Journals Projects Workshops Reviews

Handplanes of your dreams

678330 Views 53906 Replies 478 Participants Last post by Admin, Aug 24, 2017

Bertha

Discussion Starter · Apr 5, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

There's enough handplane lovers around here that this could be an informative question. What are your dream handplanes (handtools in general are acceptable)? I'm a sucker for the infills, so Norris and Preston would be at the top of my list. Of all of them….hmmm….probably a Norris panel plane (below) closely followed by a big Mathieson.

Wood Tool Machine Metal Auto part

Please share yours!

See less See more

2

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 53907 Posts

Brit

· #2 · Apr 5, 2011

If your buying Bertha, I'll have a Ron Brese 875 special edition with a gabon ebony infill. At only $1975 its a bargain. When can I expect delivery?

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 5, 2011

OK Andy, I'll buy your Brese if you'll buy my A1 Holtey panel plane. It's a deal. When should we plan the exchange? I'm guessing you live in England, so it'd probably be easier if I bring it to you. Let me know when you've picked up the ticket.

See less See more

2

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 5, 2011

Here's Andy's Brese if any of his relatives/friends are watching (hint hint):

See less See more

2

Dennisgrosen

· #5 · Apr 5, 2011

Wayne Anderson's planes are inspiring workhorses.

as Christopher Schwarz say´s in an article here on this site
http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/cSchwarz/z_art/andersonPlanes/andersonPlanes.asp

and it is beautyfull handmade planes he makes to your specification they are arts in themself
and will inspire to make better work , they don´t make you a better woodworker but they
will inspire you to do more than your best
read the article and go to mr. Anderson´s site and see for your self but be aware if you click
you want one of his buty´s ten times more than a Carl Holtey plane

http://www.andersonplanes.com/

take care
Dennis

See less See more

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 5, 2011

For those who are too impatient for the photos, here's Dennis's holiday hopes (goodness gracious, that's a beautiful plane):

See less See more

2

Brit

· #7 · Apr 5, 2011

Holtey A1 panel plane eh? No problem, its only £7000. Do you want a spare blade with that? LOL

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 5, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Andy, and a spare lever cap if it's not too much trouble. I always seem to scratch them on all my Holteys somehow

Brit

· #9 · Apr 5, 2011

So if I put by £1 a week, you should have it in about 135 years. Hope that's ok.

Joking aside, I think Ron Brese's prices are justified, even reasonable. Personally, I've never liked the look of Wayne Anderson's planes, they always look a bit awkward to me. As for Holteys, I can't see what makes them so much more expensive than Brese planes personally. Who buys Holteys apart from collectors with deep pockets? If I was making premium infill planes, I'd want them to be used and appreciated by craftsmen not stuck in a glass display cabinet. What's your opinion?

Dennisgrosen

· #10 · Apr 5, 2011

or what about one from Sauer and Steiner

http://www.sauerandsteiner.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=752

gallery
http://www.sauerandsteiner.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=752

now you all have a little to dream about

Dennis

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 5, 2011

^I couldn't agree more! On all accounts, really. I don't find the prices of this custom modern planes to be anything unsightly for the art involved, a nearly lost art until rather recently it seems. I own a sprinkling of Lie Nielsens but that's because they're ready to go out of the box & I can't afford the Stanley miters, etc. No handplane that's unwilling to work is allowed in my shop. If I won the lottery, I'd own a Holtey, and I'd drag it across dirty boards and toss it in with the rest of the guys (like Mads' fairy tale). For a commercial collection like Lee Valley's, I can understand preserving the history of an early Victor Bailey but in my shop, no one just gets admired. There are probably rich lucky ba$tards that use Holteys, but I bet there aren't many of them.

Paul Hamler planes are a different story. I know many owners (me included) that own them and use them hard. One guy had to reorder irons because he'd worn his down! Now that's a guy I like.

Paul Hamler custom

See less See more

2

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #12 · Apr 5, 2011

^that S&S jointer is absurdly beautiful.

Dennisgrosen

· #13 · Apr 5, 2011

I take my hat of for Holtey in the way that he gets the money he wants for his planes
but they are still only a jiig to hold the cheisel in at a correct angle and nothing more

take care
Dennis

CharlieM1958

· #14 · Apr 5, 2011

Since I started playing with planes a scary thing has happened. I'm starting to get more interested in the tools themselves than I am in the woodworking!

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 5, 2011

^Charlie, that happened to me when I set off to Type my first #4. It was ingenious of Stanley & others to assign numbers to their lines. It makes the ever-changing subtle modifications all the more exciting to track. The history of the handplane is unlike any other mechanical history to me. It's simply fascinating.

Dennisgrosen

· #16 · Apr 5, 2011

have you read whelan´s handplane book about history form and function

Napoleon

· #17 · Apr 5, 2011

Bertha when you next time go shopping then my favorite would be these babyès

See less See more

2

Brit

· #18 · Apr 5, 2011

Dennis - I love your definition of a hand plane. "A jig to hold a chisel at the correct angle". You should add that to Wikipedia.

Charlie - I think we all suffer from that. I'm going through that stage that all new woodworkers go through where I study a particular type of tool, learn about it, read reviews, decide which one to buy, buy it, take it apart and fiddle with it, learn what makes it good and develop an appreciation and love for it. In some ways I think it is healthy, because only after you've been through all that can you get the best out of a tool. The woodworking will come and hopefully be better for it. At least that's what I tell the wife.

Bertha

Discussion Starter · #19 · Apr 5, 2011

Register Napolean for the Damascus Japanese chisels! I've salivated over them myself many times. Another example of a rare craftsman producing legacy quality hand tools.
And to Brit, that's why we love the vintage tools so much. They've got the heft, power, and longevity that we all admire. I mean come on…

See less See more

2

Brit

· #20 · Apr 5, 2011

That's awesome! You don't need to waste money on gym membership if you've got one of those.

1 - 20 of 53907 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.

Top