I have read that the most important part of a plane is the iron-and
Ron Hock(?) makes the best. Apparently the thicker irons are MUCH
better that what comes on the plane from the factory.


On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 11:04:45 -0500, Silvan
wrote:

Eric Lund wrote:

Veritas shoulder plane adjusts so finely and the shavings look about 3
or 4 thousandths thick. It is real hard to get the others tuned to

key, of course, is the mouth. The adjustable mouth block planes are about

and you should be able to take a very fine shaving with a bench plane. In
fact, those 3-4 thou shavings will look like planks compared to what you
can take off with a finely tuned bench plane.

I thought I'd chip in here... I have a 1960-era #5. One of the blue ones,
not a Bailey pattern. It looks and feels like a pale shadow of what the
glory days of Stanley must have been, and just screams "cheap" and "not
made very well." (I got it for $25.)

Even with that, I can get shavings that appear to be no more than half a
wood cell thick. As you said, it's all about the way it's adjusted. Takes
a bit of fiddling, but if this junker can do it, any remotely decent plane
can do it.