I've been restoring old woodworking and tools to user grade as a hobby for a bit over 15 years. The old saw "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" applies. I suppose you CAN fettle any plane to work well with enough time, effort and money. But it is a lot more satisfying, and quicker, to start with a well designed plane made by a respected manufacturer because the plane's geometry will be right and used parts are available.
My metal planes are mostly Stanley brand, but some Craftsman, Sergeant and Miller Falls are in the stable. The main point is the very best of them are 90-110 years old. None are newer than early WWII manufacture. My favorite bench plane is the Stanley Type 11. I think it has the best frog ever designed. Best Stanley types were 10-15. Earlier were quite good, but the frog adjustment was introduced on Type 10.
Excellent new planes are made by Lee Valley (Veritas brand) and Lie Nielsen. I own and use some of these too. They are as good as or better than the old Stanley planes, but a lot more $$$. I am giving myself the Lee Valley scraper plane (updated Stanley #112 design) for Christmas. Roland Johnson has written excellent restoration articles for 20 years for Fine Woodworking and other mags. Google him.
Here are a couple helpful links to learn about the many Stanley planes and to decipher the 20+ bench plane types. Finally, I'm showing off with older pics of some of my Stanleys, some restored, some not, but most at least flattened and sharpened and ready to go to work.
The Superior Works - Patrick's Blood & Gore: Preface (Bible of Stanley handplanes)
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/pdatechart.pdf
Size 2-4 on right. Specialty planes and scrapers on left. It can be a slippery slope. I already had packed all the wooden planes before thinking of taking photos. Bubble wrap in background left are three different sizes of 'match' planes for cutting matching tongues and grooves.
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4 #5, 1 #5-1/2, 2 #6, 4 #7 and a #8 with squaring guide in foreground. That #8 came with a story:
The original owner, a carpenter from Bryan, Texas died in 1965. His daughter closed his shop and nobody entered it until after that daughter died. The granddaughter inherited and put his workshop contents up for auction in 2016.
When I got all my purchases home, I took a few light shavings, the first from that plane in 50 years. It was razor sharp. I could see through the shavings. That old carpenter had honed it to perfection before hanging it up the last time. Love this plane, and I am thrilled to have it.
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