New LV Edge Trimming Plane

[Brian Hale]

Just found this on the LV website. Looks like a useful tool; any opinions?

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=54862&cat=51&ap=1

Brian :)

[Mike Henderson]

Looks interesting. I see that they offer it with an A2 or an O1 blade. Anyone know what difference you'd see between the two? They're both the same price.
Mike

[Brian Hale]

Mike, there is a link (tech) under the different blades that discribe the differances.

Brian :)

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Brian,

I would point you to a discussion on this very plane on two different forums, but...

This is an iron version of the bronze one LV has made for years. It has a better adjuster, though.

These planes have their uses. I had two of the LV ones for shop use, but my personal ones were the LN as LN has both a left- and a right-hand version. We all found them useful for the times when a board is jointed on powered jointer and prior to glue up to get rid of the scalloped cuts that result from the jointer.

Also, when jointing by hand, sometimes the board would be flat down its length, but slightly off a true 90 degrees from the reference face of the board. A pass or two with the edge plane would cure that without introducing an out of joint condition. The short sole can create undulations if over-used.

I would often joint short boards with them for say boxes and what not.

As of today, Rob Lee announced, after some prodding from several of us, to make the left hand version as well.

I sold mine last year when gearing up to do a different business than cabinets. I will in all likelihood get both of the LV ones after the LH one is released. They are nicer than the LN ones in that they fit the hand better and will do the edge of a full one inch board.

Take care, Mike

[harry strasil]

I have one of the original Stanleys a # 95, and its handier than a pocket on a shirt.

I might add that I have a wooden sanding block that is 90° with a piece of fine sanding belt glued to one side that is handy too.

[Marc Waldbillig]

Hi all,

It's a small and fine type of plane. Adding a fence one can plane consistent bevel angles for joints like this one. Taking always shavings from one end to the other, it was easy to have this rabbeted miter on ten foot boards without splitting.

Regards, Marc

http://sites.internet.lu/folders/marcilly/edgeplane_1.jpg

[Gary Herrmann]

I ordered one with the A2 blade a couple days ago. I had been thinking about the brass version and the sale on the iron version pushed me over the edge.

After I get it and use it, I'll give some thought to the LH version when it comes out...

[Gary Herrmann]

The wife informed me I have a small but suspiciously heavy (I think she pronounces that expensive) box from LV. Hopefully I'll find the time this weekend to tune the iron and take it for a spin, er, shaving.

[harry strasil]

I saw a Brand New Original Stanley 95 with the original box in an antique mall today for $238.

[Dan Racette]

Anyone ever see an all wood type of skewed blade edge trimmer like these before?

d

[Jim Becker]

I was, umm...reading the new Lee Valley catalog in the library yesterday....and yes, that plane caught my eye after reading Rob's introduction/history lesson on the thing on the inside cover. I can see its usefulness and the intro pricing is very attractive.

[Derek Cohen]

I have had the right- and left hand LN set since January this year.. They are nicely made and I am happy with them. Useful tools.

I did start out with the LV version, and chose this in preference to the LN option at the time. In handling them in the store I thought that the extra size cut of the LV (full 1" width) would be more useful, that the fit and finish was slightly better on the LV (yes that is LV) than on the LN, and that the design modification was an improvement on the Stanley-based original (the mouth is set slightly further back, providing better registration).

Back in my workshop I found the LV to be ultra reliable and do what it needed. However I began to be increasingly aware that I needed both RH and LH versions. This must be understood in the light that I hand shape/dimension all my wood, and some boards will be very slightly out of square at different points along the edge. Trimming the other side of a board by turning the edging plane around (to cut with the grain) is not an option. Since a different handed LV was not available, nor was there any indication of one forthcoming, I returned the single LV and bought the LN twin set.

In practice there is little difference between the LN and LV. I don't notice the reduced cutting width (1/8" I think - ?), and the other factors have recessed into memory. I am happy with the LN set but view the new improved LV design (with the adjuster) to be a desired feature.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kevin Blunt]

I think I will order mine today today. I will post a review after I have a few uses under my belt.

[Doug Shepard]

Resistance is futile. I couldn't pass up the intro price and let pics of the shiny toy hypnotize me. I just placed my order.

[Mark Rios]

Before I stop resisting and give into the LV collective (are we in the right forum here? :D ) I have a question....


Does anyone know if LV will have a special price on the set when the "other hand" plane comes out?

Well, come to think of it, if the other one has a special introductory price like this one, it's kind of a moot point I guess.

Okay, I'm ready to give in. :D

[Maurice Metzger]

Mike, for details of the composition of O1 and A2, you can also look here:

http://www.agrussell.com/knife_information/steel_guide/index.html

Scroll down to the "Non-Stainless" section.

For some reason I had thought O1 was closer to 1095 (basic carbon steel) than it is - it actually seems closer to A2 in some ways.

Maurice

[Gary Herrmann]

I tuned up the iron and ran the plane down the edge of a poplar 1x4. The edge of the board is very, very smooth. Don't have time to post a pic - I have to run my son to a soccer camp.

I'll try to find the camera and post something later.

All in all, I am very pleased with the plane. The body appears to be dead on 90. The iron seemed to be quite sharp out of the box. Since I was rehoning my smoother blade after working on the drawers, I decided to flatten and hone the iron anyway - you may not need to tho.

[Chris Padilla]

A buddy of mine once sent me the following on the plane blades and type of metal to choose:

Da Facts on O1:
- You can get a keener edge for cleaner cuts.
- Easier to abrade therefore easier to sharpen.
- It will dull faster than A2. Not as bad as a stock Stanley blade. It will last a while, but the A2 will sometimes last twice as long between sharpening.
- You’ll get more practice sharpening.

Da Facts on A2:
- Not as keen an edge as O1.
- More abrade resistant than O1. Takes a little longer to sharpen. Not really an issue since you have the Shapton stones.
- Edge will last longer than O1.

My opinion:
If I was to square up a shoulder or trim a tenon I wouldn’t be looking for a glass smooth finish. So, I would opt for the edge longevity of the A2. The O1 with its keener edge might be beneficial when trimming cross grain while fitting a tenon. A keener edge will sever the fibers cleanly, but since the blade is at a low angle and if you sharpen the A2 well it won’t be an issue.

[Steve Beadle]

Mine is supposed to be delivered on Friday the 15th . . . and I can hardly wait to try it out!

[Richard Gillespie]

Bought mine as a very late Father's Day gift to my self (any excuse that works). Arrived the middle of last week, three days after I ordered it. Right out of the box the plane, with A-2 blade, was cutting thin wispies on pine. However, I found that the resulting edge wasn't square, After thinking about it, the problem was with my holding the plane and putting downward pressure. You need to learn to keep the side fence against the stock to keep the cut square. Since the plane is rather short, you don't want to make too many passes or you may cause yourself a different problem with dips.

I posted a suggestion on another forum that the side fence needs to be wider but one reply to that was that with very narrow stock, it would interfere with the vise. Now that I've learned to properly use it, I really love it and will buy the left hand version when it comes out.

I have an upcoming project where I'm going to have to glue up several panels with 1/2" stock. I think this plane will give me the square edge that has some times eluded me with other planes. I'll keep you posted.