Hand Planes
Almost makes me want to go out and buy a hand plane. Almost
If you ever buy a really good plane, you will never go back. You will use it. You will enjoy it. DAMHIK!!!!
I love my Veritas planes and the wooden plane Toni Ciuraneta made for me. I, too, was pretty much a non-plane worker even though I had three Stanleys (Jointer, Jack and block). They were just too much work to sharpen, set up, adjust and I was not very good (poor would be a better description) at using them. I was at a woodworking show and, I still cannot believe I spent that much, I purchased a Veritas low-angle. It totally changed my woodworking.
I now have three Veritas planes. I gave the Stanleys away (the best thing I ever did with them).
If you can possibly do it, purchase a Veritas low-angle. You will never be sorry. Glenn and I really spent a lot of time going back and forth between Lee Neilsen and Lee Valley (Veritas). The Neilsen planes are beautiful. They are comfortable. They are like a restored Stanley with all of it's difficulties. It took the Neilsen demonstrator 15 minutes to adjust each plane before they handed it to us to try. It took the Veritas demonstrator 30 seconds to do the same thing. In spite of that we went back and forth between the two booths several times before I was ready to part with that much money.
The actual sharpening time for the blades is going to be the same. Getting the iron out of the plane and reinserting it and GETTING IT SET-UP AND ADJUSTED vary tremendously, in time and effort with different planes.
I am sure you can tell that I am VERY HAPPY I MADE THE CHOICE I DID. I now have 3 Veritas planes and I think Glenn has at least 6.
Purchase a good plane---you will never be sorry!
Enjoy,
JimB