I'm diving into woodworking and have my eyes set on a vintage Stanley No. 5 as a great first plane, since it's highly recommended. However, being in Slovenia, it's tough to find Stanley or decent planes besides the Silverline at local shops, so I'll likely have to look online. I'm not really sure where to shop besides eBay, how to evaluate a plane before buying it, what a good price range is (to avoid overpaying or getting a dud), and any specific details I should watch out for. Any advice would be really appreciated! Thanks!
2 Answers
You might want to check out Tooltique from the UK; they refurbish tools really well, which could be helpful since you're just getting started. If they ship to Slovenia, that’d be ideal. Otherwise, consider brands like Veritas or Lie Nielsen, which usually come well-tuned. If you do go the eBay route, look for planes that have been refurbished or at least mentioned as such by the seller. As a newbie, having a well-restored plane is huge! I started with a jack plane like the No. 5 too, but found it challenging for rough work and smoothing since it only has one blade. Honestly, investing time in learning how to sharpen your blade will make a big difference in your woodworking journey. Have fun with it!
For a solid option, I'd suggest looking into the Juuma brand, particularly a 5 1/2 model with dual irons. This gives you the flexibility to use it for curving edges, scrubbing, or even shooting. I got mine for about €200 with a 20% discount. There are also sites in Europe that sell older Stanley or second-hand Record planes, but I’m not sure how much tuning they might require. The Juuma will likely need minimal work regarding the cap iron.
I'd hesitate before going for a No 5-1/2 as your first pick, especially if you opt for a modern one. They tend to be heavier, and you'll find that a vintage No 5 is much lighter and easier to manage. The No 5-1/2 is around 3.5kg compared to about 2kg for the vintage Stanley No 5. Sure, it can handle smoothing or cleaning up marks, but it might not be the best for a beginner's only plane.