Veritas is the latest company to enter the shoulder-plane market. The company’s design team is well known for taking a fresh look at traditional designs, and true to form, this plane has some unique and innovative ideas.

The plane’s body is cast from ductile iron, and all of its edges are nicely eased. It has an adjustable mouth that is regulated by two screws, one that moves the toe piece in and out and another that locks it in place. The 1/8-in.-thick blade is made from A2 steel and is regulated with a very precise Norris-style adjuster that didn’t affect the blade’s lateral setting when I tested it.

The blade on the Veritas was a mere 0.003 in. wider than its body, but with setscrews in the plane’s side, the blade could be set and held in perfect alignment. The blade projected only 0.0015 in. from each side, which made for accurate and consistent planing into corners.

One of the most unusual features of the Veritas plane is its lever-cap design. It has a pivoting knob that let me adjust the plane to fit my hand and holding style. This feature, in conjunction with the finger hole cast in the plane’s body, makes the plane suitable for many situations. I really liked the way the Veritas plane felt in my hands and the excellent results it produced. The price of this plane, its novel features, and all-around good performance make the Veritas a worthy winner.

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