If you want to find some real nut-cases out there, search around the internet for vintage plane enthusiasts. In the parlance of that particular group, this specimen is what is known as a "user." In other words, its in decent shape but not exactly pretty. Thats fine with me; I cant afford to buy stuff for show. It certainly is manly, isnt it?
This picture showing how the plane iron and chipbreaker came reminds me of an anecdote:
Note how the bevel--if you could call it that--is oriented up, towards the chipbreaker.
I forget the context of the story, but a man is visiting California for the first time and has been just dying to try out surfing for the first time. On the last day of his trip he runs out to a surf shop, buys a wetsuit and board, throws them in his car and drives down the beach. To his dismay he see signs up informing him that there are rough conditions present and only advanced surfers should be out there. Im not going to let that stop me he thinks, Ive come too far and spent all this money and there is no choice Im not going to try surfing. So he gets suited up and is carrying his board across the beach when suddenly, from 200 yards down the beach, the lifeguard blows his whistle, points directly at the man and yells, "Hey! You! No beginners!" The man walks over to the lifeguard and asks, "How in the world did you know that I was a beginner?...I didnt even get in the water." The lifeguard: "Your wetsuit is on backwards."
