Thread: HNT Gordon planes

Andrew -

Welcome.

Your question is the opening of a veritable Pandora's box!

Do some searching and reading on this forum first so you can sharpen your questions.

A number of us have and love our HNT Gordon planes. But very simply the question of 'Which plane is best?' will come down to:

-What you want to do with it
-What sort of timbers you intend to work with it
-How much you want to pay for it
-What suits your personal 'style'

No one plane will do every job. Do some reading around this forum first, then come back with a sharper set of questions.

Good luck! Handplanes are one slippery slope!

Cheers,
GW

Andrew,
Andrew,
Andrew,
HNT planes are not the best.

However to make life a lot simpler, let us assume you are after advice regarding top quality user type planes.

Then the waters are only completely muddy.

On these fora, you will find devotees of HNT Gordon, (I'm one) Veritas, ( I'm one) Lie Nielson, (I'd like to be one, a bit $$$)

Then we enter the world of second hand bailey style planes made by Stanley et al. If you wish these can be purchased restored and ready to rock and roll, or you may wish to find one yourself, tune it and away you go. If you go down this track stick with the older planes, pre WW2, at least.

A lot of it depends on what floats ya boat, what you are planing, your skill level with a plane, your bank balance, and lots more. If you have a hankering for a HNT, they are top quality kit, and are great in our tricky hardwoods.

Run a search on these fora for the names mentioned, if you read more than 1% of the results, you will be totally confused, but armed with a wealth of knowledge.

Beautifully put Outback - the ones you mentioned are all fantastic but only if they are sharp and properly tuned.

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

- are all fantastic but only if they are sharp and properly tuned.

N that about sums it up!!!...................You can get just about any plane going if you put enough work into it AND I certainly agree that with Borer that all the planes mentioned are wonderful planes.

I love the HNT range & I've recently got my hands on some Veritas Planes BUT I keep reaching out for the Lie-Nielsons I can't HELP IT!

when you pick one up you just know theres something special about them. You'll understand once you get one

If your into Handplaning save the x-tra bucks to get some LN.

I went this path

1. LA Adjustable Block Plane
2. LA JACK
3. No 4 Smoother

I'm almost convinced that you don't need anymore than this Unless your into jointing every board with a handplane etc etc etc

.......................JOIN THE DARK SIDE IF YOU DARE!!!!

REgards Lou

Much as I'd like a Veritas or Lie-Neilsen, I use
1 Stanley/Bailey # 5 1/2 - the workhorse
2 Record # 4 - for small work
3 Gordon smoother - great for cranky grain
4 Stanley LA block plane - for fine work or end grain
5 Stanley 78 - doesn't get much use

1, 3 & 4 are the 'essentials'

thanks all

No one mentioned the Muji's:confused: :confused: :confused: