lot of his stuff is collector stuff, so keep that in mind, and it would probably help to let him know you are looking for a user.

If you have a tool collecting club in your area (Mid West Tool Collectors) you might be able to find stuff that way too. I have acquired most of my stuff swapping or buying at tailgate sales for the local club.

ETA: The advice you are getting about sharpening is good as well. George Wilson has a post about the sharpening setup he thinks is the best, and it is worth a read before you spend money.

[Patrick Cox]

OK, well I decided to investigate the Stanley route. I have inquired with some of the sellers mentioned in this thread and I have run across a seller with 3 Stanley Planes that all look to be in good condition. They are as follows...

Stanley 5C Bailey
Stanley 4C Bailey
Stanley 3C Bailey

They have all been "Completely Restored" and the iron has "2 inches of length left."

Are there any questions I should ask? And are there any downsides to the "C" versions? And if I went with the 5C, would either the 3C or 4C be a good companion?

Thanks!

[Patrick Chase]

OK, well I decided to investigate the Stanley route. I have inquired with some of the sellers mentioned in this thread and I have run across a seller with 3 Stanley Planes that all look to be in good condition. They are as follows...

Stanley 5C Bailey
Stanley 4C Bailey
Stanley 3C Bailey

They have all been "Completely Restored" and the iron has "2 inches of length left."

Are there any questions I should ask? And are there any downsides to the "C" versions? And if I went with the 5C, would either the 3C or 4C be a good companion?

Thanks!

The Stanley planes were in continuous production for almost a century, and evolved a lot over that time. I would suggest getting the approximate year on each of those. A lot of people think that their best stuff was made in the very late 19th and early 20th Century. If you post here with years or type numbers (the seller should know what this means) then people here can fill you in on the tradeoffs.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Patrick,

I am a bit late to this thread, but here goes.

I have always been able to find more time than money so my approach when possible is to find an inexpensive plane at a yard sale or such and fix it up. Yes it is likely a few duds will be found, but then they can be the spare parts.

Starting with a LA block plane and a #5 is a good starting point. If you are buying new, my suggestion is to purchase either LV or LN as they hold their value better than most of the others, their service is the best and they have very good return policies. They want to make sure their products work for you. Both of them have treated me very well.

You may hear or see mentioned a 'standard set' of the #4, #5 & #7 planes. A smoother, jack and jointer. This is a good start, but for some it may not be the best of choices. It is difficult to suggest the best choices for another person without knowing what they plan to make. Another factor would be a persons physical size. I am fairly large and a #8 jointer isn't a challenge for me. For many people a #4 is a good size plane. If one likes a little less effort a #3 might be best. A #4-1/2 can be a bit big to push around for some folks. For me the easiest way to 'have the right plane' was to buy at least one of each as they came along. That method won't work for most people. From #3 to #10-1/4 my most expensive plane was $50. It was over a long period of time looking and waiting.

In one of your posts you asked for links to information, here are a couple:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

This is a sort of archive of posts on the Neanderthal Haven forum.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?148076-Getting-Started-With-Hand-Planes

This is one of my postings on hand plane usage. Since this was posted more information on setting the chip breaker has been presented.

jtk

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Stanley 5C Bailey
Stanley 4C Bailey
Stanley 3C Bailey
Thanks!

Opinions vary on the corrugations. I think most folks think it does not make much difference if they are corrugated or not. I have some of both and don't see much difference.

You want to think about the sizes though. I don't know what your budget is, or exactly what you are looking to accomplish, but for starting I would not think you need a 3, a 4, and a 5. Either a 3 or a four is a good size for smoothing. A five makes a nice jack. You may want to think about looking for a longer plane for jointing (7, 8, or even a 6) instead of having two smoother sizes, or save the money for something else.

I have my jack (a 5) set up to take thicker shavings (basically for working rougher lumber). My 7 is then set up to take sort of a medium to fine shaving to get everything flat and square, and the extra width and length helps a lot in accomplishing that. My smoother (a 4 1/2 actually) is then set to take very fine shavings to leave a surface ready for finishing. Everybody has their preferences, but the 3-5-7, or 4-5-7 trio would allow you much more flexibility than a 3-4-5.

[Patrick Cox]

Hi Patrick,

I am a bit late to this thread, but here goes.

I have always been able to find more time than money so my approach when possible is to find an inexpensive plane at a yard sale or such and fix it up. Yes it is likely a few duds will be found, but then they can be the spare parts.

Starting with a LA block plane and a #5 is a good starting point. If you are buying new, my suggestion is to purchase either LV or LN as they hold their value better than most of the others, their service is the best and they have very good return policies. They want to make sure their products work for you. Both of them have treated me very well.

You may hear or see mentioned a 'standard set' of the #4, #5 & #7 planes. A smoother, jack and jointer. This is a good start, but for some it may not be the best of choices. It is difficult to suggest the best choices for another person without knowing what they plan to make. Another factor would be a persons physical size. I am fairly large and a #8 jointer isn't a challenge for me. For many people a #4 is a good size plane. If one likes a little less effort a #3 might be best. A #4-1/2 can be a bit big to push around for some folks. For me the easiest way to 'have the right plane' was to buy at least one of each as they came along. That method won't work for most people. From #3 to #10-1/4 my most expensive plane was $50. It was over a long period of time looking and waiting.

In one of your posts you asked for links to information, here are a couple:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

This is a sort of archive of posts on the Neanderthal Haven forum.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?148076-Getting-Started-With-Hand-Planes

This is one of my postings on hand plane usage. Since this was posted more information on setting the chip breaker has been presented.

jtk

Thanks Jim. This is all very helpful. I will definitely check out those links. I did end up buying a #4 and a #5 Stanley plane from Pete at Vintage Saws. He also sold me my panel saws and has been great to deal with. These are both pre-WWII planes and one is all ready to go and one needs a little bit of work but I need to learn how to sharpen anyway so I am excited to start with a couple of vintage planes.

So thanks again and all the best,
Pat

[Patrick Cox]

Well, I think I have a good start on Planes with a #4 and #5 Stanley Bailey model. But I have another question on Chisels. I see that Lee Valley and others sell new Stanley 750 Sweetheart Socket Chisels. Would these be good chisels to start with? Thanks!

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=67689&cat=1,41504

[Brett Luna]

I have the complete set of Sweethearts and I've been satisfied with them overall. While they aren't stellar in any particular regard, they're reliable and I think they offer very good bang for the buck. Only two backs required more than a modicum of effort to flatten. I think their side bevels could be a little finer but that's a pretty minor complaint. Otherwise, they sharpen and hold an edge reasonably well, I think.

[Phil Mueller]

Keep in mind that you don't need a complete set at first. Sizes I use most are 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", occassionally 1". The point is, you mentioned you're a cry once kind of guy, so you could go with just a couple LN and add as you go. I might also recommend a 1/4" mortise chisel if you plan to do M&T joinery. It's pretty much the only mortise chisel you'll need if you work mostly with 3/4" stock. But this too could be delayed...plenty of videos of folks chopping mortises with bench chisels.

Don't get me wrong. I have plenty of newer stanleys, buck bros, marples...and they all work well when properly prepared.
I even have an orange handled no name made in Taiwan chisel that does a darn good job...but I must admit it's my dried glue chisel...you'll want one of those as well.

[Eric R. Smith]

Patrick, if you are going to try out the Stanleys I would highly recommend tuning them up and buy a high quality blade and chip breaker made by Hock tools. This combination leaves you with a tool capable of producing results comparable to the high end planes available.
Eric

[Patrick Cox]

Patrick, if you are going to try out the Stanleys I would highly recommend tuning them up and buy a high quality blade and chip breaker made by Hock tools. This combination leaves you with a tool capable of producing results comparable to the high end planes available.
Eric

Thanks for the tip Eric. I will look into this. I did buy two old Stanley planes. I could not make my mind up about BU vs BD so I decided to try a couple of Stanley planes to start and go from there.

[Joe A Faulkner]

Or alternatively sharpen the original blades, tune up the chip breaker and see how they perform. The original blades unless severely pitted or chipped can easily be sharpened and will do quite well especially in clear poplar. A newer blade may hold an edge longer but often there is plenty of life left in the original blades.

[Trevor Goodwin]

Patrick, not sure if you mentioned, but what is your sharpening arrangement? You can get by with sandpaper on glass but if you haven't already, you may want to invest in sharpening equipment. You need something for coarse work (setting bevels, cambers, getting nicks out), something medium (eg. 1000 grit) for general honing (paper or stone), and something for fine honing and polishing.

You have many options for all three, too many for me to list here without starting a war. If you are okay with using power tools and noise, a grinder with a good tool rest is good for the coarse work. If you want to stay unplugged then I recommend a coarse diamond plate or oil stone, along with a blade holding jig.

Either way, make sure you set some money aside for sharpening equipment, as your new tools will be useless if you can't keep them sharp.

[Jim Koepke]

Or alternatively sharpen the original blades, tune up the chip breaker and see how they perform. The original blades unless severely pitted or chipped can easily be sharpened and will do quite well especially in clear poplar. A newer blade may hold an edge longer but often there is plenty of life left in the original blades.

+1 on this. Many of my Stanleys have original blades and work fine.

jtk

[Patrick Cox]

Patrick, not sure if you mentioned, but what is your sharpening arrangement? You can get by with sandpaper on glass but if you haven't already, you may want to invest in sharpening equipment. You need something for coarse work (setting bevels, cambers, getting nicks out), something medium (eg. 1000 grit) for general honing (paper or stone), and something for fine honing and polishing.

You have many options for all three, too many for me to list here without starting a war. If you are okay with using power tools and noise, a grinder with a good tool rest is good for the coarse work. If you want to stay unplugged then I recommend a coarse diamond plate or oil stone, along with a blade holding jig.

Either way, make sure you set some money aside for sharpening equipment, as your new tools will be useless if you can't keep them sharp.

I was planning to buy a 1000/8000 combination water stone along with a jig. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Skip Helms]

I'm getting in late but most of my bench planes are old Stanleys or Sargents. Once you learn how to fettle them, they all work.

As far as chisels, I've got lots of them but I found it helps to have several of a few rather than one of everything. Take the 1/2". One for rough work (35 degree). One for paring (25 degree and beveled). One for mortises (could be the rough one). One for hacking out a door knob recess (30 degree) and another for a job you know you'll hit metal or concrete. One of the above is really long and two are now butt chisels from being reground so many times. Not to mention some on the rack, one in the tool belt and another in the kitchen drawer. One to lend.

Get a nice set to start but pickup some cheap substitutes in common sizes for jobs where there will be casualties. Otherwise, you look wistfully at your single, shiny boutique chisel and bail on the project. FWIW,sh

[Prashun Patel]

The LN socket chisels have the same pattern as the Stanley SW's and are roughly double the price - which still makes them about 25% cheaper than some other comparable quality bench chisels from Veritas or Blue Spruce (I know that's not the universe, but the point is the LN's are still a pretty good buy). For my money, if I were planning to get 4-6 Stanley's, I'd rather buy 2-3 LN's individually, and then add inbetweeners as necessary.

[Patrick Cox]

I'm getting in late but most of my bench planes are old Stanleys or Sargents. Once you learn how to fettle them, they all work.

As far as chisels, I've got lots of them but I found it helps to have several of a few rather than one of everything. Take the 1/2". One for rough work (35 degree). One for paring (25 degree and beveled). One for mortises (could be the rough one). One for hacking out a door knob recess (30 degree) and another for a job you know you'll hit metal or concrete. One of the above is really long and two are now butt chisels from being reground so many times. Not to mention some on the rack, one in the tool belt and another in the kitchen drawer. One to lend.

Get a nice set to start but pickup some cheap substitutes in common sizes for jobs where there will be casualties. Otherwise, you look wistfully at your single, shiny boutique chisel and bail on the project. FWIW,sh

Good suggestions. Thanks.

[David Bassett]

Something I haven't seen mentioned is Woodworking In America is coming to Cincinnati (Covington, KY actually) in mid-September. Marketplace admission isn't much and both LV & LN will be there demonstrating, as will other smaller vendors including some used tool dealers. It seems like you could try and compare a lot of the options recommended to you before committing.

[Patrick Cox]

Something I haven't seen mentioned is Woodworking In America is coming to Cincinnati (Covington, KY actually) in mid-September. Marketplace admission isn't much and both LV & LN will be there demonstrating, as will other smaller vendors including some used tool dealers. It seems like you could try and compare a lot of the options recommended to you before committing.

Thanks for the suggestion. I had heard about this and hope to attend one day.

[Luke Dupont]

I was planning to buy a 1000/8000 combination water stone along with a jig. Thanks for the suggestions.

I'd encourage you to consider picking up a fine/coarse India, some stropping compound, and give free-handing it a shot :)

But, I can understand a preference for jigs and waterstones. If you go the waterstone route, do yourself a favor and pick up a large coarse or medium diamond stone to flatten them with. Would still recommend a strop.

[Glen Canaday]

I'd encourage you to consider picking up a fine/coarse India, some stropping compound, and give free-handing it a shot :)

I'm in this camp. I recommend getting a finishing stone too, even an inexpensive hard ark will work, but I think Luke and I think along the same lines.

sharpeningsupplies.com has an oilstone and ark "ultimate" set that comes with a super coarse crystolon, medium india, fine india, and a soft ark, all 8"x3" by 1/2" thick for about $100. I hate the crystolons because they get grit everywhere so I generally will use it only for flattening really really bad vintage stuff (I use a grinder for establishing bevels and getting out nicks) and when I want to use a guide to establish a dead-straight zero camber edge for block planes and such, but the set itself is a great value. Used with a strop, this setup can put a mirror on any bevel.

I'll also encourage you to give the stock steel a chance before you dive into the specialty stuff. You may find, with experience, that you don't need to change it. Some have differing opinions on this (and the above!) but a little conservatism with your cash can go a long way...especially when you have to convince SWMBO that you just NEED that old doohicky you saw at the antique store!

[Luke Dupont]

I'm in this camp. I recommend getting a finishing stone too, even an inexpensive hard ark will work, but I think Luke and I think along the same lines.

sharpeningsupplies.com has an oilstone and ark "ultimate" set that comes with a super coarse crystolon, medium india, fine india, and a soft ark, all 8"x3" by 1/2" thick for about $100. I hate the crystolons because they get grit everywhere so I generally will use it only for flattening really really bad vintage stuff (I use a grinder for establishing bevels and getting out nicks) and when I want to use a guide to establish a dead-straight zero camber edge for block planes and such, but the set itself is a great value. Used with a strop, this setup can put a mirror on any bevel.

I'll also encourage you to give the stock steel a chance before you dive into the specialty stuff. You may find, with experience, that you don't need to change it. Some have differing opinions on this (and the above!) but a little conservatism with your cash can go a long way...especially when you have to convince SWMBO that you just NEED that old doohicky you saw at the antique store!

Yep. India > Hard Ark > Strop is an excellent progression, is inexpensive and beginner friendly, and will leave you with a very keen edge. I almost mentioned getting a hard ark as a finish stone, but I thought I would keep things simple and also make the point that even a fine India followed by a strop will actually produce a very serviceable edge. Also, I think it can be easier to learn on a single, coarser stone as a beginner.

But, yeah. An India and a Hard Arkansas is really all you need to be pretty well equipped for sharpening, and that will run you no more than $40 or so combined. If you really want, a coarse diamond plate can be useful for getting things dead flat, and keeping your India flat.

Also agree on keeping the original irons. I prefer O-1 anyway.