Stanley has been making planes for a long time. They do know what they are  doing. I have a few of these around for general purpose work . I also have  some Lie Nielsons and I love them but I keep them safe and out of reach of  others'. I don't care who uses the Stanleys. I know if they get ruined ,  I'm not out much. With a little tuning a stanley will do a respectable job.  Lap the sole and the iron ,put a good bevel on it and it will cut  aggressively or produce a fine shaving. The adjustable throat is a must for  avoiding tearout. I like the low angle version of this plane a little  better. It is easier to control .It also makes a finer cut. It won't cut as  deep however. To get a better plane you will have to spend at least twice  as much so this is not a bad deal.