Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I have to admit, the first time I ever heard of these was when Mel Morris mentioned them in a hand tool and sawdust thread recently. I went and checked them out, and they are gorgeous, and extremely expensive!!! Holy Crap! Anyone here know anything about these, and why anyone should pay roughly 11 thousand US dollars for a jointer sized plane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBaker Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Man, those are awesome planes. I had never heard of them before. I'm left with the same question you asked, however. Why would anyone pay that much for a hand plane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 (You mean "Holtey" planes, right?) As an object of worship, absolutely. As a tool for working wood, I'd be unworthy to stand in the same room as one of his planes, let alone push one across a board. That said, I won't begrudge the dear Mr. Holtey his wares. FCOL the man is milling his own adjusting screws! There's a fantastic amount of work that goes into each of his masterpieces and if his business model keeps the lights on, good on him. In fact, I'm glad that Mr. Holtey has devoted himself to building hyperplanes. Perhaps some day his efforts will produce an entirely new plane adjustment mechanism that supersedes Bailey's design. Perhaps further that he (or his heirs) will license that same mechanism to a company that creates planes that normal people actually can afford to use. Think of Karl Holtey as the woodworking equivalent of Horacio Pagani, the man behind a firm that makes Mercedes AMG seem cheap. It's safe to say that I will never know the joy of driving a Huayra or a Zonda. But the world of cars (all the way down the price curve) would be so much poorer if there weren't people trying to push the envelope of what can be done with four wheels and an engine...as well as a few fantastically wealthy individuals willing to pony up for their efforts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Yes Rob, Holtey, I don't know how to read haha. I told my girlfriend earlier today that I want one. I don't know why I want one, I can't afford it, but I want one! She told me to go win the lottery. I was trying to read up on the materials he used on the soles, but didn't have much luck. I saw on some of the smaller planes it was stainless steel dovetailed onto bronze. Beautiful pieces, I saw a guy on youtube unboxing 3 of them, and I was like, what a bastid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I told my girlfriend earlier today that I want one. I don't know why I want one, I can't afford it, but I want one! She told me to go win the lottery. A surprisingly open-minded response, all things considered. Most women would rather find their men browsing porn than Karl Holtey's website. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 And she just got me a new maxim magazine today as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghmyn Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 She never said how much you have to win in the lottery. Buy a few scratch off tickets. If you win $1 - that's a lottery winning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Ah yes Sam, you found a loophole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 If you win the lottery and buy one, be sure to use it; "boutique" planes are gorgeous and made to work well. Never makes sense when I see one basically stored. :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintersedge Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I always wonder what that tipping point is when it comes to materialism. I have been saving up forever to afford a Brese plane. Every so often a life emergency comes up(clamps on sale at Amazon was the last one). I have to wonder at what point there is no more return and every other expense is nothing more than decorative. I have a finely tuned Stanley 4 1/2 that I would put against my LN 4 1/2(I have no idea why I have two of them). I spent a few hours to clean up my Stanley and I do not think the edge holds as long as the A2 in my LN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I can't stop looking at them! I'll break down and buy one someday. Well, maybe Freddie, check out Bridge City Toolworks. Brilliant stuff coming out of that shop. I mostly want the older version shoulder plane. I solely blame Chris Schwarz for this. I saw a review he did on it, and it's usually tucked away in pictures of him working in the shop.Fantastic looking tools! As far as a tipping point, not sure. Depends on desire and budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hey Mel, ive seen their planes on bridge city. Looks like the tools they would have used in the movie the fifth element or something! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I'd order one of their planes no problem. Well, because they are cutting edge, their designs constantly improve, and old stuff becomes obsolete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Crawford Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Another maker of planes to look at so you can add to your dream list is Phillip Marcou http://www.marcouplanes.com Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Sauer & Steiner makes some nice planes as well.http://www.sauerandsteiner.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I have no idea why I have two of them I'll buy the LN from you. Send me a PM if you want to sell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I just looked those up earlier dan. I googled boutique hand planes and they came up in a fww article. From my phone pics they looked similar to the holtey designs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Personally, I'd buy a Brese instead of Hotley, as he is making plains out of stainless now, and Hotely is still using mild steel for everything except the new block plane he is making. If I drop several $K on a plane it should never rust ever.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I have to admit, the first time I ever heard of these was when Mel Morris mentioned them in a hand tool and sawdust thread recently. I went and checked them out, and they are gorgeous, and extremely expensive!!! Holy Crap! Anyone here know anything about these, and why anyone should pay roughly 11 thousand US dollars for a jointer sized plane? #1 reason: You would be the coolest kid on the block if you owned one of these masterpieces. ;-) Yes Rob, Holtey, I don't know how to read haha. I told my girlfriend earlier today that I want one. I don't know why I want one, I can't afford it, but I want one! She told me to go win the lottery. I was trying to read up on the materials he used on the soles, but didn't have much luck. I saw on some of the smaller planes it was stainless steel dovetailed onto bronze. Beautiful pieces, I saw a guy on youtube unboxing 3 of them, and I was like, what a bastid! And she just got me a new maxim magazine today as well Freddie, you have obviously found the perfect girl for you. For the love of god man, do not let her go!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 She makes good sandwiches too, im keeping her!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 She makes good sandwiches too, im keeping her!!! I love sammiches! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Never had seen Phillip Marcou planes before, very nice!! All of these fall in to the same category, works of art that I would be too worried to ever use. I have become very curious about infill planes lately and I am going to build one after I get caught up with a few other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I saw some Lazarus planes on eBay that look really nice! I may have to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I was just checking out brese planes last night, very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Ron does now how to get the blend between form & function just right. That said I never see myself wanting to own one I think the perfectness of them freaks me out a bit. It's almost seems like a wonderful art form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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