Lie Nielsen Planes

Lie Nielsen Planes.

I’ve been somewhat sceptical about premium planes for a number of years, thinking they offer the same as a well fettled Stanley or Record. That scepticism was somewhat shattered today when I took delivery of two Lie Nielsen planes, a 60 1/2, and a 042. These are of course based on Stanley, Record, and in turn Preston planes. But Lie Nielsen has tweaked these planes into a different animal altogether.  Now I’ve been using my Stanley/Record planes for close to twenty three years, so after this time I’d like to think I know my way around a hand plane. So today was a bit of a revelation using these two wonderful planes, I feel somewhat silly saying that, after saying in a few thread’s on various woodworking forum’s that my fettled Stanley’s and records are just as good, this is just not true.
I’m trying in my business to finish off as much of my work by hand as possible,  in part to be able to say to clients this is hand-made, and in part because a hand planed finish is so much nicer to achieve than having all the dust floating about. I believe the addition of these two Lie Nielsen Planes, will enable me to do this faster as well as tackle more wilder and attractively grained timbers, instead of perhaps turning to the sander. So after today I have changed my stance, and cannot wait for when I have enough money to purchase a No4….and maybe just a few more.

Oh here’s the evidence…