Lie-Nielsen, Veritas, vintage Stanley, or modern import? What each option costs, where the money goes, and how to set them up.
Hand planes are tools with a thousand opinions and three legitimate buying paths: vintage rebuilt, modern budget, and premium new. Each is a fine answer for the right person. The wrong answer is the one that sits in a drawer unsharpened.
VINTAGE STANLEY (PRE-WWII)
Stanley Bailey planes made before WWII (and especially pre-1940) are excellent tools. The castings were good, the irons were workable, and the design has not been improved fundamentally since. A pre-WWII Stanley #4, #5, or #7 in usable shape is $50-150 from an antique mall or eBay.
The catch: vintage planes always need work. The sole needs flattening (sandpaper on float glass, 80 grit then 220), the iron needs flattening on the back, the cap iron needs fitting, and the frog may need adjustment. Plan on 2-4 hours of tune-up per plane. Once tuned, they perform near the level of modern premium planes.
Buy: Type 11 through Type 17 (1910-1942). Avoid: post-WWII Stanleys, especially anything with plastic handles. Identifying type: search "Stanley plane type study" online.
MODERN IMPORT BUDGET
Companies like Wood River (Woodcraft), Quangsheng, and Luban make planes that improve on vintage Stanleys at moderate prices. A Wood River #4 is about $180; a Luban is $150-200. Castings are heavier, irons are thicker (better for chatter resistance), and out-of-the-box flatness is usually acceptable.
These planes still need tuning, but less. The iron may need final lapping. The mouth may need adjustment. They cost twice a vintage Stanley but save time. For someone with limited shop time, this is the sweet spot.
PREMIUM NEW
Lie-Nielsen, Veritas (Lee Valley), and Bridge City make tool-room-grade planes. They are flat, square, and ready to work out of the box. The iron is hardened to a working temper before it ships; you just hone the edge.
A Lie-Nielsen #4 1/2 is about $400. A Veritas low-angle jack is about $300. They are forever tools — buy one, never need another, and it will likely outlive you.
The premium isn't snake oil. The castings are heavier and damp chatter better. The irons are A2 or PM-V11 — they hold an edge longer than O1 in vintage Stanleys. The adjustments are smoother. For someone who plans to use the tool weekly for years, the premium is fair.
WHICH PLANES TO BUY
A complete starter set is a smoother (#3 or #4), a jack (#5), and a jointer (#7 or #8). For most shops, that is enough hand planing capacity for years.
A #4 is the everyday smoother — final passes on a panel after sanding, knocking down high spots. The #5 is the all-rounder — flattens panels, dimensions stock, breaks down rough lumber. The #7 is for jointing edges before glue-up and flattening large surfaces.
If you can only buy one: a #5. It can do 80% of what either of the others can.
LOW-ANGLE BLOCK PLANE
A small block plane is the most-used hand tool in many shops. A low-angle adjustable-mouth block plane handles end grain, end-grain miters, chamfers, and quick adjustments. Veritas, Lie-Nielsen, and Stanley all make good ones.
If you have $0 budget for hand planes but $80 for one tool: a Stanley 60-1/2 low-angle block plane or a vintage equivalent.
SHARPENING
Whatever plane you buy, a sharp blade matters more than the brand. Plan to spend as much on sharpening (stones, honing guide, flattening plate) as you spend on your first hand plane. A dull premium plane works worse than a sharp vintage one.