Although I am working as a hobbyist woodworker for around 30 years, I am mainly a "power tools" user. I have learned manual tools can have a great part of my tasks, sometimes better than a power "equivalent" tool, besides, of course, the joy to use them (it is a very important factor for me as an amateur woodworker - the total experience counts, not only the final results).
I do not have intention to go to hand tool only and I have to handle my crescent hand tool passion to strictly minimum. I am thinking on a low angle block plane as first one, followed by a low angle jack plane and an either shoulder or router plane. Just three to all jobs in my woodworking.
Some of you recently lectured me about block planes. Thank you very much. It was appreciated.
Now I have a doubt between shoulder and router planes. It looks me a router plane is more flexible than a shoulder plane but, incidentally, I have found much more references to shoulder planes than router one. In my inexperience it looks me the router plane can do virtually all tasks a shoulder plane can accomplish and more. I cannot see any reason to prefer a shoulder plane... of course I missed something very important...
I really will appreciate if you can spend sometime to figure out to me why a shoulder plane could be a better solution, if it can be, of course. Additionally if you have a reason to not replace both planes for router plane only, it would be very welcome.
Thank you in advance to share your experience and advice.