Grizzly Premium Hand Planes?

[Chris Schoenthal]

When first starting with planes, I got a couple of "well used" Stanleys, cleaned them up and watched all sorts of videos to get them tuned and sharpened.
I was still frustrated with the results I was getting and couldn't figure out why they weren't working like the ones others used.
I saw that Rob Cosman promotes WoodRiver, so I went to a Woodcraft to look at them and try them out.
Out of the box they were so much better than what I had been dealing with. I got a 5½ and a low angle block that day.
Since, I have added several more sizes and have thrown in a couple of Veritas (router, shoulder & shooting) planes that are great.
I can't speak to Lie Nielsen, but they come highly recommended by many.
I just know that I'm extremely happy with the ones I have. Your milage may vary.

[Kane Bragg]

Yes. Clearly this is what I've stated.

[Aaron Inami]

There have been posts about getting sharpening gear/stones. This is rather important because you can get a $$$ Lie-Nielson plane and even that will become somewhat useless relatively quickly if you don't re-sharpen the blade. There are a variety of stones at different prices, but I chose Shapton Glass. They are expensive, but don't require constant soak in water and you don't have the slew/mess you do with other cheaper stones. At some point, you will need to add in a diamond plate so that you can re-flatten the stone. It definitely becomes an investment. I -think- that you can probably get a pretty good sharpening on a blade if you choose a single 3000 grit stone (experts, correct me if I'm wrong). A combination of grits is definitely better. Then you need a sharpening angle jig unless you want to try "free hand sharpening".

Looking at the Rob Cosman preparation service, it seems like he is tweaking the WoodRiver to approach Lie-Nielson manufacturing quality. He does a couple things that concern me for "new plane users":

- Sharpen the blade using micro-bevels
- Applying a back-bevel (Chatsworth) to the back of the plane blade

If you don't know exactly how Rob did these angles, it could be a challenge to re-sharpen the blade when it dulls.

If you're considering the Rob Consman Prepped WoodRiver, it might just be easier to go for a Veritas #5-1/4 with a PM-V11 blade (actually $4 cheaper than the Rob Cosman Prepped #5).

[Kane Bragg]

Thank you so much, Aaron - very appreciated insight.

[Martin Chin]

Flat sole, sharp blade and solid support for the blade are the most important things. 60 or 80 grit sandpaper on a table saw wing will get an old Stanley flat fairly quickly. Sharpening is another rabbit hole. Choose what works for you. Find somewhere to try out the different sized planes. A woodcraft or a woodworking club might be best. The other reason is that those planes will be well tuned, so you will know what it "feels" like to take those thin or thick shavings. I think there is a big difference between a 5 and a 5 1/2. Try the different sizes to find what works for you, which size you like the most, before buying.

[Jimmy Harris]

Another option might be to look for an old Stanley, Miller's Falls, Record, or Sargent that's already been rehabbed, flattened, repainted, and wood refinished by someone who does this as a hobby. I see them occasionally on the big auction site. They're usually still cheaper than a new plane and you get a better made plane that will perform as good or better and look as good as a new one will after a few weeks of use for less money.

There's some truth to buy once/cry once. But it's not a hard and fast rule. Buying more than you need is still a waste of money. There's a middle ground between buying something like a $6,000 Karl Holtey bench plane and buying a $15 Central Forge bench plane from Harbor Freight.

[Richard Coers]

Flat sole, sharp blade and solid support for the blade are the most important things. 60 or 80 grit sandpaper on a table saw wing will get an old Stanley flat fairly quickly. Sharpening is another rabbit hole. Choose what works for you. Find somewhere to try out the different sized planes. A woodcraft or a woodworking club might be best. The other reason is that those planes will be well tuned, so you will know what it "feels" like to take those thin or thick shavings. I think there is a big difference between a 5 and a 5 1/2. Try the different sizes to find what works for you, which size you like the most, before buying.

OP is only concerned about how the plane looks. Advice on making it a working plane has become off topic.

[mike stenson]

A couple things.

1) If you're not sure what you're getting into, rehabbing a plane is daunting.
1a) This also includes not knowing where to start, or as importantly where to stop

2) If you're new to something, you really only have visuals to go by.

Just a thought.

Otherwise, I agree fully with what Derek had to say. I'd also be wiling to buy used from someone with a track-record of restoring planes. Although, that's a harder target to find.

[Jim Koepke]

Kane, you might consider entering your location in your profile. You may live near another member who would be willing to let you test drive some planes to make sure the #5 is the right size for you. It can also give you a feel for how a plane should perform.

Some "premium planes" might not work right out of the box. One of my planes, purchased from Lie-Nielsen, came with a note saying the lever cap screw was purposely overtightened at assembly to prevent problems in shipping. Lee Valley & Lie-Nielsen both tend to ship planes "ready to adjust and go." Though, the sometimes heavy hand of shipping can move a blade out of alignment.

Having worked on a lot of mechanical things before woodworking, tuning up an old plane wasn't a difficult task for me. For the unaccustomed, it can be overwhelming.

jtk

[Kane Bragg]

OP is only concerned about how the plane looks. Advice on making it a working plane has become off topic.

Richard, I think a room temperature IQ could interpret my comments with greater accuracy. I simply thought the Grizzly looked nice. And as I stated in my original post, “I have no interest in scouring eBay or antiquing for a used option to restore.” Most people would have taken pause before posting an eBay link had they read that.

Just toeing the waters in plane-world and seeking fellow woodworker’s wisdom. Your $15 eBay plane advice has been noted.

[Rafael Herrera]

One thing this plane has going for it is that it has an actual lever cap and not a screw cap like the Taytool planes. I don't care for screw caps, just a personal preference.

The brass lever and lever cap screw doesn't seem like a good idea since these are high wear parts.

Another plus is the O1 iron, it will require regular sharpening stones to sharpen it.

Lastly, the weight, it's a trend with modern manufacturers to make these planes with heavy castings. If you are going to use a plane like this for extended periods, a lighter plane is an asset. A vintage #5 jack plane is about 4.5lb, the page you linked to doesn't state the weight. The LN jack plane is 5.5lb and the Woodriver is 6lb, for reference.

Only one way to find out if it's what you need.

[Jay Norton]

There have been posts about getting sharpening gear/stones. This is rather important because you can get a $$$ Lie-Nielson plane and even that will become somewhat useless relatively quickly if you don't re-sharpen the blade. There are a variety of stones at different prices, but I chose Shapton Glass. They are expensive, but don't require constant soak in water and you don't have the slew/mess you do with other cheaper stones. At some point, you will need to add in a diamond plate so that you can re-flatten the stone. It definitely becomes an investment. I -think- that you can probably get a pretty good sharpening on a blade if you choose a single 3000 grit stone (experts, correct me if I'm wrong). A combination of grits is definitely better. Then you need a sharpening angle jig unless you want to try "free hand sharpening".

Looking at the Rob Cosman preparation service, it seems like he is tweaking the WoodRiver to approach Lie-Nielson manufacturing quality. He does a couple things that concern me for "new plane users":

- Sharpen the blade using micro-bevels
- Applying a back-bevel (Chatsworth) to the back of the plane blade

If you don't know exactly how Rob did these angles, it could be a challenge to re-sharpen the blade when it dulls.

If you're considering the Rob Consman Prepped WoodRiver, it might just be easier to go for a Veritas #5-1/4 with a PM-V11 blade (actually $4 cheaper than the Rob Cosman Prepped #5).

Aaron,

I agree the Cosman micro-bevels could be challenging, especially since they are likely done without a jig.

The Charlesworth ruler trick may be easier, as the new user can fairly easily establish a new back-bevel angle on such a small area on the back of the blade.

It may all be a moot point as I believe Cosman can only sell/ship WoodRiver planes in Canada.

[Eric Brown]

I looked closely at the Grizzly you linked to. Hard to tell, but it doesn't appear to be a Bedrock type design. The flat top does not mean it's a Bedrock. The Lever cap having a brass lever looks pretty but like earlier mentioned it will wear quicker. The blade adjuster has a left hand thread, which works in a logical manner. Brass adjuster knob looks like a decent size. Blade thickness and material looks ok. Some concerns you can't tell from pictures are: Sole flatness and square to the sides, smoothness of sliding parts (easier to adjust), shape of tote and knob (comfort).

I will send you a PM with an offer you should consider.

[Warren Lake]

Like to try a nice plane some day. Have my original four, 3 bought used from a friend one from my father. People have given me likely 20 planes over the years. In this case a carpenter asked me to come and pick up his fathers planes. They did lifetime of carpentry and were sitting in a garage rusting. There were 5 and he wanted them to have a home, they were free I gave him 50.00 to have something, they were far from ideal and blades worn, soles worn, never trued and heavy rust.

This six I restored was just flatten the bottom and reduce the rust. I dont care how they look. I have another 6 Bailie made in England, one of my originals. This one made in Canada has the scalloped base. They each have a different feel.

Be nice to hand this to a really good cabinetmaker like the Doucette and Wolf guy and see what he could do with it or even compare. I watched him hand plane the other day, maybe a table top, great work and he made it look effortless.

I like planes but more of a machine guy.

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[Lloyd McKinlay]

Don't know if the OP is still in the market for a high quality, good looking #5 but they should check classifieds if they are.