Yeah they’re a bit of an investment, but for how many years I’ve used mine it’s been worth it.

I also have a few vintage Stanleys and they’ll do the job just fine. Often have to weigh out the cost vs time spent restoring.

Tools from Veritas/Lie-Nielsen/etc, make my shop time more enjoyable (they work exceptionally well and feel great in hand) which is a big motivator for me to get in there and finish projects. And I like supporting domestic tool makers when I can, much to my wallet’s chagrin.