I own a No. 4 Stanley and a No. 5 Wards Master, both with original blades. Additionally, I recently acquired a new A2 Hock blade and cap. I'm looking to create a jointer or triplane and am uncertain about which plane to install the new high-quality iron in. My current thought is to swap out the iron in the No. 4 with the Hock blade and use the original Stanley blade in the triplane. What do you guys think?
1 Answer
I think you should really consider where each plane’s strengths lie. The smoothing plane (No. 4) is all about precision, and a high-quality blade fits perfectly there. The try plane's job needs a sturdy blade but doesn’t really require anything too specialized. If you're looking for a cleaner finish, putting the new blade in the No. 4 is a solid choice.
That makes sense! If it were me, I’d definitely go with the Hock in the No. 4. It’d give that extra fine finish we all want.