LN 4.5 Bronze comparison
Dave Thompson
>I was doing a some comparisons with a Bronze LN4.5 tonight, and thought I might share some observed differences. My basis of comparison is an iron LN 4.5 that was from LN's first batch of #4.5, so some differences may only be relevent in that context.
- Blade: The 4.5B has a 5/32" thick blade, while the iron 4.5 has a 9/64" thick. Ofcourse the new one is also cryo treated A2, and my old one is I believe O1.
- Chip breaker: I've not owned a new improved chip breaker before. I presume they are all (iron or bronze) made like this. 4.5B has a 1/8" thick cap iron while the old is 1/16" thick with a curved end. If it weren't for the very slight concave grinding on the back of the 4.5B chip breaker, it almost looks like it might double as a back up iron...just shift the projection and flip.
- Very little backlash on depth adjustment with the new 4.5B. With my old 4.5, I see almost 1 1/2 turns before engaging in the opposite direction. With the new 4.5B, I see about an 1/8 turn before engaging. This is by far the smallest backlash I've seen on any Bailey plane before.
- Tote cocobolo grain orientation on the 4.5B is horizontal. All other cherry LN's, I believe have vertical grain orientation on the tote. While not common I have a stanley or two with horizontal grain on tote. I would imagine this was chosen for aesthetic reasons with regards to the cocobolo.
- Commemorative stuff.... It says 2006 on toe, and has TLN's signature on the side. I'm not sure where the serial number thing is. I don't see it anywhere on the plane. It just came with a card that said what number it was.
Of course, my reasons for buying one had almost nothing to do with the above, though I do welcome the lack of backlash. The primary reason for me was the weight factor. My non-exotic dream smoother was once a Stanley #4.5H. Though these are so uncommon and pricey, I never got my hands on one. That desire vanished when LN came out with an iron 4.5 which was approximately the same weight as a #4.5H. I like the added weight in a smoother. It aids in momentum, which I believe helps reduce damage as tearout is occuring. It also reduces chances of skipping, which occurs at higher angles and/or certain difficult wood/grains, or when the blade dulls. Skipping leaves a nasty mark almost as bad as tearout. 7 lbs was the target in my project plane which I haven't completed yet. Of course this is all personal preference and how much one values a light smoother versus being averse to the risks above on the medium at hand. The LN4.5B that arrived at my house comes in at 6lbs 10oz, and feels pretty good to me. As a comparison, here are some relevent, by either size or weight, planes.
| Plane | Weight |
|---|---|
| LN 4.5B | 6lbs 10oz |
| LN 4.5 | 5lbs 12oz |
| LN 4B | 4 lbs 9oz |
| LN 164 | 3lbs 13oz |
| Stanely 36 | 3lbs 10oz |
| LN 5.5 | 7lbs 4oz |
| LN 5 | 5lbs 6oz |
| LN 62 | 4lbs 12oz |
enjoy,
Dave
