New blade for 9 1/2 or ?

[Joel Goodman]

Has anyone on the creek put a LN or Hock blade in a fairly recent (UK) Stanley 9 1/2? The LN seems thicker at 1/8" Also what about the Japan Woodworker laminated blade? Or should I just bite the bullet and get a LN block and be done with it? Thanks.

[Mike Henderson]

It depends upon your financial situation. Getting a replacement blade will be less expensive. But if you can swing the cost, I'd buy a LV or LN block plane and sell the Stanley on eBay. You should get maybe $30-$40 for the Stanley, added to the maybe $35-$40 which you would have paid for the replacement blade, and you're well along to the cost of a LV or LN plane. And the LV or LN plane will maintain its value if you ever decide to sell it.

On the intangible side, the LV or LN plane is really nice to work with compared to the Stanley.

Mike

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Joel,

If you have it well sharpened I think you can get by with the factory blade. If the blade is really that bad I think I would save a little longer and get a well designed plane to go with the high quality blade. In the long run you will be happier with the tool and the results you get from it. If you only have the money for the blade I think I would contact one of the recommended old tool sellers and get a better quality old block plane for about the cost of the new blade. I have an older 9 1/2 and it performs well. I still lust for a low angle LV or LN one of these days.

Good luck with your decision.

[Ken Werner]

I'm with Mike. You can get a LN 102 or 103 for IIRC $75 including shipping from http://www.finetoolj.com/, sell the Stanley on eBay. But be forewarned, once you buy one, it's going to be hard to stop.

Ken