Anyone have any experience/comments/recommendations regarding LV or LN med. shoulder planes?
I usually prefer the O1 blade, but could learn to live with LN’s A2.
I have a few LV planes, very happy with them, and my Stanley 93 is too big and cumbersome for my sore hands.
The LV is $20.00 more, a consideration, but I will amortize it hopefully over the next 15-20 years.
Thanks to all in advance!
Pete
edit: The LN is $20.00 more
Replies
I have the LV med shoulder plane, and it works great with my large, sore hands.
Me to
I have experience with the LN one..... and it works fine... Sharpening is sharpening...
LV vs LN
I am sure either plane is great, but the O1, better feel in the hand (or so the pictures would have me believe) make me lean to the LV.
Thanks!
Pete
Sore hands
Mine are getting worse by the day!
Thanks!
Pete
LV Shoulder Plane
Having tested out both, I prefer the LV plane. I find it just "fits" better, if that makes sense.
LV shoulder plane
By the pictures in the catalogs, I think the LV will feel/fit better.
Thank you!
Pete
Shoulder plane preference
I have both the medium and large LV shoulder planes and love them both, but I use the medium way more than the large. I did try the LN before I bought and I really liked the LV a lot better. It just felt better in use. I did get the blades in A2 though, but once I got them sharpened and honed, they were great - really hold the edge.
Pat
LV With A2
I am considering the LV with the A2. As another poster said, "sharpening is sharpening".
Thanks!
Pete
I think you're on the right track. I have both brands of shoulder planes, and I find the smaller ones are more comfortable with LV's design.
My big one is an LN, and if you do end up using it for something significant as opposed to a few passes to clean a joint (I used mine to hog an area down flush to the face frame on a medicine cabinet not that long ago), your hands can get very sore with it.
LV's ergonomic considerations are very worthwhile.
As far as A2 vs. O1, I don't have oilstones, so maybe that's why I haven't noticed much difference between the different steels - what I notice in terms of what's hard to sharpen and what's not is hardness. In reality, if you're using waterstones, sandpaper, etc, I don't know if most people would be able to tell a difference in use or durability between good A2 steel and good O1 steel hardened at the same level. I also don't think you'll find a2 at 25 degrees to be the absolute horror that people make it out to be - I have several planes (shoulder planes, low angle planes) set up with A2 at 25 degrees, and they work fine. Do they wear the same way they do at 35 degrees? no, but they wear just fine and you're not going to be headed to the stones to do major edge repair every 3 swipes.
Pete,
With all due respect, your question is much like "Coke vs Pepsi". Any woodworker worth his salt could use either to good effect. LN uses a more "tried and true" design, while LV, as usual, tries some new things. Some folks like one. Some folks like the other. It takes a modicum of skill to learn to use either.
The far more important question is: what do you really want to do with a shoulder plane? Are there other tools that let you do the same thing? Let us know what you really plan to do with it.
Mel
comfort in the hand
I will primarily be cleaning tenons and dado/groove cleanout. My Stanley 93 is perfectly adequate, but not at all comfortable in my sore hands!
I do believe the quality of the two companies is "like Coke and Pepsi", so it does come down to the "coming to the hand", as the LV catalog says.
Thanks!
Pete
The difference is a bit bigger than coke or pepsi if you have sore hands from using a stanley shoulder plane.
To my eye, the LN plane is prettier (which is why I got the big one), but you will be able to use the LV plane without getting sore hands since the fixtures and the wider back grip let you grip the plane with the webbing in your hand rather than with hand pressure on your fingertips. The same can't be said for the LN.
If you were just trimming a couple of tenons, it'd probably make no difference, but if you're truing a bunch of long dadoes, it will make a big difference.
Of the shoulders I have, if I had to buy them again, both of my metal ones would be the LV planes, and not for lack of love of LN (I have more LN planes than LV). Just that the improvements LV put into ergonomics in this case pay off bigtime if you're an avid user of shoulder planes.
I had the same question a few years ago...
I went through the same questions you are having now a few years ago. I ended up with the LV with O1 blade. After going to a show and having the chance to try both out, I ended up with the LV basicly becasue it was more comfortable in my hand. Other comments are good and on point; there is not much difference in terms of quality and the decision will come down to comfort and how you will likely use the tool. I should add that I have small hands and what feel comfortable to me may not to you. It is going to be a subjective decision in the end.
going to a show and trying out
Dan,
In the absence of WW shows nearby, I am relying on the posters here. I would really like to try before buying, but thats not possible.
Thankfully there are two reputable plane makers, either of which will do nicely.
Thanks!
Pete
"ergonomics" and width of cut
I have the LV medium shoulder plane, and I can compare it to the Record 073 with a LN iron. Although they are of different sizes, I reach for the LV plane first. It is a very well designed and manufactured tool. While I'm sure the LN version of the Record plane is better than mine, I think the old Preston/Record shoulder plane designs are just more awkward to use.
That said, though, you also should consider the width of the tool--LV is 11/16" and the LN is 3/4". There will be some operations where that difference matters.
Bob
11/16" vs 3/4"
Bob,
The 1/16" will make a difference in some instances.
That, along with the ergonomics, have me leaning towards the LV. I will probably try the A2, which will be my first.
Thanks!
Pete
I would also throw into the mix the LN rabbit block plane. Having spent the last day trimming tenons and cleaning up my tenon shoulders on my workbench, I have been extremely impressed with how well the small block plane handles anything I've thrown at it.
In just a few minutes, with a high angle 2nd bevel, the little plane makes child's play of fitting a 3 inch tenon. It cleans up offset from my dado cuts on the shoulder with a few swipes. An amazing little plane.
Michael
LN rabbit block plane
Michael,
That LN plane does lok like a spiffy toy, but at this point I need to have a multi task shoulder plane-grooves/rabbits, tenons, etc. Or put another way, when my ship come in I will be able to buy whatever I want. Untl then....
I have an old Stanley 601/2 which I have fettled to be slick as snot, so I don't need another block plane at this point.
Thanks!
Pete
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