What should I get for my first hand plane?

[David Carroll]

If I were starting out, like you are, I would get a No. 5 Jack Plane as you and others have suggested, and I would get a second iron. On that second iron I would grind it in such a way that the middle inch is flat (the way it came) but the outer edges have a pretty significant radius, back a full 1/16th-inch at least. This allows squaring a narrow edge essentially flat, but with the radiused edges you can take a deep cut like a traditional jack plane to flatten and thickness quickly. The other iron I would reserve for smoothing so just break the corners, ever so slightly, so it doesn't leave tracks. This will work as a smoother, and can work on a shooting board as well.

There are other planes that can do these jobs better than this, and you will soon grow tired of adjusting the frog and chipbreaker for this or that and swapping the irons, but this will get you started.

After that, invest in some sharpening equipment, (more important than the specific plane you wind up with, IMO) and a good straightedge. You can make a longer straightedge, squares, and various other tools you will need, but this will get you started.

DC

[Dave Schreib]

If I were starting out, like you are, I would get a No. 5 Jack Plane as you and others have suggested, and I would get a second iron. On that second iron I would grind it in such a way that the middle inch is flat (the way it came) but the outer edges have a pretty significant radius, back a full 1/16th-inch at least. This allows squaring a narrow edge essentially flat, but with the radiused edges you can take a deep cut like a traditional jack plane to flatten and thickness quickly. The other iron I would reserve for smoothing so just break the corners, ever so slightly, so it doesn't leave tracks. This will work as a smoother, and can work on a shooting board as well.

There are other planes that can do these jobs better than this, and you will soon grow tired of adjusting the frog and chipbreaker for this or that and swapping the irons, but this will get you started.

After that, invest in some sharpening equipment, (more important than the specific plane you wind up with, IMO) and a good straightedge. You can make a longer straightedge, squares, and various other tools you will need, but this will get you started.

DC

Thanks. Where does one buy a second iron? And can you link me to a good sharpening video? I would need both materials and technique.

[Jim Koepke]

Thank you Jimmy and Cameron

What about this Stanley#5 Jack Plane? Does this look serviceable and a good place for me to get started?

A #5 is a good all around size to start with in building a working set of planes.

This plane looks promising, not much to tell by two pictures. It looks like a type 16, built from 1933-1941.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...3054388214400/

Yes, that looks good. I would spend some time flattening the sole with sandpaper on a flat surface, but others don't seem to care.

Don't try fixing a problem when there may not be a problem to fix. The sole looks a little rough, clean it with some mineral spirits, rub some wax on it and see how it does before trying to flatten the sole. It is easier to mess up a good enough sole than it is to fix any unknown problem.

Save the sandpaper and look into > scary sharp < until you settle on a sharpening set up. You might try to look for other woodworkers in your area and hopefully find someone willing to be a mentor.

Thanks. Where does one buy a second iron? And can you link me to a good sharpening video? I would need both materials and technique.

I've bought many irons via ebay. They are also available from most woodworking supply houses. Lee Valley carries Hock blades. A new one with a chip breaker will cost more than the plane you linked earlier.

Lie-Nielsen has some good sharpening videos. At Youtube search > lie nielsen sharpening < There are less expensive sharpening guides. For some, it is easier to just learn freehand sharpening.

jtk

[mike stenson]

Rob Cosman's got a good freehand sharpening video, something like 36 seconds to sharp (I think was the name of it) as well.

there's also How to restore a hand plane by mortise & tenon magazine.. Which stays simple, which I like.

[steven c newman]

For the price of shipping one to you $19...I can send a No. 5 Stanley Jack plane to your address...sharpened and ready to go.

Better yet, just PM your Mailing Address...and I will send it out tomorrow's Mail.

[Dave Schreib]

For the price of shipping one to you $19...I can send a No. 5 Stanley Jack plane to your address...sharpened and ready to go.

Better yet, just PM your Mailing Address...and I will send it out tomorrow's Mail.

That's outrageously generous. I'd like to venmo you $ for it. I really love the idea that someone who knows how a plane is supposed to work has used it and thinks that it works as it should. That takes a big variable out of this process for me.

Thank you so much!

[steven c newman]

It is called: Paying it Forward....and I tend to do quite a bit of it...just need an address to send this to...

[Cameron Wood]

Don't try fixing a problem when there may not be a problem to fix. The sole looks a little rough, clean it with some mineral spirits, rub some wax on it and see how it does before trying to flatten the sole. It is easier to mess up a good enough sole than it is to fix any unknown problem.

Save the sandpaper and look into > scary sharp < until you settle on a sharpening set up. You might try to look for other woodworkers in your area and hopefully find someone willing to be a mentor.



I've bought many irons via ebay. They are also available from most woodworking supply houses. Lee Valley carries Hock blades. A new one with a chip breaker will cost more than the plane you linked earlier.

Lie-Nielsen has some good sharpening videos. At Youtube search > lie nielsen sharpening < There are less expensive sharpening guides. For some, it is easier to just learn freehand sharpening.

jtk

You could say the same thing about sharpening: Don't try fixing a problem when it might be OK. You could mess up the iron trying to sharpen it. Just rub some wax on it, it's good enough.

[Jim Koepke]

You could say the same thing about sharpening: Don't try fixing a problem when it might be OK. You could mess up the iron trying to sharpen it. Just rub some wax on it, it's good enough.

Sharpness is easy to test. Sometimes it is easy to see by eye.

Flatness can also be checked with tools and knowledgable examination.

It helps to know what problem needs to be fixed before starting to fix it.

jtk

[David Carroll]

Thanks. Where does one buy a second iron? And can you link me to a good sharpening video? I would need both materials and technique.

I just typed "replacement iron for Stanley No. 5 plane" on ebay, and found dozens, they range in price from 20-30 bucks for serviceable ones.

Sharpening... That's a whole other issue. I will tell you what I do now, and what I would do if I were starting out.

I now use diamond stones. I buy them from Sharpeningsupplies . com

I get the DMT brand, the dia-sharp kit. There are four stones from extra coarse to extra fine. They come in lengths of 6, 8, 10, and now 11-inch lengths. I got the 10-inch lengths 8-years ago and they're still going strong. I will likely add the new extra extra coarse 11-inch stone for heavy grinding, and get rid of my Tormek. Then strop with leather and some compound, choose the color you like, I've never seen that it makes a lot of difference.

If I was starting out today, I would get three thin diamond stones. Look at Amazon, they have Asian imports for less than $15.00 each. Then look up Paul Sellers: Edge sharpening for under £10. He has a method of using contact cement to glue the plates to plywood to make an inexpensive setup for less than $50.00. I think it's the best way to get up and running quickly. All you then need is a strop.

DC

[Eric Brown]

Thanks. Where does one buy a second iron? And can you link me to a good sharpening video? I would need both materials and technique.

A good book on sharpening is "Sharpen This" by Lost Art Press. https://lostartpress.com/collections...s/sharpen-this

It covers all the different ways to sharpen.

[glenn bradley]

Hard to go wrong with a No 5 or a low angle jack.

[Charles Edward]

A No. 7, but with a spare blade that you've shaped to have a pretty profound curve to it. Some call it "camber" but whatever. Shape the end on a coarse oilstone, not at the grinder. If you don't know how to hone it won't matter what you buy because nothing will work as it should.