The Veritas 51⁄4 W had a great overall fit and finish. The Norris-style adjuster was tight and precise. The blade was flat, easy to sharpen, and withstood the bench-flattening test with barely any dulling, unlike some of the other blades. The stamped chipbreaker set up well and mated tightly to the blade. The 51⁄4 W has a handful of useful features at an affordable price, such as toolless mouth adjustment via a sliding toe and screws in the plane body that prevent lateral movement of the blade during adjustment. Combine this with solid machining and quality throughout, and choosing this as Best Value was an easy call.

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