Originally Posted by
Kees Heiden
I was thinking (dangerous!) about this thread in the train this morning about the engineering aspects of LN versus antique Stanley planes. What's different?
- Backlash of the adjuster. That sure is less in the LN. And less is better, even if you can live with a bit of slop.
Agree.
- Thicker blade. With the available sharpening media available today that isn't a bad development. Back in the day a thin blade was easier to keep sharp.
Some will argue that thin is easier to sharp, and some will point out that thicker has less flex, especially relevant in a BD plane. It also depends on whether the blade uses a chipbreaker or not.
- Blade steel. The old cast iron blades from Stanley were pretty good, certainly no worse then O1 and ideally suited for the available sharpening stones. A2 doesn't seem to be so hot as it was touted to be, but isn't bad either.
Wood selection is paramount here. Over the weekend I was planing boards with Terry Gordon (HNT Gordon), and he commented how abrasive many Australian woods are. He sells a great deal of HSS blades. Blades made of the Veritas PM-V11 steel have a place, not only in my world, but for those who just want an edge that lasts longer. These steels are also fairly easy to hone.
- The improved capiron isn't much of an improvement at all. The only improvement is that they come tightly fitted to the blade from the factory, no aditional flattening work neccessary. But they lack the usefull spring from the Stanley design. And they come standard with a 25 degree bevel that is too low to be usefull for bending the shavings.
I disagree here - there is sufficient tension achieved in both LV and LN chip breakers. The extra spring in the Stanley can, in fact, make it more difficult to set up. It takes less time to hone a 45 degree bevel on the LN and LV than it takes to flatten the underside of a Stanley leading edge. Note that I am just pointing out that they are different designs and both work well as long as you are familiar with your choice.
- The weight of the plane. For a professional who does all dimensioning by hand a heavier plane is not a good idea. For the hobbyist market it probably doesn't make a difference.
There are very few professional woodworkers who do all their dimensioning by hand. I do not know of any in Australia. Professionals here use machines to dimension boards and may use handplanes to finish.
- The ductile iron. When you drop the plane on a concrete floor it survives. But dropping your planes is pretty stupid to begin with, and not part of the daily routine of using the plane.
Ductile iron is softer then the gray cast iron used in the old Stanleys. It scratches easier, and will wear in the usual spots faster. Again no problem for the hobbyist, but a professional who does loads of edge jointing day in day out, it certainly is a problem. Especially because they didn't have PSA aluoxide sandpaper back then, not even floatglass. Wearing a groove down the length of an iron plane must have been a big problem for a woodworker.
I have never dropped a plane (touch wood!), but I am reassured knowing that my ductile planes are unlikely to be damaged in the event of an accident.
- The handles. Stanley used beautifull rosewood, and LN quite bland cherry. But from an environmetal point of view that is actually a good idea.
The wood used in a handle can be swapped out, as one pleases. I have done so on many occasions. Indeed, I do not hesitate to modify my tools as I see fit. I would not choose a plane based upon a replaceable/alterable item.
So overall, I'm not so sure about which one is better. It depends on the market too. For the professional market back in the 19th century, the Stanley was probably a better plane then the LN would have been.
Few 19th Century woodworkers would have chosen a Stanley over the better-made LN.
Nowadays most woodworkers using handplanes are hobbyists who have different needs. The old Stanleys are often worn by now, which makes them less ideal for a beginner. The biggest asset of the LN plane is that you can buy them now, mostly ready out of the box with a guarantee for life.
Hobbyists are not the only ones purchasing LN and LV handplanes. Time is money for a busy professional. Most I know would rather spend their time producing furniture than setting up a handplane. One of the assets of a LN or LV is not simply their build quality, but that they are reliable and ready to be used out of the box.
Regards from Perth
Derek