:bananen_smilies068:Hayne; Long story short !! You get what you pay for !! I have been collecting, making, and restoring wood and metal planes for over 50 years. Unless you buy one of the top name planes, you will not be happy with it when it comes out of the box !! Almost all other planes will need to be tuned up before they will perform the way they can and should. First the sole must be flattened or it will not cut even. Then the blade must be squared, sharpened with a double bevel, and polished to a mirror finish. You should be able to shave the hairs off your arm dry. Next the chip breaker must be square to the blade and at the proper angle with 1/64 clearance for the shavings. Now the blade must be set at the proper angle, corners slightly rounded over so they don't dig in, square to the sole with proper tension on the chip breaker, and depth of cut set. If you have to go through all of this on a new plane, why not buy one you can take out of the box and use, or pick up an older brand name plane, do the work, and have something to be proud of when your done. What do you want to do with the plane, maybe I can help you with a choise that is best suited for the task. Today's planes are not made the same as the old ones, they are made for mass production, unless you are willing to pay up for quality !! Jim S