Ehhh.. .Im gonna disagree with you on the newer is better.
I was just trying to think of a single tool manufacturer that improved the quality of their tools from pre ww2 to post ww2 to today. There's no argument that technology has advanced, but not quality. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I'm having a hard time thinking of any.
That's why for simple tools like chisels and hand planes, for example, the early 20th century products are so coveted. There's no doubt that you have to sift through lots of junk to find the good tools, but a 1919 Stanley number 4 smoothing plane is only rivalled by a 2019 lie-nielsen number four.
For some people, the certainty of buying a lie Nielsen is worth the premium cost. for others, the certainty of buying something new outweighs the desire for highest quality. But for me, I enjoy not only the use of the old hand tools, but also their restoration and preservation.
