PM VII LV plane blade

[george wilson]

At the end of the day of working,I took a few minutes to sharpen my new PM VII blade from LV for my NX 60 block plane. It took just a few minutes against a black,then white ceramic stone,plus a few swipes across a strop treated with the LV chromium oxide stropping compound to make the blade sharper than a used machinery dealer in a darkened room!!!

I was too tired to test much,but I'm pretty sure the PM blade got sharper than I could get the A2 blade formerly in the plane. It EASILY shaved the hairs on my arm. I swiped it at a fly buzzing nearby,and he fell to the floor severed in twain. O.K.,I made that last part up.:)

I actually think it got as sharp as W1 steel will get. When I get the time,I'll go back to trying to skive sea ray skin leather with it. The A2 wouldn't get sharp enough to cleanly skive this chrome tanned ray skin. 01 would do it reasonably,but still not perfectly. It's like trying to plane rubbery fuzz on the flesh side. I'm repairing an 18th.C. ray skin covered small case for a folding rule(about 3" long) made of walrus ivory. The old ray skin was twice as thin as typing paper,but was vegetable tanned,which is skivable,but not available today. The modern stuff is real rubbery and fuzzy. I had no W1 blade available for a block plane at the time,but this PM might just do the job AND stay sharp. If it does,it will be king!!

My fond wish is to make a pocket knife out of this material. I might just buy a blade and grind a pocket knife blade out of it,provided I can drill an axle hole in it with a carbide drill. But,I still have other work to finish,and not a lot of energy. On a 12 week regimen of vitamin D2,which the doctor found I'm very low on. I HOPE it does the job.

Thus far,I am very impressed with the PM blade,and looking forward to LV putting out a blade for wooden planes some day.

[Peter Pedisich]

George,

I've been thinking about getting a PM V11 25° iron for my LV low-angle jack for shooting, and so far the consensus is that these irons & chisels are winners.
Getting closer to getting one...

Thanks,

Pete

[Jeff Heath]

Thus far,I am very impressed with the PM blade,and looking forward to LV putting out a blade for wooden planes some day.

I, too, am patiently waiting for blades to put in my wooden planes, as well. Hopefully, they won't take too long to come up with them. The Hock blades I presently put in my planes are of reputable quality, but they take way too long to flatten and polish the backs. As we all know, time is money.

Thanks for the review. These blades are getting similarly high praise in the reviews I've read at other forums, as well.

Jeff

[Ryan Baker]

I just got the PM blade for my LA jack the other day. It polished up very fast on an 8000 grit stone to a VERY sharp edge. (I am equally happy with the PM chisels too.) I haven't had a chance to get any real time in the plane yet, but I am looking forward to it. I'd really like to see a blade for a LN 60-1/2 block plane (though I could understand them not rushing to make that product).

[george wilson]

I am not sure they will make wooden plane PM blades. I think they are having trouble with the steel supply,or something like that. I couldn't understand what their operator was telling me.

[Peter Pedisich]

This new steel is exciting, even though my A2 irons do a fine job, and I'm a relative novice compared to most folks here. My LV and LN A2 irons seem to get just as sharp as my Hock high-carbon blade. I have one chisel that seems to get notably sharper than any other edge tool I own, an old paring chisel made in England by TOGA. When this 2" chisel is freshly sharpened the hairs jump off my arm when the see it heading their way! Must have been just the right piece of steel on that day in the factory.

[Rob Lee]

I am not sure they will make wooden plane PM blades. I think they are having trouble with the steel supply,or something like that. I couldn't understand what their operator was telling me.

Hi George!

Yes, we'll get to making wooden plane blades. The issue of supply is just lead time, and resources. This steel has to be ordered in mill run lots - it's not stock. for each mill run, the mill will allow us to run two sheet thicknesses.... and we need several to cover a variety of plane blades. I believe we've now run three mill runs - the next one is the steel to make replacement blades for Stanley planes.

We could mill/grind down thicker material to make the thinner blades - but it adds too much cost in waste material, and extra mill time.

Cheers -

Rob

[Matthew N. Masail]

Hi Rob - thank you for clearing that. I was wodering if you will offer a PM blade for the Apron plane? it's my to go to plane for end grain trimming.

[David Weaver]

George,

I've been thinking about getting a PM V11 25° iron for my LV low-angle jack for shooting, and so far the consensus is that these irons & chisels are winners.
Getting closer to getting one...

Thanks,

Pete

I was going to skip them completely, too, but someone overseas asked if I'd order one for them, and I figured I'd get two while I was at it. I haven't played with mine yet, though, but I got it for the exact same reason you do. If I have an iron that lives well at 25 degrees no matter what it shoots, that's good. Totally unnecessary purchase of the highest order, but whatever...I could buy all of my furniture, too and not do any woodworking if I was really going to discuss whether or not woodworking is financially sound.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I was going to skip them completely, too, but someone overseas asked if I'd order one for them, and I figured I'd get two while I was at it. I haven't played with mine yet, though, but I got it for the exact same reason you do. If I have an iron that lives well at 25 degrees no matter what it shoots, that's good. Totally unnecessary purchase of the highest order, but whatever...I could buy all of my furniture, too and not do any woodworking if I was really going to discuss whether or not woodworking is financially sound.

If it were financially sound we wouldn't have to have all these great "I need another tool" talk with the little lady and we'd miss out of all of the fun! seriously, that kind of buy is fun, that's the bottom line :confused:

[Thom Edwards]

Rob, can you give us a ballpark (or is that hockey rink?) estimate of when the Stanley replacements will be ready? I've got a few new-to-me old Stanleys that need new irons, and I figured I'd give the new steel a shot with them.

[Rob Lee]

Hi Rob - thank you for clearing that. I was wodering if you will offer a PM blade for the Apron plane? it's my to go to plane for end grain trimming.

Hi Matthew -

Yes we will.... unsure of where it is in the schedule though....!

Cheers -

Rob

[David Weaver]

If it takes a keen edge and holds it at a low angle without being too hard to sharpen, it should be marketed to dovo and thiers issard to make razors.

[Rob Lee]

Rob, can you give us a ballpark (or is that hockey rink?) estimate of when the Stanley replacements will be ready? I've got a few new-to-me old Stanleys that need new irons, and I figured I'd give the new steel a shot with them.

Hi Thom -

That run of steel is due in 3 weeks - so blades will probably be another 4-8 weeks after that....

Believe me - I wish we could have it sooner too!

Cheers -

Rob

[Derek Cohen]

Not much to add to my previous posts, but this order arrived today.

Jointer, jack, smoother, NX60 block.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Chisels%20from%20LV/BladesPM1.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Todd Hyman]

Thanks fro the updates Rob.

[Gabe Shackle]

Those cases are great! Such a simple thing to add.

[ken carroll]

Thanks God they have the lawyerly "caution sharp" warning on the boxes!

[Sam Takeuchi]

Thanks God they have the lawyerly "caution sharp" warning on the boxes!

"But I thought they mean box was sharp! They are still negligent because they didn't say the 'blade' was sharp! There was no warning on the blade!!! It caused me to get two stitches on my finger! I deserve $15 million for emotional distress, loss of income, permanent disability (my fingerprint doesn't line up perfectly) and medical expense (I get irrational fear of painful papercut when a paper comes near the wound caused by your product!)"

[Ron Kellison]

Todd,

Don't forget to get those wonderful LV cap irons for Stanley/Record blades. I have them in my #5 1/2 and #7 and they make a noticeable difference! Definitely worth the money.

Ron


Thanks fro the updates Rob.

[Ron Kellison]

"But I thought they mean box was sharp! They are still negligent because they didn't say the 'blade' was sharp! There was no warning on the blade!!! It caused me to get two stitches on my finger! I deserve $15 million for emotional distress, loss of income, permanent disability (my fingerprint doesn't line up perfectly) and medical expense (I get irrational fear of painful papercut when a paper comes near the wound caused by your product!)"

I think you could have played for the Chiefs if you weren't so articulate! :<) (a "Slap Shot" reference)

[wayne Jepson]

Hi George!

Yes, we'll get to making wooden plane blades. The issue of supply is just lead time, and resources. This steel has to be ordered in mill run lots - it's not stock. for each mill run, the mill will allow us to run two sheet thicknesses.... and we need several to cover a variety of plane blades. I believe we've now run three mill runs - the next one is the steel to make replacement blades for Stanley planes.

We could mill/grind down thicker material to make the thinner blades - but it adds too much cost in waste material, and extra mill time.

Cheers -

Rob


I can't wait for the wooden plane blades in this material too. I use the LV wooden plane blades in my infills and they are great.Made from this material sounds like they will be even better. Hurry up Rob. Please.

Wayne
http://infillplanemaker.blogspot.ca

[Ryan Baker]

Would it be too much to ask that the PM blades for wooden planes be tapered??? That would be even better!

[Bob Rankin]

Will the spokeshaves have the new blades? I was planning on getting the set but didn't know if I should wait or not.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Not much to add to my previous posts, but this order arrived today.

Jointer, jack, smoother, NX60 block.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Chisels%20from%20LV/BladesPM1.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

I remember you saying that you weren't going to replace your blades with it.... guess the tool bug bit :) it seems to cause an obssesive alergic reaction in people

[Derek Cohen]

What can I say Matthew ... I am weak .. :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Belair]

I can't decide whether to take the plunge or wait until all the surplus O1 and A2 blades show up in the Classifieds! Then I can have spare blades sharpened and ready to go. Or maybe just follow Derek's lead....

[Matthew N. Masail]

What can I say Matthew ... I am weak .. :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

LOL :)

Jim, We should always follow Derek's lead. . . . . .... . . . .. . .. (hint hint we are weak too but now we have a reason for it...:) or do we....:rolleyes:) anyway seriously I think you should get what
works for you, I mean, I'm not sure the O1 or A2 will get much cheaper, and that shouldn't be the deciding factor IMO. I'd get the PMV just because it's always nice to work longer without the blade dulling, and it
seems these stay in the "wonderfully sharp" stage much longer than most.

[miguel bernardo]

hi all, maybe a stupid question - but where do you buy this stuff? didn´t found it at LV´s shop - do i need new glasses?

thanks in advance,
Miguel.

[Rob Lee]

hi all, maybe a stupid question - but where do you buy this stuff? didn´t found it at LV´s shop - do i need new glasses?

thanks in advance,
Miguel.

Hi Miguel!

If you search for "PM-V11" on the Lee Valley website, it will bring up the list of planes we currently have blades for, as well as the chisel. That selection will expand as we continue to receive additional steel. Replacement blades for Bailey style planes are the next priority.... but still weeks away....

I wish we could go faster!

Cheers -

Rob
(packed for WIA, and waiting on his 4:15AM wake-up....)

[Mark Baldwin III]

I want one for my Miniature shoulder plane! Just kidding :D

[miguel bernardo]

Hi Miguel!

If you search for "PM-V11" on the Lee Valley website, it will bring up the list of planes we currently have blades for, as well as the chisel. That selection will expand as we continue to receive additional steel. Replacement blades for Bailey style planes are the next priority.... but still weeks away....

I wish we could go faster!

Cheers -

Rob
(packed for WIA, and waiting on his 4:15AM wake-up....)

Thanks for the reply!
i was looking under blades and failed to get it... slow day....

cheers,
miguel.