Hello again

[Bob Warfield]

It's been several years since posting anything. Health issues, other interests, and just life in general. The past few days I've been looking at the first 300 pages or so of threads. Something I've been wondering about is the age groups of woodworkers as it relates to why you like the LV type bench planes or the LN/Stanley type planes. I have a few tools from both manufacturers and know all about the quality. As for me I like the aesthetics of the LN/Stanley much better. I'm in my 60's. I wonder if more people in my age group feel the same and the younger ones prefer the LV.

Just thinking out loud...Bob

[Jim Koepke]

My preference in bench planes is for the Stanley/Bailey style. The Bedrock/LN style really doesn't appeal to me.

My other preference is to buy old and restore it into useable shape. Pretty is okay. So is something that looks like it came through the apocalypse.

My ageometer just went past 68. My first planes were purchased approximately 30 years ago. Back then there wasn't as much choice in planes on the market. Especially if one didn't have a lot of disposable income.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Welcome back Bob! Glad you've come back to join us!

[Gary Cunningham]

IMHO a bronze LN #4 with an adjustable mouth, like a custom Veritas, would be the bees knees.

Having said the that: Most my planes are Baileys.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I think you would put me in the younger generation. My two favorite planes are double iron wooden planes. Next up are the bailey styles. I have none of new manufacture.

[lowell holmes]

I'm 84 and I love my 604, 605, and 607 Bedrock Planes with Veritas irons and breakers.
I also have a 5 1/2 Bailey that I use a lot. it is a big wide plane. They all make translucent
shavings.

[Vincent Tai]

I'm 20 and while I like the Bailey pattern aesthetics quite a bit, some of the LV stuff is up there too for me. The custom plane line, the polished stuff too. I even like the way their saws look - I don't like the material nylon for such a purpose though. I quite like how the BU jointer looks, I have an Apple sticker on mine as a joke. For infills and the like I lean towards makers like Oliver Sparks and Konrad Sauer for their contemporary designs. Aesthetically I guess I do lean contemporary for planes. Even in woodies and making them. I don't dislike the LN aesthetics at all, I have used their saws and planes extensively and the LN dovetail saw lent to me by my design teacher was a gateway into fine tools and good craftsmanship. For me holding something that was aesthetically pleasing was important while attempting to create a new project and holding the saw was a good reminder of what to aim for. I really like the look of the LN bronze smoother and the cocobolo tote (or rosewood?) but the cherry is quite nice still. One of the last planes I would give up is my Stanley no5 with a rosewood tote. when I restored the Tote and knob and gave the brass fittings a quick polish I was sure it was the prettiest plane in my shop.

[Andrew Seemann]

I'm dangerously close to 50, not sure if that is young or old generation to you. My bench planes are all old Baileys with stock irons, acquired as inexpensively as possible and restored to good working condition and not beyond. I'm not a fan of either LN or LV. LN are too heavy; LV have unneeded improvements, and both are too expensive.

[William Fretwell]

You pose an interesting question Bob, I have tried many LV offerings, living near their first store, then their second for many years may have something to do with it.
My favourite plane was a 5 & 1/2 Bailey until a year ago. A little temperamental to tweak but a wonderful workhorse.
The LV bevel up has not met the hype. Only in certain woods are they OK. Too much black. They are lighter however.
I have older Stanley #4’s that work just fine.
If I can find older tools in good shape I love to buy them but it is hard now. My new favourite are Clifton’s. They are classy heirloom quality right off the bat. Yes heavy and already they have gone up 20% in one year! I could only find one small defect, the brass screw in the front handle was too domed and ate into my hand so I ground them down and now they are perfect.
i am just 60.
My LV favourite is the large shoulder plane. The combination plane my least.

[bridger berdel]

I turn 54 in a couple weeks, so i guess i'm now one of the old guys. I'll weigh in on the side of bailey pattern type 14 or earlier, with a soft spot for type 8. Not a huge fan of overweight premium planes, though a lie nielsen smoother in a #2 or #3 size would probably be ok. As is, i have more planes than i need and cash is tight so that bronze ln #2 is probably not in the offing...

[Ben Bowie]

I'm in my early 30s and there's just something about the Stanley/Bailey style I prefer. You can find them for cheap if you are willing to put in a little work to fix them up. They work just as good as a LV. I just find the LV and the LN to just be too pricey for what they are and what they do. Give it 50 years and maybe we'll all start seeing LN/LV by the dozens at flea markets.

[Matthew Hartlin]

In my 30s and for bench planes I prefer the Bailey pattern, 4,5,7(all with new LV irons/chip breakers). Something about renewing an old tool to new again and taking gossamer thin shavings is a real joy. I do have a LN 62, but it just doesn't resonate the same as the older planes. I also find the Baileys much more comfortable in use.

For joinery planes however, it's LV. The plow, fillister and router plane are a real joy and a marvel of modern engineering applied to a historic tool.

[Zach Dillinger]

I'm 34 and greatly prefer traditional English and Dutch wooden planes. When it comes to modern premium planes, I've owned or used most of them and gravitate time and time again to the Lie-Nielsen offerings. Nothing against the Veritas, of course.

[David Eisenhauer]

Thread Hijack Alert - Just one off topic question for Zach please before I am thrown out. Do you prefer single iron or double iron planes in your older Dutch/English lineup?

[Laurent Marshall]

I'm 32 and new to the forum here. I really only got into woodworking over the last 2 years or so, I've learned a lot along the way, but wouldn't consider myself an expert. My experience, and preference, with planes is with the Bailey style, mostly due to cost. I just can't justify the price for LN or Veritas when I can get a perfectly good tool for much less, with the caveat that I'll have to put some work into it. I also find getting these old tools working to be rewarding on its own.

Currently I've got a small collection of Millers Falls bench planes (#8, #14, #22), a Stanley #6, and an Ohio #8. I didn't pay more than $60 for any of them, and besides the Ohio (this particular plane has some funky problems, and to be honest I haven't put the effort in yet to really figure it out), they all work great with some amount of restoration/tuning. Besides the planes I own, I've had the chance to try out a number of other Stanley/Bailey copies, including Union, Sargent, Record, and a few others.

As others noted the prices on old planes have gone up in recent years, but they are still cheaper than new high-end planes.

[Zach Dillinger]

Thread Hijack Alert - Just one off topic question for Zach please before I am thrown out. Do you prefer single iron or double iron planes in your older Dutch/English lineup?

Single irons are my preference David. I've never found the need to have the benefits that the double iron purports to offer (I work mostly with walnut and pine) and it just adds a complication in making, sharpening, and tuning the planes. If you have any other questions feel free to PM me.

[John Schtrumpf]

I'm almost 64 and I prefer LV. Probably because I have always liked gadgets.

[Stewie Simpson]

+1 on wooden bodied bench and joinery planes.

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/moulding%20profile/DSC_0134_zpsj07westn.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/moulding%20profile/DSC_0134_zpsj07westn.jpg.html)

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/moulding%20profile/DSC_0136_zpsfwgdffs2.jpg

(http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/moulding%20profile/DSC_0136_zpsfwgdffs2.jpg.html)http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/moulding%20profile/DSC_0137_zpsttmtiyu5.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/moulding%20profile/DSC_0137_zpsttmtiyu5.jpg.html)

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks Zack and apologies to Bob W for the hijack. As to the initial question, I tend to prefer the Stanley Baily line, although I do use a couple of double iron wooden planes. I was gifted a bronze LN #4 and it works very well, but it is a heavy beast. While I have gotten used to it and use it for final smoothing, I bet I would have put it back down on the shelf if I had been able to heft it before buying it. I feel like LV is doing some innovative design work on their tools or improvements on older designs and turning out good quality "users" in their various offerings, but I don't buy much new stuff in planes. I am waiting on a wooden plow plane that I have on order. I am also another of the "older guys".

[Joe Tilson]

I'm 71 and have a mixed collection of of Stanley/Bailey, Sargent, Sears, Craftsman,Millers Falls, Shelton, and Union. I have one LN bronze 102. We just don't have the money to invest in the premium brands. I use all of them from time to time, but favor the Millers Falls. Sargent is next. Just remembered having the LV large router and scrub planes. My wife can't stand for me to find some poor rusty old plane that's looking for a home, because she knows I'll be begging to take it with us.

I have noticed the higher prices for planes and such. $25.00 seems to be the new $10.00.

[steven c newman]

Turned 65 this year...and prefer my Bailey and Millers Falls planes.....still learning on the WR #62....
395069
YMMV..
395070

[Bruce Haugen]

I was dangerously close to 50, twenty years ago 😱. Most of my planes are Stanley, but all my specialty planes are LV, with the exception of a St James Bay smoother.