Eric the Viking
Nordic Pine
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2020
- Messages
- 897
- Reaction score
- 351
We've got back from Thanksgiving with the grandchildren, which was fun. On the last evening over there, it snowed just sufficiently for a snow-midget (and snow-marble fight), and watching their ChavaPoo puppy experiencing snow for the first time was a delight (as was landing one* squarely on my grandson).
Out of necessity I had to have recourse to Amazon in order to find both a #4 and a block plane for my son (who still has little in the way of hand tools). The Jorgensen brand looked good value on the American site, and when they turned up I was pleased:
The #4 is OK, with a few niggly annoyances: I really like the iron and chipbreaker - the iron is 3mm thick O1 tool steel, ground to 25deg in the factory, and sharp enough to immediately take shavings. Getting a polish down at the business end took a while, as O1 is pretty hard, but with a 30deg secondary bevel (which took seconds) it was surprisingly easily made good to go. The chipbreaker complements the iron - thick steel, nicely ground at the business end, etc., and I like the cap iron, too.
The sole seems flat, BUT, as-shipped the machining was not smooth, and it did need working on 120 & 240 grit to reduce the friction (and yes, I acquired a tea-light candle from DiL "for the team"). It also needed cleaning, as it was liberally coated in oil. That said, it came well packed in a strong cardboard box, with dessicant, and a sensible instruction leaflet, and the cardboard box will serve him as a storage box, until something better is found or made.
My one operational gripe is that the adjuster knob is smaller diameter than a Stanley or Record, and slightly further to the front (or the tote is further to the back!), meaning adjustment becomes two-handed (reaching round the iron from the front), rather than just with an index-finger from the back. It's probably fine for someone with bigger hands, but it would annoy me sufficiently to want a replacement knob. I can't think of any reason Jorgenson moved from the original Bailey design, so this gets it a black mark. To me, the tote doesn't feel as comfortable as either a traditional Stanley or Record, but then I'm not a good person to judge this, as my grip is different to most people's. All-in-all I'm pleased we bought it, but it's worth also mentioning that it's eight quid (11%) cheaper in the USA.
The Jorgensen low-angle block plane was an all-round delight.
My own low-angle block plane here is a recent Stanley, with either A2 or O1 steel iron (it was a Christmas present a few years ago from my sister-in-law, who's not a woodworker), and it took forever to fettle it into a good user - base not flat, adjustable mouth jamming up and not square, cam action on the lever cap not working correctly, sharp corners, etc. In contrast, the little Jorgenson, which seems to be a close copy of a Lie-Nielsen, needed very little work.
I did need to flatten the sole, because of similar machining marks to those on the #4, and do a little work to ease the edges of the adjustable mouth, so it slid easily. It also benefited from a washer under the mouth adjuster screw (as does my Stanley), but that was about it.
The block plane also has a really thick iron, and I did put a tiny 30deg secondary bevel on it, mostly because I'm expecting it to get "heavy" use (if he doesn't like it, he's can jolly well grind it back to 25deg again). It cuts beautifully, and my grandson used it to good effect (under his dad's supervision), on poplar. There's a little more backlash in the adjuster than I was expecting - the slot in the iron is too wide, or the adjuster's flange is too narrow, but otherwise it's great. And at $35 it's excellent value for money.
Oddly, the #4 is on Amazon here, but the block plane isn't. You can get the block plane via "Banggood" (yes, Jorgensen is a Chinese brand), but at 40 quid (incl. delivery) it's not quite the bargain it is in the USA, although I'd probably pay that if I needed one - the iron is really nice.
Anyway, I thought the above might help someone looking for a value-for-money Christmas present. Meanwhile, I'm dropping hints about their chamfer plane, which at 24 quid (incl. four O1 cutters) ought to be a bargain.
E.
PS: Sorry there are no pictures of either in use - was desperately trying to get a repair project finished before we had to come home. A pattern seems to be emerging in that regard...
*a very small snowball, obviously - he's only just seven.
Out of necessity I had to have recourse to Amazon in order to find both a #4 and a block plane for my son (who still has little in the way of hand tools). The Jorgensen brand looked good value on the American site, and when they turned up I was pleased:
The sole seems flat, BUT, as-shipped the machining was not smooth, and it did need working on 120 & 240 grit to reduce the friction (and yes, I acquired a tea-light candle from DiL "for the team"). It also needed cleaning, as it was liberally coated in oil. That said, it came well packed in a strong cardboard box, with dessicant, and a sensible instruction leaflet, and the cardboard box will serve him as a storage box, until something better is found or made.
My one operational gripe is that the adjuster knob is smaller diameter than a Stanley or Record, and slightly further to the front (or the tote is further to the back!), meaning adjustment becomes two-handed (reaching round the iron from the front), rather than just with an index-finger from the back. It's probably fine for someone with bigger hands, but it would annoy me sufficiently to want a replacement knob. I can't think of any reason Jorgenson moved from the original Bailey design, so this gets it a black mark. To me, the tote doesn't feel as comfortable as either a traditional Stanley or Record, but then I'm not a good person to judge this, as my grip is different to most people's. All-in-all I'm pleased we bought it, but it's worth also mentioning that it's eight quid (11%) cheaper in the USA.
My own low-angle block plane here is a recent Stanley, with either A2 or O1 steel iron (it was a Christmas present a few years ago from my sister-in-law, who's not a woodworker), and it took forever to fettle it into a good user - base not flat, adjustable mouth jamming up and not square, cam action on the lever cap not working correctly, sharp corners, etc. In contrast, the little Jorgenson, which seems to be a close copy of a Lie-Nielsen, needed very little work.
I did need to flatten the sole, because of similar machining marks to those on the #4, and do a little work to ease the edges of the adjustable mouth, so it slid easily. It also benefited from a washer under the mouth adjuster screw (as does my Stanley), but that was about it.
The block plane also has a really thick iron, and I did put a tiny 30deg secondary bevel on it, mostly because I'm expecting it to get "heavy" use (if he doesn't like it, he's can jolly well grind it back to 25deg again). It cuts beautifully, and my grandson used it to good effect (under his dad's supervision), on poplar. There's a little more backlash in the adjuster than I was expecting - the slot in the iron is too wide, or the adjuster's flange is too narrow, but otherwise it's great. And at $35 it's excellent value for money.
Oddly, the #4 is on Amazon here, but the block plane isn't. You can get the block plane via "Banggood" (yes, Jorgensen is a Chinese brand), but at 40 quid (incl. delivery) it's not quite the bargain it is in the USA, although I'd probably pay that if I needed one - the iron is really nice.
Anyway, I thought the above might help someone looking for a value-for-money Christmas present. Meanwhile, I'm dropping hints about their chamfer plane, which at 24 quid (incl. four O1 cutters) ought to be a bargain.
E.
PS: Sorry there are no pictures of either in use - was desperately trying to get a repair project finished before we had to come home. A pattern seems to be emerging in that regard...
*a very small snowball, obviously - he's only just seven.
