# Not a premium plane out of the box but after tuning its a fine user. Amazon price is 112.25 free shh



## Rick_Boyett

I bought one of these about a year and a half ago after speaking with the product manager for the Sweetheart line of tools. I had reviewed their block plane when it first came out and there were some serious quality control issues. He assured me that the planes were now up to snuff but he couldn't give me any way to tell I was buying a poorer quality plane or the newer ones..

I decided to give it a shot and bought the plane off Amazon. I'm guessing that I got one of the older ones because the paint was flaking off of the cap iron and parts of the body. The blade also had a slight skew to it in relation to the body of the plane. These could have been corrected but I wasn't willing to put out the effort.

I seriously question the long term durability of that aluminium cap "iron". Obviously I didn't keep it long enough to find out but it just seems flimsy to me. Keep a good eye on it and let everyone know how it goes over the next few years….

Regards.


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## donwilwol

Good review Dan.


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## Dcase

Rick, I think if someone is looking for this type of plane (low angle jack) and they want it pretty much ready out of the box then they should get a LN or Veritas. When buying the Stanley SW I think its better if you expect to have to do some tuning to it. I expected it would need work based on the reviews I had read so when I got it, it was no surprise that it needed to be tuned up a bit.

If I was buying it in hopes that the plane would be ready for use with no issues to correct then I would have felt the way you did and I may have sent it back as well.

I think the aluminium cap will hold up but if it goes I will have to test Stanley on the Lifetime Warranty that comes with the plane.


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## Rick_Boyett

I do agree with you Dan with one exception. Stanley marketed these tools as premium planes. They are not. I did end up buying a Veritas LAJ and have been extremely satisfied with it. All my hand planes are Veritas or LN at this point.

Good point about the Warranty. Be sure to let us all know if you do have any future problems.


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## ShaneA

Thanks for the write up Dan. So the price is approx 1/2 of a LN?


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## rustynails

Rick what made you buy theVeritas LAJ plane over the Lie Nielson LAJ plane? As I have been looking at both of these planes but have never seen either one in person. I know both are good. 
Thanks Richard


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## BrandonW

Thanks for the review, Dan. I've only had a chance to fool around with my new SW 62, but so far I think it's great. Like you, I bought it knowing there were some issues ahead of time.


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## ShipWreck

I was at the local WoodCraft store the other day speaking with a store associate who has been steering me into hand tools. He told me that the Stanley "reps" have been begging for any feedback from his customers about the new line of planes.. Hopefully this is a good sign for things to come?


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## donwilwol

The #62 is a little obscure, so I can see buying a new Stanley as long as you except its shortcomings. A vintage #62 is hard to find and has a lot oc collector value. I love my LN # 62 but agree they have a price tag that scares a lot of people.

But when it comes to a normal Plane, say a #4, or #5, why would you buy something of this quality? So can Stanley continue to make tools based on this type of quality?

I've heard several time that the Stanley "reps" have been looking for feedback. Grab a piece of wood and use the damn thing. It either works or it doesn't.

I enjoy the challenge of bringing back a vintage tool. And I understand that in many cases these tools were NEVER tuned to work correctly. I can't believe it cost that much more to make sure the bottom is flat, the mouth is square etc with all the equipment is right in front of you. And if your manufacturing engineers don't know what it takes, I suggest they join LJ's.

Dan, I think your review showed that for the price a Stanley #62 may be an affordable option, but most other easily found bench and blocks would be better found in the vintage market. That's to bad for everybody.


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## SST

Thanks for the review. I have always wondered why any company (Stanley in this case) puts out a new product line, competing with known entities, knowing full well that guys like us will be trying them, evaluating them, and then discussing them on all the relevant websites, and can't seem to get it right.

Don't they pay someone to find manufacturers, give them the specs, and then test the pre-production pieces?
Can't they see when the stuff is not good? Maybe they can & don't care. Maybe their standards aren't high enough, but then why bother to hype it as the old Stanley quality, the heritage, etc?

I suppose being honest wouldn't really sell planes. (Hey, look at the new Stanleys…not as expensive as the good stuff, and not as good either) Oh, well, I'm just ranting here. Maybe it's because I love the old Stanleys & I'd really love it if they could get the *feeling* back in the new ones, not just the name.

I can't really afford the new premium planes, but I have a lot of old Stanley & Millers Falls planes that serve me well. I guess I'll just stay with those. -SST


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## Rick_Boyett

@rustynails

Flip a coin man. You just can't go wrong with either tool..

I actually wrote a review on the Veritas LAJ.

At the end of the day, I preferred the innovations of the Veritas LAJ and the Norris adjuster. The Veritas has a screw that lets you microadjust the mouth opening. It also has set screws on either side of the blade that come in really handy.

However I would never scoff at anyone that bought a LN. I've got my eye on buying a No. 51.


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## thedude50

I have two of the ln 62s and I don't need a micro adjustment lever or the horrible tote found on the veritas the noris adjustment is a arguable issue as this could be a plus for the veritas however to me feel is everything and to me the veritas feels horrible in the hand that is the one thing that sold me on the ln the blades and the hotdog from ln are a few more selling points for me that mattered I am so glad that got a 62 that i bought a second one and then i got the 164 it is a dream too and nothing is better than the lifetime warranty on a ln plane that transfers with ownership

I have not written my review of the no4 and the low angle block planes that i got from Stanley but i will

everyone keeps talking about how stanley made premium planes in the past i will argue that point to the end of the earth stanley has never made a premium plane except for the bedrock line and they were not made to be pretty they were made to do the job well and they do that no the high end plane was brought to us by Thomas lie Nelson and it has been done very well i am constantly making old stanley plane as close to premium as i can get them but its hard to be something you never were . both of my new Stanley have been used a great deal i have had no issue with the paint but i wish they were japanned and when and if the paint wears off i will Japan it I would like to see lever caps that are higher end and i would like to see a stanley line of planes that cant be discounted to 125 or less per plane and I would like to see a real 300 dollar stanley that can rivals the best in the world you would probably like to see it too I bet we all would like to see it but that means made in new Brittan con and not Mexican made it means American made it means the finest in the world not just well designed and poorly executed like most things Stanley has done since 1950 if they want to return to greatness they need to make great tools and right now their is only one American company making large quantities of great tools and its lie nielson .


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