LN 95 or Veritas?

Re: LN 95 or Veritas?

Christopher Fitch @ Memphis

>I can't tell you about the LN...

However, I agonized over the same decision and decided to go with the Veritas since the blade is wider than on the LN and they made other improvements over the Stanley #95.

I have not been disappointed.

Re: LN 95 or Veritas?

Duncan S. Robertson

>I have the LN95 and have had it for just about a year now. I found it totally ready to go out of the box. I hand honed the blade on an 8000 Norton water stone and went to work. The ease of use is truly amazing. As to the difference in width between the LV and the LN, I have not edge jointed a board that both on the 2 planes would not fit. About a year ago I took back over $1500.00 of LV planes and waterstones. They were wonderful about the return as they always are and when they asked why I was returning a smoother a foreplane a block plane and all the rest of the hand tools, I had to tell them that their product did not measure up to my expectations for equipment in this price range. Here is one example with the smoother plane, When I had sharpened the blade I was unable to get a smoother quality shaving from the plane due to the degree of warp in the sole of the plane. The plane would start to cut and as soon as the back of the sole contacted the wood, the blade would rise up out of the wood and quit cutting. If I buy an off the shelf Record or Stanley I expect to spend hours fettling the plane. At the cost level of of a LV I only expect to hone the blade and get to work. Given the very little dollar difference between the LN and the LV I would strongly suggest the LN. Good Luck!

Re: LN 95 or Veritas?

Todd Stock

>I've been using the LN for years (shortly after they came out), and it's a fine plane, but not a jointer.

If you are looking for a tool to establish a square, straight edge, you might look at something longer and wider like a #6 through #8 or equivalent wood bodied plane. Even a jack plane will do a decent job of getting an edge square and straight on shorter stuff.

If you simply want to take a pass and remove tool marks from an edge already made square and straight by machine, the #95 or the slightly larger LV plane will both handle the job. The LN will edge 7/8" stock and the LV 1", and surprise...the LN is actually cheaper if purchased from FTJ (otherwise both $125 US).

Re: Edge plane?

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>I never fear admitting ignorance, as it can be eliminated simply by asking questions. What is an edge plane? I think if you are squaring up a board a jointer plane might be more appropriate.

Re: Edge plane? *LINK*

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>http://www.lie-nielsen.com/tool.html?id=95-RH&cart=108774466021453

I have been looking at them and are they pushed or pulled. Seems like the Left hand version might be alot easier to push.


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=32684&category=1,41182,48945&ccurrency=1&SID=

Re: LN 95 or Veritas?

Lyn J. Mangiameli

>I have the right hand (and only) version of the Veritas, and the left hand version of the L-N. Both are nicely made planes that at least in the ones I have, are comparable in machining. Both of my planes pre-date the move to A2 blades (for sure in the L-N, I don't know if the Veritas version has switched), but the blades I have work fine for the amount of work which I put them too.

I prefer the larger size of the Veritas, which allows for greater registration and a bit more comfortable (for me) grip, but as was said in the thread before, neither plane is going to have enough registration area for precision jointing on anything longer than the end of a board (as opposed to how the Veritas version at least used to be shown shown going down a long board).

Both are a bit of a hassle to adjust, neither having a screw adjuster, but instead a small lever adjuster that is neither positive or smooth in the ones I have. The small skew blades can be awkward to sharpen, and equally awkward to align in the bodies for taking shavings. They do, however, achieve a very low functional cutting angle for end grain.

So, there are more similarities than differences and are really pretty comparable in actual performance. Minor ergonomic differences are what distinguish them the most, and of course this will be a very individual decision. Do think through how you will actually tend to hold your workpiece and you prefered approach to it. The L-N gives you an option of a "left-hand" version which may or may not be much better for how you approach the workpiece, irrespective of what your hand dominance is.

In the end, for me, I like having the planes, but in reality virtually never use either. To be honest, I picked up my first one long ago in an attempt to compensate for my lack of faith in my skill to hold a plane perpendicular. As my faith in my skills (whether or not justified) increased, the advantages of the plane became significant compared to the effort of getting down another plane, adjusting it, and maintaining it.

Re: LN 95 or Veritas?

Alan Hamilton

>Mick,

I have used both, albeit I did not get to play with the Lie-Nielsen for very long. I bought the Lee Valley and have no complaints. Quality wise, I could discerne very little difference.

Both came out of the box as advertised. The soles met the fences at ninety degrees--or as close as my primitive tools and ability could discover (N.B., I had to take the word of my friend who had the Lie-Nielsen; i.e., I did not work on the Lie-Nielsen).

Both irons needed the usual work. Both needed the back flattened and both the bevel and back needed final sharpening. The Lee Valley iron is A2, IIRC, and it holds a sharp edge well.

I got the Lee Valley mainly for two reasons: one is that it was cheaper (a very important reason to me) and second, the Lee Valley was larger. With my paws, which are a bit larger than most, the Lee Valley was easier to use.

I don't think you can go wrong with either. They're both excellent tools.

Alan

Re: LN 95 or Veritas?

paul womack

>Neither plane would be my tool of choice for "squaring up a board faster". If the board is at all long (over 6") you need a long soled plane to keep the edge straight as well as square.

Depending on your preferances, I would recommend:

* A jointer fence (currently available model)

* A jointer plane with a cambered edge (instrction on technique)

* for thin stock, a shooting board. (Typical example in use)

BugBear