I dont like block planes. There I said it.

[Bob Jones]

I have 2 high quality block planes. Both function flawlessly. Both are sharpened very well, if I say so myself. Neither "feel right" in my skillet hands. When I use one it is like working with something that was not meant for me. It must just be me, because everyone puts a block plane at the top of their "must buy" hand tool lists.

There are a couple of things they do really well, but overall I much prefer the feel of a bench plane. I am sure this will get some highly emotional responses.

In other news, I just got a no 2 bench plane am I am really looking forward to using it and seeing if it is easier to hold.

[Ron Bontz]

ok,ok,ok. Who's #2 bench plane did you get? I am all eyes. As I get older my hands have gotten fatter and clumsier. Hard to handle small things like cameras, phones etc. So far blocks are still ok

[Charles McKinley]

If you have the Lee Valley have you tried the tote that they offer? If you have big hands I can see a block plane not being that easy to use.

[Dave Lehnert]

What "high quality block planes" do you own?
I have a record that I like a lot and was not much money.

On the subject, What block plane do most own (And like?)

[Jim Neeley]

Who all here has tried the Veritas LA Block with the Bubinga front knob and tote to make it a "BU #3"? I ordered the LA BU a few months ago and ordered the knob / tote combo with it (and a trio of blades). Since I'm still working on my first workbench (hence no vise or dog holes) I've only used it a bit but love it already. I too have large hands and find holding a regular block plane a bit of an "opportunity" so I figured it was worth the $36 extra, just as a trial.

It fits my big ol' bear paws just great. With the 12* bed and the three blades honed to 25*, 35* & 50*, it shows great promise!

Rather than discarding the tote / knob, two weeks ago I picked up a L-N #140 Skew (bronze & cocobolo, of course! <gloat> :D ) to double-duty as a LAB when needed. Some day I may add a dedicated block.

Do I hear "YOU SUCK"??!! :D

[Jim Belair]

I just put the front knob on my LV block and not the tote. I find it gives me added control of the front end of the plane and I can still cradle the back end in my hand. The add on tote made the center of gravity just too high for my liking anyway.

Jim B

[Zach England]

I had the knob/tote for my Veritas block and I never liked it. Honestly I don't much care for that plane. It is too bulky. However, I really like using it with the toothed blade. Lately I prefer my old Stanley 60 1/2 (with Ray Iles blade). I love block planes. If you count skews and rabbet blocks I have...let me think...seven.

Am I the only one who doesn't find much of a use for a standard-angle block? I have a lovely Lie-Nielsen (9 1/2?) that I hardly ever use.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

For me, a lot of it depends on the scale and type of the work. In building guitars, I used block planes extensively. Making furniture, there's rarely a situation I've had to pull it out; about the only time I use it is a handful of tough end grain situations. I'm hoping to pick up a BU smoother at some point, so I can have an extra blade for those situations.

I have a small I think #60, and a modern 102 type (although I think it might be a bit larger than a vintage 102?) love 'em when I need em, but don't find so many tasks now that I need 'em. I have a tiny little cheap folded steel thumb plane that comes in quite handy with guitar stuff too. I tend to use the 102 type on the pull stroke, holding from behind the blade. One of these days I'll replace it with a similarly sized wooden plane...

[Pam Niedermayer]

Hmmmm, well I object to the entire plane classification system. So there. :)

Pam

[Bob Jones]

I feel the need to clarify a bit. I don't hate them. I use them occasionally when a bench plane is just too big. The question is, why does a block plane make it to the top of everyone's must buy hand tools?

[Paul Incognito]

The question is, why does a block plane make it to the top of everyone's must buy hand tools?

I'll take a stab at this.
Because they're cheap and versatile. I have a whole collection of block planes, including 3 that live in my truck that are daily users. There's a cheap old Dunlap std angle that I use for hogging off material, a 9-1/2 for face planing that has to look good and it'll work as a really short jointer if I'm careful with it. Then there's the 60-1/2 for end grain work, fine tuning miters and the like. The beauty is that they are 1 handed planes, I don't need a bench or a vise. On site I use them and don't have much use for a bench plane. In the shop I use bench planes most of the time, but I have a workbench with a vise to hold the work for me.
Did my rambling make any sense?
Paul

[glenn bradley]

I feel the need to clarify a bit. I don't hate them. I use them occasionally when a bench plane is just too big. The question is, why does a block plane make it to the top of everyone's must buy hand tools?

There is no sin here. Hand tool preference will vary as much as our hands do. I know I was shocked when someone posted frustration in holding onto his LV medium shoulder plane; the thing practically jumps into my hand and makes itself at home. I can't imagine a better fit. Not so for everyone. I use the knob on my LV LA block; sometime the tote as well. I too find it a bit clumsy as an all around block plane; just a bit larger than I would like. I have been eying a LV or LN non-adjustable mouth "apron" plane as they are reasonably smaller.

[Alan Schwabacher]

The beauty is that they are 1 handed planes, I don't need a bench or a vise.

That's it.

But if you want to try a different size or shape, a Krenov plane can be made to fit any hand.

[Trevor Walsh]

I think the block plane (LA in particular) gets such high marks due to small task versatility. I've got a LV apron plane, and adore it. I set it rather thick to knock the corners of pieces, set it fine to shoot small endgrain parts or smooth with it. Recently I made some very small 4x14x60mm blocks of mahogany for a scientific test. I used the LV block exclusively to surface, edge joint and shoot small parts, and I got to within .06-.00mm which is between under .002". I'm not sure, but I don't know that I could to work like that with another plane.

[Niels Cosman]

I am morally outraged by the questioning of the sanctity of the block plane! :) :) :)
I will overcome my indignation to say that although I would strike down the person that tried to steal my LN block planes (all 4 of them), so far ergonomically my old stanley's still beat their pants off.
At least one block plane is in my top three, end-grain beware!

[Bob Jones]

I have the apron plane and I like it much better than my 9 1/2 or my 60 1/2, both of which I sold. I sold them because they are really too big for my one hand but too small for two. The apron is a good fit with one, I just like the stable grip of a bench plane.
Good point about portability. I only use my planes at my workbench. If I was boxing them up I would probably make do with a couple of blocks, one with a cambered blade. Now there is something I have not heard anyone do-camber a block plane blade. That might change my mind a bit...

[Don Dorn]

I have a LN 102 and 60 1/2 Rabbeting block. Except for chamfering, I don't use them much at all. However, I have a #3 and it does everything I need in that arena. To each their own.

[Deane Allinson]

The question is, why does a block plane make it to the top of everyone's must buy hand tools?[/QUOTE]

I do hardwood mortise and tenon type joinery. I am always grabbing it to do quick small chamfers on tenon ends and maybe a little bump on the cheek. Truing up end grain, sharpening my pencil, I use it to chamfer table top edges too. I don't like a perfect machined edge. I use the Stanley 60 1/2" almost always.
Deane

[Jim Koepke]

Bob makes a good point.

Pam also makes a good point about the western (American?) plane classification system being less than comprehensible.

Of all my block planes, my LN 60-1/2 has the best function. It does not have the best feel in my hand.

This is one of the reasons when someone asks what plane to buy, my answer is that more important than the plane's pedigree is how it fits the hand of the one making the inquiry. The fit in hand is only second to the usability of the plane.

A plane that fits the hand perfectly yet can not make a shaving is useless.

A plane that makes a perfect shaving though is uncomfortable or difficult to hold will is used less.

To answer the question,


why does a block plane make it to the top of everyone's must buy hand tools?

Because it is usually a small tool that is handy for a lot of uses.

An LA BU plane is one of the best tools for planing end grain.

For relieving sharp corners, a quick swipe with a block plane of any angle is very simple.

Rounding corners is also easy with a smaller plane.


If I was boxing them up I would probably make do with a couple of blocks, one with a cambered blade. Now there is something I have not heard anyone do-camber a block plane blade. That might change my mind a bit...

Have you seen my post:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?158373-My-Camber-Blade-Round-Tuit-Finally-Came

That came about because of one of my ebay block planes came with a blade that was "cambered" on the underside.

jtk

[Jim Foster]

You must be a woodworker and not a carpenter. :)

[Jonathan McCullough]

You know it's kind of funny, when you're doing something with wood and you run into a problem, you kind of look around for a tool that will do what you need to do. When I was putting some plywood up on walls for a carpentry project, and cut one panel too wide, I scrabbled around in my tool box for a block plane. A bench plane would have done the same job but I didn't have a bench or a vise to hold it down, so a few swipes with a one-handed standard-angle block plane did the job while I held the panel in the other hand. I also had a curious reversing end-grain problem in mahogany recently. A traditional spokeshave would have done the trick but I didn't have one set up, so a low-angle Stanley 60 1/2 did the trick nicely. That was on the bench. You can do chamfers with them. They're also very portable and fit on one of those bat-belts that carpenters use, or in an onsite tool box. Like most tools, they won't do everything. I think there are enough uses for them to warrant recommending their purchase.

[Bill Houghton]

"There are eight million stories in the Naked City. This has been one of them."

There aren't quite that many different kinds of planes, but there's a many. Whatever set of planes works for you works.

I tried and rejected several Stanley No. 60-1/2 planes until I found a Sweetheart era plane that felt right. And I own a No. 65 Stanley, one of the iconic planes, that gets plenty of use - but I find, even with my large hands (well - long fingers), that I use it two-handed, and pine for a slightly smaller plane.

[george wilson]

I have large hands,and use block planes more than any other,since I mostly make guitars and things with small parts.

[Bruce Haugen]

You must be a woodworker and not a carpenter. :)

My thoughts exactly. Anyone who has ever been a trim carpenter understands the value of a block plane. I think I grew up with a 60.5 in my hand.

[Tony Shea]

What other plane does such a good job at releiving sharp edges? To break out a bench plane to round edges seems far too akward to me and just about every edge that I produce deserves some releif of some sort. Sharp edges are not freindly to the touch like a rounded edge. And planing small peices such as little drawer pulls or door handles would also be akward with a bench plane. I keep a LN 60 1/2 on my bench at all times and that plane certainly gets more use than any other plane in my arsenal. I think my new LV BU Jack is second. I just can't imagine dismissing the handiness of a block plane in my shop.