Ok, I made a few passes straight out of the box. I managed to get decent shavings but could tell it was NOT sharp.
I worked the back and bevel on a Norton 8k waterstone and installed and tried again, better still.
Here's a pic...no full length shavings but I didn't flatten the stock first. The surface this plane leaves is quite good. I tried it out on walnut and poplar.
I have 2 LN block planes and they work pretty well but after what I'd heard about LN I was a little disappointed with the block plane performance. Don't get me wrong, they will take a fine shaving but setup is a little quirky.
Not so with this 4 1/2. This smoother is just heads and shoulders above anything I've tried. Adjustments are easy and the blade is stable pass after pass. I can only imagine how well it will work once I really sharpen the blade, close the mouth, etc. Now I see why folks rave so much on LN planes. It just screams quality. This baby rocks. I can't wait to flatten the top on my dining table with it. Then again, maybe I should buy another LN 4 1/2 with a 50 or 55 degree frog for the top.
The only disappointment - and it is a little nitpicky really - is that LN just doesn't sharpen their blades very well...really the back is gonna need some work too. The blades are easy enough to touch up just don't understand why they can't spend 5 minutes more and get the blades sharp. You know what I mean, not sharp like we need them to be.
Don't let the sharpening thing turn you off when it comes to buying the 4 1/2...just do it.
It's the real deal.
Chuck
I worked the back and bevel on a Norton 8k waterstone and installed and tried again, better still.
Here's a pic...no full length shavings but I didn't flatten the stock first. The surface this plane leaves is quite good. I tried it out on walnut and poplar.
I have 2 LN block planes and they work pretty well but after what I'd heard about LN I was a little disappointed with the block plane performance. Don't get me wrong, they will take a fine shaving but setup is a little quirky.
Not so with this 4 1/2. This smoother is just heads and shoulders above anything I've tried. Adjustments are easy and the blade is stable pass after pass. I can only imagine how well it will work once I really sharpen the blade, close the mouth, etc. Now I see why folks rave so much on LN planes. It just screams quality. This baby rocks. I can't wait to flatten the top on my dining table with it. Then again, maybe I should buy another LN 4 1/2 with a 50 or 55 degree frog for the top.
The only disappointment - and it is a little nitpicky really - is that LN just doesn't sharpen their blades very well...really the back is gonna need some work too. The blades are easy enough to touch up just don't understand why they can't spend 5 minutes more and get the blades sharp. You know what I mean, not sharp like we need them to be.
Don't let the sharpening thing turn you off when it comes to buying the 4 1/2...just do it.
It's the real deal.
Chuck
