First hand plane?

[Jeff Bartley]

Julian,
Many have replied with sound advice and to add to the list I'll say: go to someones shop and try every plane you can! Spending less than $40 on your first plane is meaningless if it doesn't work and the only way to know how good a handplane can work is to use a well fettled one.
I have both old and new in my shop and had I tried a new plane first I might not have spent so much time tuning old planes. That being said, taking an old plane and making it sing is truly sweet! And acquiring the skills to tune an old one will serve you well. If you do go the old route I'd suggest a new blade. And regardless of the planes you end up with the first step is learning to sharpen.
And lastly: fasten your seatbelt cause handplanes are a slippery slope!!
Oh, one more suggestion----get or make a good bench, handplanes need a solid work surface!

[Jim Neeley]

Julian,

+1 on Jeff's recommendation; even if the closest person is a couple of hours away I'd recommend it. A well fettled plane is a thing of pleasure to use.. one that is not is a great frustration. The old Stanley/Baileys can make good planes but almost always require hours of fettling (filing and sanding) to get tuned. These hours of time is a significant part of why some choose to buy the Lee Valley (Veritas) and Lie-Nielsen planes, for they come already fettled. Others get great pleasure in how well they can fettle a plane and thereby save the $$$. There is not a right/wrong here but I encourage you to at least get your hands on a well-tuned plane, so you know what is attainable.

I got my first three planes (2 block, one jack) in 1985 but I never seemed to get them to work right so they just stayed in my toolbox; a total waste of $$$. Then I had the opportunity to use a finely tuned plane... and the rest, they say, is history!

Jim