Skewed Block Plane or Shoulder Plane???

[George Farra]

Hi Everyone

I'm readying myself for my next handplane purchase. I was originally going to buy a used low angle block plane and a new shoulder plane.

Then I stumbled upon the skewed block plane on Lee Valley's website and I'm wondering if this plane can really cover double duty.

Primary uses will be fitting tenons, cleaning up edges, cleaning up box/dovetail joints, breaking hard corners, simple chamfers or roundovers.

I know that I would not be able to clean up a dado with a block plane since the body would be too wide but for carcass work I'm not sure I care if the dado has a perfectly flat bottom

Thouhts?

TIA

George

[Rob Young]

Yes, you will care that a dado has a perfectly flat bottom for best fit. But a router plane is often the better choice there. The skewed block plane (Stanley 140 for example) is very useful and can be used for trimming tenons. But in the long run, a good shoulder plane in the 3/4" to 1-1/2" range (or possibly a few of them) may be more versatile. Besides cleaning up tenons, you can make and clean up rabbets. The longer reference surface of a shoulder plane is nice in that respect.

So I'd say your original plan to get a used low angle (or consider the new Stanley Sweetheart 60-1/2 at $80, less if you shop around) and a 3/4" or 1" shoulder plane is perfectly valid. When cleaning up surfaces with a block plane you can always skew the plane or make a slicing cut.

[Andrew Gibson]

I have been thinking about the same 2 planes.

I have a Stanley 60-1/2 and it is a great block. I still want to get a LV skew block. I think for what I want I am going to pick up a medium shoulder plane... and maybe the mini :)

I think where the shoulder plane really comes into its own is cleaning up and truing tenon shoulders... hopefully I am right, it should also be handy in adjusting rabbet's

If I didnnt have a low angle block already I would be going with some form of block plane.... just remember that the skew block will be more of a chalenge to sharpen. Make sure you have a method that you are comfortable for sharpening such a blade, because it will be useless if dull

[Russell Sansom]

This might sound silly, but I find a skew a poor plane for serious chamfering, rounding edges, etc. To avoid tearout one needs to skew a block this way and that, left and right. Since the blade is already skewed, then it gets hard to keep track of. I find myself having to turn the plane over to see which way it's skewed. For this purpose, a skew isn't worth the maintenance effort. In just about any case where I can skew the entire block, my hand reaches for the everyday squared away plane.

[Peter Pedisich]

This might sound silly, but I find a skew a poor plane for serious chamfering, rounding edges, etc. To avoid tearout one needs to skew a block this way and that, left and right. Since the blade is already skewed, then it gets hard to keep track of. I find myself having to turn the plane over to see which way it's skewed. For this purpose, a skew isn't worth the maintenance effort. In just about any case where I can skew the entire block, my hand reaches for the everyday squared away plane.

Lie-Nielsen makes a rabbet block that is not skewed...

[George Farra]

Thanks guys. A lot of helpful feedback. I think I'll stay my original course with a low angle block and a shoulder plane

[David Weaver]

Thanks guys. A lot of helpful feedback. I think I'll stay my original course with a low angle block and a shoulder plane

I think that is your best option. A shoulder plane is a nicer plane to have around to clean up rabbets if you cut them with something coarse, too.

[Ryan Baker]

I agree that your original plan is the better one in my opinion. I wouldn't consider a skew block an adequate replacement for either the regular block or a good shoulder plane. Your mileage may vary.

[Jim R Edwards]

Have you considered a LN 60 1/2R. I call it the jack plane of block planes. It can do everything!