which make, Dakota/other?

[steamboat]

Hello all.
I am developing my tool collection at the mo and read a positive article about Quangsheng Block Plane, distributed through workshop heaven. The block plain looks exactly the same as a Dakota block plane from Rutland but £10 cheaper.
Does anyone have any experience with either make or can you recommend an alternative?
Also I have a set of Stanley chisels which are OK (but have nothing to compare against) and have been looking for a set that will hold up better, can you recommend a set of six.
Many thanks

 

[Harbo]

If you do a search you should find a Review on the plane, it has been discussed quite a few times on the Forum.
More expensive alternatives are LV and LN ones.

Ashley Iles chisels get a good write up. More expensive, but excellent, are LN and Blue Spruce.


Rod

 

[big soft moose]

I have a QS no.6 and i'm very impressed with it, i'm also very happy with the service from workshopheaven - see the thread entitled "workshop heaven passarround" for reviews of the block

My block planes are very cheap silverline things i got off another member here , but most of the work i would use a block i actually use a mujifang wooden micro plane - also from WH

(other obvious options are the big 3 Clifton, Lie neilsen, or veritas , and also old record or stanley second hand)

chisel wise the other possibility (apart rfrom those harbo mentions) are the kirschen cherry ones - at the end of the day it depends very much on how much money you want to part with and also what you want to do with them.

 

[woodbloke]

I had a look at the QS planes over the weekend (from Workshop Heaven) and was impressed. Not the finish of a LN, but then it's (the rebating block) is nearly two thirds the price of the equivalent LN offering. In terms of pure 'bang for buck' it's difficult to see how they can be beaten. If you want a really excellent set of chisels at reasonable cost, have a serious look at Matthew's CI Fall chisels from Sweden. These have now been re-handled in oiled beech and in my view are probably the best entry level chisel on the market at the moment...the steel is superb - Rob

 

[steamboat]

Many thanks eveyone, i will have a look at the mentioned kit.

All the best

 

[SNight]

I have the QS block plane and its spot on. I would definitely reccomend it. Having had an old stanley and new record it is head and shoulders above these for not much extra.
I have also started building up a collection of the Ashley Iles MK2 butt chisels. I absoloutley love them. You have loads of control over them because of the short length, and the steel is very good and easy to sharpen.