Will a premium plane really cut "out of the box"? 

It was an honor to have you troubleshoot my plane. Thank you, Rex! I will take your suggestions to heart.

I drooled over the Lee Nielsen planes looking at their catalog back in the days. Pricey yes. But so gorgeous! I imagine, can only imagine since I don’t have one, the satisfaction of working the wood with piece of art in your hand must be quite something. Learned a lot from this video. Thank you! Have to apply these lessons to my Record planes. Now only if I can afford some wood ☹️

"might end up being a kinda short video" *Looks at the time code* *grabs popcorn*

Rex doesn't realize that he's the journeyman and we're the apprentices. Humility is such a good quality.

I happen to think the "doofus on the internet" is an amazing teacher. Thank you, Rex. I got so much out of this video.

Me: doesn't even know what a plane is. Also me: let's figure out how to fix a plane

Hey Rex I really enjoyed this video, even more than I enjoy you videos usually, the story you told at the end of the video made me want to go to the flea market and find planes and tools to restore. I'm 17 years old and this is my Third year of doing Woodworking, I used to go to a woodworking class but now I do it on my own in the garden, I'm right now in the process of building my first workbench. Your videos have always inspired me, thank you rex.

"That struggle is the craft." The blacksmith agrees with the woodwright. Well said.

Amen to your closing remarks. A friend of mine is a professionally trained luthier, and he is way less of a snob about his planes (modern-day Stanleys even *shudder*) than many hobbyists. It all comes down to knowing how to use your tools and how to keep them in good working order I guess.

"The struggle is built into our craft." Very true. My experience has been that the internet has created the illusion of leveling the playing field, whereas in many cases what you really have is the blind leading the deaf. Not always, but enough to confuse, or even discourage a beginner. Nice, balanced video - good for you!

I used to get yelled at if I ever placed a plane with the blade down on the bench during my apprenticeship. I got flash backs every time you did it in this video.

The last five minutes of this video are absolute gold, and applicable to every discipline, not just woodworking. When I interview for a new job, people ask me in a variety of ways, "Are you an expert?" I always answer, "You bet! Best you'll ever see!" because that's what they want and need to hear. But really, I'm ok. There are people who have pushed the rock up the hill higher than I have, and people who I have surpassed. The journey is the point, and once you stop pushing, the rock is going to slide back down.

The last five minutes of this was the best content you’ve created Rex. Some of the most sensible comments about expensive/premium tools and learning the craft. It was obviously heart felt and very diplomatically put. One question about the high angle of this plane though, you say it can reduce tear out, but isn’t that what a low angle plane is meant to prevent?

I bought a cheap Silverline plane from Amazon a year ago. After taking it apart almost a hundred times and refining refering to your videos it it starts to become a decent Tool. So thanx Rex from Germany.

Q: How do you spot a hand tool woodworker? A: They’re the ones with the hairless forearms.

Rex, I am 78 and have been using a Craftsman no. 5 plane for over forty years. I learned more about setting up the plane in this video then I have learned by just experimenting and using the plane for years. I do know how to sharpen plane irons and chisels. But the actual set up has always been a mystery. You cleared up most of the mystery. Thanks for this great tutorial. And yes I still do some woodworking.

I am 'Paul Sellers taught'. I am 'James Wright' taught. I am 'Rex Figures it Out' taught. There are probably others. Restoring a plane is the best education one could get. Totally agree.

This video made me get out my old plane and try it out! Thanks!

Hello Rex! The story you told about the experience you gained when trying to learn to handle the plane was exactly my story. I understand perfectly that the search for the control and correct use of the tool was my great master. This video has a great lesson and is therefore one of my favorites. Thanks again.

This may be the single best teaching video on both the philosophy and the practical details of a high angle plane. Rex, you are a gifted teacher and communicator. Thanks

He should have contacted LN and let them replace that plane. I've got 11 LN planes and they all worked straight out of the box. They hold an edge like no other plane I've owned. It was good to hear you explain things about real life in woodworking, especially to the beginners. Thanks for the efforts you put into your videos.

I'm 67 years old now but I still remember one of the first things my wood working teacher said to the class on the first day during tool introduction.. This is his words. DONT PLACE THE PLANE FACE DOWN ONTO A BENCH! YOU COULD SIT IT ON SOMETHING METALIC AND DAMAGE THE BLADE. This is good advice that i have always followed. it is very easy to have a momentary laps of concentration and . . . resharpen the blade. love the video and will look for more.

You're hands down the best woodworking creator on youtube for all of us interested in this wondeful hobby, or a profession. Down to earth, detailed, smart, humble and honest. Keep going and don't change.

The last 5 minutes of this video are some of the best content I've ever seen about learning a craft, any craft.

I don't do woodwork but I suddenly feel the need to buy a bronze plane simply because to me it's a beautiful piece of art. Great video.

Rex, I'm an old woodworker with everything I need. Just wanted to say you do a great job, and I enjoy your videos. Also wanted to offer a suggestion. I heat beeswax, add mineral oil, pour about an inch into yogurt cups to make a cake. I rub it on the bottom of my planes, and they glide over wood. I don't have proportions. I make a half dozen at a time every 20 years.

Dear Rex, I couldn’t agree more with you about the reward gained from struggling with poorly functioning tools. I, like you inherited a collection of hand-me-down tools from both my father and father-in-law. None of it worked well. Saws chopped their way through wood, not smoothly cutting it. Planes were like wielding a tomahawk at wood, not producing smooth swarf. I didn’t let that get the better of me and mostly through the advent of RU-vid videos, I was able to get an idea of how to condition these tools. When I got some files and a properly designed saw clamp, I turned a crappy blade into one that smoothly cut and with amazing speed. This was a fantastic moment because for the first time in my life, I had in my hands a saw that I enjoyed using. The next step was to turn my hand to reconditioning planes. I started with a large sanding board and turned an irregular sole and sides into perfectly flat and perpendicular surfaces. Sharpening the blades was another skill to hurdle and finally working with an errant chip-breaker to stop it from binding full of chips stopping planing with chips filling the gap between the blade and chip-breaker. I now get whisper thin shavings from most of my planes, including wooden block planes and my saws rip through wood in excellent time but produce nice straight lines. All of this I achieved through persistence, some native intuition in problem solving but mostly by soaking up knowledge meted out by fantastic people like yourself. Thank you. To answer the question: Do I need to buy expensive “perfect” tools? The real joy is turning something that is well built into something that works beautifully. The antique stores occasionally have wonderful old tools that have fallen into disrepair. Try them and hone your skills in reconditioning them and you will be amply rewarded. Happy woodworking.

I have, almost exclusively, Stanley and I thought they were collectible. In the end it's the quality of that knife and the tool's ability to hold it properly. As far as the knife goes, it pays to love sharpening a quality edge! Also, many people to whom I show the collection, especially the jointer, have no idea what it's for! Many folks who work with wood can't imagine using anything but an electric planer but I bet they don't know how to sharpen it!. You're a rare artisan, Rex! Good job!

Comments: Talking about how he put the plane on the table wrong Me: *an intellectual knowing planes are too big to fit on tables* Also me: *wondering why he has a frog in his plane*

Why am I watching this, idk. But I'm 29 minutes in and I can't stop watching.

I'm approximately 3 minutes into the video and already Rex has it wrong. He gets to the box and refers to it as "The Ark of the Covenant" and opens it. While looking at it!!! Has Indiana Jones taught us nothing???? You don't look directly at the Ark when it's open!!! Just kidding Rex. Love your work. Please keep up the great content.

Good words at the end. Know your tools, know how they work or are supposed to work, and know how to fix and make them work. That's an important part of working with hand tools. It's no different than needing to know how power tools work and how to maintain them.

Great work Rex. You are an extremely rare combination of engaging, informative, funny, and practical all at the same time. Great work. Thanks.

One suggestion: Any time tightness is backed off on something tight, you should tighten back up to the desired amount. What this means is, if you need to loosen something, loosen it more than you need and then tighten it back to where desired. It will hold its setting better. This applies to guitar tuning, auto parts to resist vibration, and even the plane at 8:05.

You are one of the most honest, thoughtful and insightful guys on the internet. This helped me a lot; thanks

Excellent video Rex, thanks for all the setup info. I did cringe though, every time you sat that plane down on a board and pushed it along against the blade. What damage it must be doing! And you did it over and over again!!

I learned how to wield tools after years of having to fix failing parts of my loft apartment. I went from barely able to hit a nail correctly to rehanging drywall, rebuilding shoddy construction, and making ladders and tables all because I had to stumble through the process of learning to build. You’re never more confident in your skills than you are when you know you can figure your way out of a mess.

Thanks to this video i finally got my father's old stanley #5 working. Needs sharpening and restoration still but it works. Hasn't been used in 40 years.

Started my apprenticeship at twenty two. You can’t buy experience out of a box. You must be taught, you must read, you must try and fail, you must listen and learn, you must watch your master. Most of all, you must do your homework.

Rex, I've been following your channel for about a year and i just want to say all of your content is fantastic, anytime I see someone struggling with planes or budget wood working i always try to send them your way. Your closing remarks of this video about your first plane and learning it inside and out were like a snapshot of my own experience. My first plane was a No. 5 Stanley-Bailey from my great grandfather who i never knew via a hand down from my dad. and it only mostly works because of your videos. I now have 4 planes and three of them are functional. I just keep refining keep looking for how do i improve, I really enjoy the way you go after problems.Thank you for your awesome content, Keep it up.

This is a strange place for the algorithm to take me.

Fantastic and very honest conclusion to the video. To summarise (in my interpretation): In the same way that money alone can’t buy you happiness, you can’t buy your way out of learning and, sometimes, learning the hard way is the best way or the only way.

Rex, I certainly agree with you that learning how to “fettle” your tools is an essential part of hand tool wood working. I get a lot of satisfaction in taking an old No. 4 and getting it it to do what a $350 Lie Nielsen will do. That doesn’t stop me lusting after shiny things though 😉

28:00 "Now that's just a tearout factory right there." Looks like Rex has found my woodshop. 😆

Rex, thank you so much for one of your greatest videos that teaches such a huge lesson about handplanes! I think it is an excellent idea to undertake solving a practical problem from real life in front of the camera, while taking the opportunity to convey your knowledge and experiences on the topic in their relevant natural context. Keep up the good work!

Thank you Rex, you have re-ignited my interest in wood work. Being more of a metal machinist, also self taught. I totally agree with you when it comes to learning your craft. Restoring and rebuilding my machine tool collection has made me a much better machinist. Thanks again

I like “the doofus on the internet”. That’s why I am a patron. But I got a great laugh out of that line. Still chuckling. Personally, I rather enjoy struggling with the tools, especially the restoration and setup of hand planes. There is great satisfaction out ending up with a tool that works well.

This is the first video I've seen of yours. You speak like you have the knowledge of a master craftsman and you are very humble. Pleasure to watch your video.

I tried SO hard to get a cheap $20 smoother from the big box store working well. I tried for weeks. I'd flattened it by lapping, toyed with every setting I could, and every time I would get grabby awful cuts. I'd ease in from no cut, a bit of sawdust, to big grabby tear out. I pushed so hard I moved my bench across the floor. There was no in between! I'd given up, but got it out a year later for another reason. I took it apart and finally figured out the problem after putting it back together so many times... The frog had a single machine burr that held it off the bed. When the blade finally caught, the frog would rock forward and nose dive the blade! A single swipe with a file and I was taking gossamer shavings in seconds.

First time watcher, just found this channel. Not even halfway through the video I subscribed because you communicate your ideas very effectively. You're open-minded. Modest. You speak clearly. And I want to follow you through your journey of perfecting your woodworking. Great job. This is quality RU-vid!

Sweet Fancy Moses! Lie-Nielsen didn't pack the plane THAT securely when they sent it to him!

i know absolutely nothing about woodworking but i watched the whole thing. super relaxing and almost peaceful to watch him care for the tool

Nice tip with checking the gap. I often having issues with shavings getting jammed between the 2. Id also try to see if they could send a replacement cap.

I'm a programmer and have always been encouraged to spend time 'sharpening your tools' - and agree that is the root of your craft. If you had to deal with the same problem more than a few times, spend time and find the way to never have that issue again. In the end it lets you spend your quality time on the things that matter. Love your videos, going to go and take a closer look at a plane that was my granddad's and get it nicely set up again!

Honestly, I think these days, youtube videos like yours or Paul Sellers is the Digital Age equivalent of hand tool woodworking apprenticeships. All the knowledge and different experiences of woodworkers around the world at our fingertips. All we have to do is grab a plane, a few chisels, some wood and follow along "one-on-one", with personal or video shown(like making the low and high benches) projects as out "homework" with growth and individual styles happening along the way. Videos by folks like you are completely invaluable and will continue to be for years to come.

Everyone who likes to work with hand tools should listen to your final statement. Happily, I learned this way by necessity and am passing what I know onto my son in the same way. Not many tools more satisfying to use than a well set up hand plane - or more frustrating when not :)

When I went to BMW automatic transmission school we were told to use toothpaste to free up valves in the valve body. A little toothpaste ought to free up that lever without removing a lot of metal.

Another beautiful, precision, instrument from the lie-nielsen LTD. As a seventeen year old I bought a fairly high-end watchmaking lathe, brand new. Being a Neo, I started some work ,without first cleaning my new lathe, and worked horribly!! My dad mentioned that it might need cleaning first, but I ignored all that stuff. A day or two, after becoming frustrated that this 'high-precision' thing didn't even work, I reluctantly tried cleaning the bed, ways and especially the lead screws. WOW!! The precision part came into focus. The tiniest bit of packing grease kept everything from operating, so fine was the machining. I learned something that day that has kept my precision lab machinery operational and me, I kept my smile. That was over fifty years ago and the precision makers just keep getting better. Great share thanks.👍

Howdy Rex!! I've been hankering for a touch more from your "Forged in Wood" series. I appreciate ALL your content and hard work, just wondering if the series was retired? Keep up the amazing work!!

Thanks for this video, Rex and Rusty! Last fall I got my first hand plane, it was a cheap Faithfull No. 5 Jack Plane. It came in a truly awful shape, wasn't cutting anything. :( I've spent a while putting it to work, I've straightened it's sole, readjusted the frog, re-grinded, sharpened and than eventually replaced its cutting iron with a premium one. I was swearing a lot while putting it to work, but now I'm really happy as I went through all this experience and I can make an educated choice when buying & tuning new planes... We should not try to take blood, sweat and tears out from the craft completely, instead we should learn how to get after it and get over it. Knowing how to fix stuff that does not work properly feels so empowering after all! Cheers

Being a plane with a high angle frog, the advance on the blade is a little harder to control. But with some time on the plane that should become a none factor soon. Also, some people try to set a very close chip breaker and very closed mouth at the same time. Doing both will choke the plane and cause poor, intermittent cuts. Finally, my bench plane set is made up of both Stanley Bedrock (all restored myself) and Lie-Nielsen. Across the set the Bedrocks were inferior, to the point I didn’t want to use them . . . . until I replaced the original blade and chip breaker set with Hock sets. Now there doesn’t seem to be a difference.

Your end video points are exactly correct and translate across all mediums. All too often people obsess over the quality of materials, especially when starting out. "My painting would be better if I had a nicer brushes or nicer paints". Instead of materials; focus on creating every day and you will get better. Amazing artists can make wonderful things out of ballpoint BIC pens.

Putting the chip breaker "Close to the Edge" is something to say "Yes" too.

This video got you another subscriber, cause of the story about the old plane and knowing the tools. I don't care if you make horrible stuff, I like to follow people who are right in the head.

Brother, just ran upon your channel by accident. I'm a license plumber, welder, fabricator, and I build cars. I had a small woodworking shop in my last house which I loved. Watching a true craftsman diagnose someone else's tool while he is not there too answer direct questions on his expectation of the use of the tool is amazing. Unfortunately that's a trait which can't be trained.

Sooo.... do you use these on your head to make it perfectly round because damn is that impressive

Closing remarks about having a teacher is spot on. I spent a year tying to figure out card scrapers. Super easy tool but I just couldn't get them to work! Did a 3h lesson at Lee Valley with a skilled mentor and BOOM! I've been making perfect curles ever since. Lot to be said about self taught, but once in awhile having a skilled hand to guide you is great! I've restored about 20 planes to beautiful user condition and I agree there too; makes it easier to use when you know how their guts work 👍 Love the content Rex, keep it up! (And a quick pester to get the blacksmithing content back again 😁)

I was always taught to set the plane on the table on it's side, so the blade isn't against the bench and whatever detritus is down there....? Thoughts??

Wow out of all the channels on wood working that I watch.Your channel hands down is one of the best.

When you buy a graphics card, but it ends up being a plane.

At 36:00 you perfectly summarized my love of my Shopsmith tools. What a lot of people look down at as “Too much time to change-over” I’ve always have seen as quality time with the tools I love. This was an excellent video! Scott

Sounds like you just need to work the "newness" out of it. In my shop, the problem is solved by just using old stuff thats nice and loose!

This is the single most informative video for planes I've ever seen. What a treat to have the tool components removed, examined, explained, reassembled, and tuned. Wow. Rex you are amazing.

Rex: talking about how he said the plane was leaving scratches and getting tearout Me: wait that shouldn't happen Me: also realizes my plane was 20$ from HarborFreight

one video, so well done I will subscribe. I get planes from wherever I can. I re-do the lacquering, nickel plating, brass polishing, sharpening. I don't use them much, but I enjoy making a work of art out of a tool I can still use.

RU-vid: I recommend you watch this.. Me: but i dont even woodwor **click** Me: well it is 4am so..

Another awesome video Rex, thank you! I especially appreciated your thoughts near the end. I bought my first plane (stanley made wards master #5) at an antique store years ago when my "shop" was a broken stool and a clamp in the back yard. After years of agonizing restoration work and struggle, I finally got my first gossamer shaving last summer and it was awfully sweet. Now I have four vintage planes! And I feel much more confidant. Your videos have been enormously helpful with that. Thanks again!

I have always looked at premium tools as for someone who is going to use it every day. a mechanic should spend the money on nice wrenches and other tools because they have to use them every day. but a person who fixes something on their car a couple times a month is served just fine by a set of craftsman or other lower brand tools.

I have been thinking about if it's worth the effort to learn this craft in depth. Your encouraging words towards the end made me realize that it's totally worth it. Thank you!

“This might be a short video” *36 minutes later-*

I have some of those planes including the long joiner. I had lots of planes before I got the LN ones. The thick blade absolutely makes a big difference. Less chatter and the steel they use stays sharp for a long time. Cheers!

first lesson in the vocational school is put the plane on its side so that the chisel does not make contact with your worktop.Nice video further. Cauwenbergh Rudy Belgum Europe

They say a true intermediate is precisely aware of how much they still need to learn to be a master. Rex your honesty and willingness to admit you are not a master is what makes me believe you when you say you will be a great woodworker one day. I will alway be a fan because of your approach and appreciation. Here here my good man.

Why is this recommended to me? That’s not a plane is it? A plane can fly right? I’m so dumb 😂

Rex, THANK YOU! I just got into the woodworking and am still struggling with my old vintage Stanley. I'm on the verge of buying LN plane, and you just showed that I don't need the extra feature of LN. You're the man!

35:05 I’m not sure I agree with that being their motivation. They make a premium product to promote reliable and repeatable results. As I’m sure you know from seeing hundreds of planes, the price also goes towards precision milling of bodies and blades made of higher quality alloys. I don’t believe the expectation this day and age should be to buy a plane that then requires an hour or two flattening and honing just to get it to work properly (not to mention the ongoing tinkering due to loose set screws and sloppy fittings). Maybe if you were buying tools 50 years ago or look for the cheapest thing made overseas that’s your baseline, but there are better options today. I have a full time job and am just getting into woodworking. My skills are novice at best. But I will pay more to buy a few premium planes that will last a lifetime (and my kid’s lifetime) vs dozens of janky planes that require all kinds of attention. I want to spend my spare time woodworking, not working on my tools. I also want a baseline for how a plane SHOULD perform. I’ll be adding in enough user error that I don’t need to amplify that with a mediocre tool. Respect for how you had to learn the hard way; you had to figure out how to make an inferior tool do its intended job. However, I don’t think that’s a necessity for gaining an understanding for how a tool should function. Maybe later in life I’ll have time to acquire and restore older or cheaper planes to yield a results similar to that of a LN or LV, but that’s not where I’m at right now

Just would like to say a small thing, this is the first woodworking channel i've come across, and seeing his shop is very intresting. I am a welder, and he is a woodworker, we have the same kind of design, of course, benches and tables and whatnot, but the thing that made me think, was his entire shop is wooden, even the vice handle, and clamps. My entire shop is metal, the benches and tables, vice, all the tools, i guess we surround ourself with what we do and that just really showed through to me watching this

I was taught to set a plane down on its side, not on the blade.

I literally know nothing about woodworking or why I clicked on this video but it was definitely worth my time. Very interesting.

Excellent final meditation. I've been buying planes off eBay lately (estate sales and consignment stores not giving me what I needed fast enough), but my budget didn't allow me to buy a Stanley Bailey Type 11-15 bench plane unless it had been abused or neglected. But once I've restored them, made sure the sole is flat, sharpened the irons, and set them up (all thanks to Paul Sellers and you), they will be MY tools.

I watched many of your videos as I was beginning, a year later I'm rewatching them all and getting so much more value the second time around with just a little bit of hands on experience and I agree so much with restoring and tuning a hand plane being the ultimate teacher on hand planes. All of what you talk about makes sense now after going through this exact same process myself with a 1960s stanley no5

I totally agree with your closing statements. Knowing how fix your tools as they wear is a woodworking skill that will save you time and frustration. Sending it to a guy on the internet isn’t always going to be an option to get your repairs done. I do appreciate that you were able to do this for him. I enjoyed the content, the review of the plane that maybe you wouldn’t normally put on your channel unless a viewer sent it to you, and review of plane repair and use fundamentals.

I have been working with wood for deacades, I agree, learning about the tools and how to set them up is part of the craft. It has only been the last few months that I have even considered using bench planes and such. for me this is about learning about the craft I so enjoy.

I have found that one of the more satisfying parts of making fine things is using and understanding fine tools. So yes, the tool is part of the craft. Thanks for the informative video.

Experience, patience and time. Love for wood and doing something with your own hands. That's what i love about woodworking.

I love all our videos... and this one is great too, but the last 2 minutes are the key to LIFE and your message is gold.

Your ending describes woodworking perfectly. It’s not all about what you produce but how you use the tool to produce it. I’m one of those people that doesn’t stain or paint my projects. I believe that the raw finish of wood is more beautiful than any finish I can apply so I leave the staining and paint for people that I make something for.

think ive used a plane once in my life, my dad was a woodworker and fiberglass wizard. i enjoyed watching your video none the less! makes me miss my dad so much more.

I dont know anything about woodworking but I really enjoyed how passionate you are for your craft and your ability to translate that to the audience.

Great video. What i learned is no matter how expensive tool you buy they just won't do any miracle for you if lack off knowledge how the work and how to set them up. Restored few very rusted stanley Bailey plane's and they work rely good. Key to success is knowing and understanding your tools.