"Mike H." wrote in
:

So what's the difference? Please help.

The difference is that the Stanleys in most woodworkers' shops were made in
an era when Stanley cared about handplanes more than garage door openers.

The designs are strong, and have been around since your great grandfather
was a boy, or longer. They are, in fact, the same designs from which the
Lie Nielsen and to some extent, the Veritas, planes are derived.

Here's the difference: The Veritas from Lee Valley works, right out of the
box, requiring only that you clean off the preseratives and give the blade
a light honing. A Stanley, or Record, or Anant, or Groz/Rockler, is going
to require that you spend more time with it. Within the last 6 months or
so, David Charlesworth did an excellent article, I think in Fine
Woodworking, on tuning up a modern plane. With those efforts, he, and
pretty much everyone else, gets the modern plane up to acceptable levels.

If you don't want to fiddle (fettle), then buy the Veritas, and go to work.
I particularly like the LV Low Angle smoother (watch the wrap)
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=1,41182,48944
&ccurrency=2&SID=
The bevel up configuration has some real advantages.


Now, if you want drop dead gorgeous, all your friends will drool, then
order youself up one of these babies:
http://www.knight-toolworks.com/wooden.htm
And they work exceedingly well, too. But maybe not for your first one.

Welcome to the quiet side!

Patriarch