First off, I had a very light weight one to check out a bitWeighs about half what the Wood River #4 V3 does, but has the same width of blade.   There is noFROG!   Yep, just a couple of piliers to set the blade on.    The iron is slotted smallerA one-of-a-kind lever cap, too    This little guy is a Defiance #4.    Sole is flat, mouth is nice, but wider than a smoother's Not too bad of a cheap plane.   

Got out a plank of walnut.    Nasty one, tooUmmm,yeah.    Plan was to flatten one face and one edge.   THEN find some good stuff to cut out. First up, my other "non_frog' planeCost for this one was about $10, or so.    Harbor Freight Windsor #33.   regrind the edge to a 3'' or so radius, it becomes a very hungry scrub plane.   About the same as a Stanley #40.    Worked the face down, and then it was time to get rid of all them scoop marksCambered Jack plane, running at the diagonals,  still left some scoop marks, but it was getting flatterAh, the Infamous Try plane.    A DE6c Small Jointer plane.    This is to make sure the board is flat, and true.    The longer length go over the scoop marks, knocking down the high spots, until no scoop marks are left.     Thenand only then, a few swipes with a smooth plane.   This one is the Wood River #4 V3.   In the amount of time it took to type all of this, one face was done.  As for the defiance#4?     It had a knick in the edge of the iron, but I did try it out on some scrap walnutYou can see where the nicks are, from the way the shavings split up.    Get those cleaned up, might not be too bad a little plane.    Just the right weight, for tired arms....

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Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

been doing an inventory of sorts, going over what is left of the lumber.....scraps.    Also did a re-sharpening of another plane....

About an hour laterNow, this is just a piece of Pine scrap, without much grain.     Not a full width shaving?    Ah, what didn't come out the top, went under the chip breaker.    Thing is way too flimsy.    Will not stay flat.     The hole for the depth adjuster is in the wrong spot.   To get a fine shaving, I'm out of threads.   This plane is gone.   Might even take it back to Lowes tonight! 

Have three other #4s, and none have this sort of thing.   Well the Wood River had the wrong chipbreaker, but that was fixed right up.    This one.......ain't happening.    Even tried a Dunlap #4's iron and chipbreaker in it,   had to run the wheel all the way in.    Got to looking at the mouth opening......UGLY, mis-machined mess. 

Every now and then, I do get burned, and I thought I learned a bit each time......Handyman Planes, Worth planes...etc

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Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...