: Hello all,

: Has anyone here tried Hock blades? I just read his book- over 200
: pages about blades and sharpening. Certainly the guy knows his
: stuff. I think I'll give his blades a try. I am just wondering,
: however, is it worth spending nearly $80 on a blade and chipper
: for my existing plane, or should I just put it towards a more
: expensive plane altogether.

: Also anyone try a Groz brand bench plane? I recently had the
: pleasure of visiting a Woodcraft store and got to check them out
: in person and was surprised that they seem to be very good
: quality, especially for the price. I just can't get over the
: "there must be a catch" feeling at this price:
:
: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2005276/10697/GROZ-Bench-Plane-4-Smooth-10.aspx

: What prompted this post was the visit to Woodcraft. I tried their
: Wood River plane... well... I mean I held it in my hand. Oh what
: a joy. It was beautiful. Like a work of glistening metal art. I
: hope the drool didin't cause it to rust. LOL I can get that
: plane for $107. I originally intended to get a Hock blade for my
: old Stanley and/or my HD special, but I decided to give it some
: thought. My plane doesn't adjust far enough up to close the gap
: very tight and the chipper is crap. The Stanley plane is my
: grandfather's old plane and needs a good bit of restoration. I
: just bought a nice old Stanley at an antique store that I was
: just going to get a Hock blade for, but oh that Wood River
: plane... the feel... the crispness... what to do?
:
: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2021170/29725/WoodRiver-4-Bench-Hand-Plane-V3.aspx

: Regards,

: Malcolm

I have a few Hock blades in my restored Stanleys. They are really nice and really hold an edge.

That being said I also have a cheap hecho in Mexico Stanley block plane that does a great job on cedar and redwood strips and I don't mind when I get glue all over it. If I drop it it is not as big a deal as dropping my Lie Nielsen rabbet block plane (really nice for getting up against the forms). Cedar strips just don't challenge the plane very much, but when you get to planeing hardwoods for furniture those Hock blades really begin to have an advantage with the increased stiffness due to their thickness. Either that or I am just not that skilled : )

Bottom line for me, the more expensive blades are not necessary for the super soft woods.