Ordered Veritas #4 PM-V11

[Rich Riddle]

Since Keith indicated we need to support the vendors at shows like the one in Indianapolis this weekend, I went ahead and ordered a #4 smooth plane with the PM-V11 from Veritas at the Woodworking Show. Does anyone know much about this blade? Figured it was worth a risk to try it. But, it's all Keith's fault if the wife asks.

[David Weaver]

It works well (the iron). I don't think it does eggs over easy, brews beer, coordinates ties with shoes, belt, shirt and suit, or reminds you when you should tell your wife nice things, but it does what it's supposed to do.

[Jim Koepke]

My experience is limited to the reproduction spoke shave with the MP V11 blade. So far it seem to have done a lot of work without having to be honed again.

jtk

[Anthony Moumar]

I have a few planes with the PV M11 blades. It feels about the same to sharpen as A2 but lasts around twice as long between sharpening and three times as long as O1. Those are just estimates but I definetly sharpen my plane irons a lot less with the MP V11. Worth the extra $10 in my opinion.

[Chris Griggs]

Its good stuff, you'll like it. Performs as advertised...just an all around very nice steel.

[Jeff Ranck]

And I really like the design of the Veritas #4.

[Tony Wilkins]

I have a PM-V11 4 1/2 and I really, really like it. It was the first Veritas plane I got and now have the 5 1/4 and the BU Jointer. Haven't been disappointed in a Veritas purchase I've made :)

[David Wadstrup]

I love the PMV-11. I've always had a hard time getting Lee Valley's A2 as sharp as I'm able to get other manufacturers A2. I might be wrong, but I've heard(can't remember where) and assumed that this was because LV A2 isn't cryo treated like, say, Blue Spruce's chisels is. I'm able to get the PMV-11 blades much sharper, and have noticed they stay so considerably longer.

[Chris Hachet]

My experience is limited to the reproduction spoke shave with the MP V11 blade. So far it seem to have done a lot of work without having to be honed again.

jtkThis would be my experience also. I look forward to more PMV-11 tools in my wood shop.

[Chris Hachet]

Its good stuff, you'll like it. Performs as advertised...just an all around very nice steel.Very much so.

[Rich Riddle]

Received a call today from a representative of Veritas indicating the plane with that blade won't be available until March 1. Very polite and professional on the telephone. Told her to keep the order since the great recommendations in this forum. They won't charge for it until it ships.

[David Dalzell]

I don't have any PM-V11 plane blades, but I did get two Veritas PM-V11 chisels; the 1/4" and the 3/8". I have just finished using them to cut the dovetails for three drawers on a small hall table I am building. The drawer fronts are California Claro Walnut and the drawer sides are Black Cherry. Not the hardest wood around, but Claro Walnut has lots of curl and if a chisel is not very sharp it has a tendency to dive into the grain. Bad news when cutting half blind dovetails. Anyway, I completed all three drawers without having to sharpen these two chisels. I have other high quality chisels but I have never been able to get through this many dovetails without at least one additional sharpening session. I was (and am) extremerly impressed with the edge holding ability of the PM-V11 steel. I will probably soon be ordering 1/2" Veritas PM-V11 chisel. I do wish Veritas also offered this chisel in 1/8" or 3/16". If they did I would certainly buy both. I like to make small dovetail pins and thus narrow (1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8") are the chisel sizes I use most. If Rob Lee is reading this I would ask if there is any plan to offer these in something narrower than 1/4"?

[Andrew Hansen]

If you haven't read about it, the science behind why powdered metals (the PM) hold an edge better, and how Lee Valley went about testing and designing this steel, is fascinating.

http://www.pm-v11.com/Story.aspx

I own the full Bench chisel set, a 2" Butt chisel (I like big butts?), the BU jointer, low angle jack, and block plane with several irons in this steel. Minimal sharpening and holds an edge like no other steel I've used. Rumor is the mortise chisels in PM-V11 are coming out, and I'll sell my Narex mortise chisels the instant I hear it (don't hold an edge for anything but chip and fold... Ugh). I'll keep my Ray Iles pig stickers though, until I've done a head to head with the Veritas chisels. My guess is the powdered metal will come out champion.