Anybody here with Veritas skew block plane?

[Kesh Ikuma]

With the LV free-shipping deal (been waiting for it :D) I'm ready to buy my first (joinery) plane. I only have an inherited Stanley jack plane (forgot the #) and I want to get into joinery work. I've been contemplating between a router plane or a skew block plane and could have others' opinions before I pull the trigger during this sale period.

I've read a number of rabbet block vs. shoulder plane threads, and the majority seem to opine with shoulder plane, saying rabbet block being "jack of all trades master of none" type of deal.

For those here with a Veritas skew block plane (or those who used to own one), do you give the same type of review? If so, how does it fall behind compared to a block plane and to a shoulder plane? And if you are happy with it, how did you decide on which skew to get? (I'm right handed)

I have an immediate (but not required) use for a router plane (dados & rabbets) in my next project while I can see myself needing a block plane near future for various tasks and also see the usefulness of planing flush along inside corner (e.g., my ever so slightly oversized crosscut sled runners lol).

Many thanks!
Kesh

P.S., Unfortunately my budgetary constraint won't allow me to get both at once...

[Chris Griggs]

The skew block is a nice tool. The LV one is quite comfortable and will serve well as a general purpose block plane for trimming and end grain as well as be good for cleaning and tuning tenons and rabbets and such. I don't have one but Archie England who I used to live near when I was in NOLA does and I used his a few times. Very nice tool, one that I've considered buying many times and may very well some day.

That said, its not an ideal tool for cutting rabbets, nor is it ideal for shoulders, and if you want to use your block for the occasional small smoothing task its not ideal for that either. It is a jack of many trades, and while I wouldn't say that its a master of NONE, I do think a router plane or shoulder plane will serve you better in more situation if you are really interested in getting into hand cut joinery. If I didn't have a skew rabbet (the larger handles one they sell) and wanted to cut rabbets I would rather use an unfenced shoulder plane for that over a skew block, in addition the shoulder plane is preferable over the skew block for shoulders and tuning of rabbets. I'm also a huge fan of the router plane, especially when you are just getting into hand cut joinery. While it doesn't really do much that can't be done with a chisel it sure makes a lot of those tasks A LOT easier to do consistently. My first joinery plane and first premium plane was the LV large router and if I had to start over again I would likely buy it as my first again.

BTW, I see your in Baton Rouge. If you find yourself near NOLA often you should shoot Archie England a PM, and set up a visit to his shop. He has lots of fun LN and LV tools and waterstones that he will graciously let you play with...nice guy to get to know as well.

BTW, if you do decide to go with the skew block, I would recommend the left handed one for a righty and the right handed one for a lefty. Why? Because the handedness is really how someone of the dominent hand would use the plane two-handed when cutting rabbets, but unlike the skew rabbet it is a tool that you will use one handed, often in tenon so you will want the opening on the left side so you can plane all the way up to the shoulder using push strokes with your dominant hand. If that doesn't make sense just go look a the pictures, think about how/what you would use it for and decide which side you want the opening on and get that one. The righty has the fence on the left and the opening on the right and the lefty has the fence on the right and opening on the left.

[Mike Henderson]

I have both a left hand and a right hand LN (not LV) skew block plane. They don't get much use. I'd definitely choose the router plane before a skew block plane. I use that one a LOT more.

Mike

[Peter Pedisich]

I have the right-hand version of the LV skew block plane and it worked wonderfully when I have needed it that one time in the 2 years I've owned it. I used it to deepen a rabbet and even cross grain it was brilliant. But it is too small to be comfortable for me, I realize I need it to be 25-30% larger and with a tote. So it sits in my tool chest. I should sell it.

[Jonathan McCullough]

I have them and can recommend them. The fit & finish is second to none, really excellent machining. They're good for a shallow rabbet to mark out dovetails or small tennons on craftsman style stuff, and the skew and low angle are great at cross grain stuff. A router would probably see more use though.

[Kesh Ikuma]

@Chris - Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I guess one of the issues with a noob like myself is that I cannot 100% picture *how* not "ideal" it is at certain tasks although I'm getting a much better picture now. It's one of those things that you won't know exactly until you experience both ways. I think I will PM Archie and see if he'd let me play with these planes so I can perhaps feel the differences. Thanks for mentioning his name. I've been surprised how low woodworking interest is in Louisiana (based on what's on the local CL, that is) but I knew there are people out there working with wood here!

And, yes, I agree with your skew selection. It makes perfect sense even for someone like me with zero experience hand planing :)

[Kesh Ikuma]

Thanks for your response guys! Before I started the thread, I already had the router plane in the cart, but I could not let go of the thoughts of getting the skew block. I think you guys convinced me to stick with the router plane and to postpone my choice for skew block vs. separate block and shoulder planes till LV's next free-shipping deal :D

@Peter - Just once in 2 years? If you still have it when I'm ready to buy another plane, I can buy it from you to put it under a bit more work ;)

[Chris Griggs]

@Chris - Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I guess one of the issues with a noob like myself is that I cannot 100% picture *how* not "ideal" it is at certain tasks although I'm getting a much better picture now. It's one of those things that you won't know exactly until you experience both ways. I think I will PM Archie and see if he'd let me play with these planes so I can perhaps feel the differences. Thanks for mentioning his name. I've been surprised how low woodworking interest is in Louisiana (based on what's on the local CL, that is) but I knew there are people out there working with wood here!

And, yes, I agree with your skew selection. It makes perfect sense even for someone like me with zero experience hand planing :)

Yeah man, glad we were able to help.

I had the same experience in NOLA....really did not find much WW going on when I lived there. Well, actually there is a lot of WW but they are almost all turners. Some really really great turners there, but if that's not yo thang not much else in terms of hobbiest furniture makers.

Anyway, definitely contact Archie. I'm sure he'd love to meet you. Since I moved, He needs a new WW buddy to get him out to his garage and using all those nice tools more anyway. Funny enough I met him when I posted a similar thread on SMC a few years ago. Didn't know him before that, yet we remain fast friends.

He's got a great set of tools from both LN and LV as well as MANY excellent vintage tools...if you get a chance to play with all that it will really help you determine what tools will be most benefit in your woodwork.

And yes, get the router plane...it can do A LOT of work....make sure you get it with the fence, it works quite respectably as a plow plane until you get the true plow plane.