Official Luthiers Forum!

I would just get a better iron for your plane and use it. I would simply go with a new production made in China Stanley iron or a NOS made in Sheffield steel Stanley iron. The current Chinese stanley irons are high carbon/low alloy stuff that's really nice on the stones. The Sheffield Stanley irons is higher alloy, and isn't quite as nice on the stones. Both work well in my planes.

In terms of Chinese stuff, Luban brand stuff is generally well respected. Quiangsheng tool and Juuma were also doing some pretty good stuff too. I would guess that the irons made by these guys are good.

The big thing I see is that while you don't always get what you pay for, if you don't pay for it, you won't get it... This is especially true with low end Chinese manufacturing... Sure, you might get decent steel alloy, but it's not hardened right, or it's badly warped, or whatever. I know you already know this, but the bottom end resellers get quality rejects, start up/shutdown rejects, and over-runs... The full price retailers get the first quality stuff... So theoretically, it's "The same" - but it's a reject.. It might be good, but likely it won't be.

That's not a shaving! This is a shaving:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs9X-XzFGHI

Start at 2:00. Thinnest shaving there from a block of wood with a blade in it is 5 microns - that's 2 ten thou of an inch

Original blades in quality planes of any era work just fine

Ed M

I think the planes sold as Woodriver at Woodcraft in the US are made by Quangsheng somewhere in China. I have a couple of these. I like them very much. The price here is about half of a Lie Nielson. They came with good irons. I did have to flatten the sole, sharpen, and set them up when I received them. They work very well and I find it a pleasure to use them. They are much easier to use than the antique shop Stanleys that I have resurrected. They are well worth the price.