looking for a steel with good edge retention at low angles.

[bridger berdel]

On my wordpress blog ( https://bridgerberdel.wordpress.com/ ) I have been posting about building a low angle bevel down smoother. I now have it to the point of being able to set it up and run it a bit. As I had hoped, it so far seems to be leaving a brighter, smoother surface in figured hardwood than my #2. However, edge retention is pretty bad. I probably have a bit much clearance angle (too low bevel angle), and I can work with that. In the case that I cannot find a sweet spot with this stock block plane blade I'll be looking for a solution that might include one of the modern supersteels. LV has this blade in PMv11, which has a reputation for good edge retention at the usual grind angles, but I don't know how it will do at 25°. Anybody here have data about that steel or any other recommendations?

Thanks
Bridger

[Reinis Kanders]

Derek Cohen has done some tests on his website. I think he actually did some at low angles on shooting boards and compared PMV11 to some other blades.

[bridger berdel]

Thanks. He reports PMv11 failing in chipping mode, after holding up well. His tests were wiyh chisels, not planes. Hard to draw any conclusions, but sounds promising. HSS sounds like it might work too. Any sources for 1-5/8" block plane blades in HSS?

[bridger berdel]

I broke out an eclipse jig and honed to 27°. It was a bit lower than that. Definitely holding up better now. It'll take a project needing it's particular performance to tell me how that blade will hold up.

[Reinis Kanders]

Actually here he actually does discuss blades.
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/MoreAboutShootingPlanesandTheirBlades.html

Seems that A2 durability was better than PMV11 at 25 degrees for shooting endgrain, which is different than what you are doing.
Lee valley has quite a selection but no HSS blade.