Lie-Nielsen’s rabbeting block plane is perfect for making rabbet or shoulder cuts across the grain of the wood. The low-angle of the blade helps minimize tearout.

For years, I’ve had my eye on an antique Sargent 507 rabbet block plane. So I was thrilled to learn that Lie-Nielsen makes a reproduction of this plane, model 60-1/2 R. Like the Sargent 507, the Lie-Nielsen 60-1/2 R is a hybrid, combining the features of a low-angle block plane, a rabbet plane and a shoulder plane—three tools that seem to get a good deal of use.

Right out of the box, the plane lived up to Lie-Nielsen’s reputation for producing aesthetically pleasing tools that are ready to perform. After a quick honing of the blade, the plane was making smooth cuts.

The body of the plane is cast from durable, ductile iron. And as they should be, both sides of the body are ground square to the sole. The lever cap is polished bronze. Although the throat isn’t adjustable, the 0.015-in.-wide opening is sufficiently tight.

In use, the 60-1/2 R felt comfortable in my hand. And it was easy to adjust. For tasks requiring a low-angle block plane—such as trimming miters to an accurate fit or removing mill marks from end grain—this plane excels. It also works well for shoulder-plane tasks, such as fine-tuning the fit of tenon cheeks and shoulders and removing mill marks from rabbets.

I was interested to learn that this is the first Lie-Nielsen plane with a cryogenically treated A2-steel blade. This steel is reputed to sharpen easily yet hold an edge longer than standard high-carbon steel. I’ve had this plane for more than a month. I reach for it often. And so far, the honed, keen edge of the blade has held up well.

The versatility of the 60-1/2 R comes at the price of a slight design compromise. That’s because even though the sides of the plane and the frog are sturdy, the openings at the sides of the throat allow some flexing when pressure is applied to the cap via the spin wheel. But you can correct this by applying less pressure.

In an era when tools have become increasingly specialized, it’s nice to see one like the 60-1/2 R that can perform several tasks perfectly well. It has quickly become a welcome addition to my toolbox.

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