I ordered a new plane awhile back and I found that they had dressed the back of the plane iron with the ruler trick. Some may think the ruler trick is brilliant, but I really wish they hadn't of done that. Since it had already been ruler tricked, I stayed with it for awhile. Really, I have found the ruler trick to be a no value nuisance. My plane iron was pretty close to flat before somebody then threw all that easy to work with flatness right out the window and used the ruler trick. So then you have to keep a certain ruler around, hold the ruler in place, use a small portion of the stone. I find that clumsy compared to a small one time investment of flattening the back and polishing.

The plane iron is pretty flat to begin with and I have an 80 grit lobster stone that will quickly level it. Hone it on some progressively finer diamond stones and then polish on a 5000 grit and 8000 grit water stone and I never have to do more to the back than remove the bur which I find very easy to do with a flat back. I can use the entire stone to do so with a flat back. It easy to hold the blade and easy to move it in the motion I am used to. I can effectively use a strop for easy touch ups on both sides of the blade.

I don't know if I am the only person who see's it this way, but next time I order a new plane, I'm going to remember to ask them to send the iron without any back side honing. Far easier to flatten and polish an iron fresh off the grinder than deal with a ruler tricked iron.

Maybe, I'm the only one who thinks it's easier to flatten the back once than to mess with a ruler tricked iron, but If you prefer a flat back, be warned.