LN Edge Plane - One or Both?

[Michael L. Martin]

The LN edge plane is on my list for the tool event this weekend. I have been flip flopping back and forth for the last couple of weeks as to buying the pair, or settling for one. So I pose this question to those that have the LN.... or Veritas for that matter.... edge planes. Do you have both left and right handed planes, and if not has there been instances where you wish you did. Or will I be fine with one plane and deal with that occasion where the opposite hand would have been convenient to have. I looked thru past threads and I didn't see this specific conversation.

This may be the last Hurrah as far as my opportunities to purchase the planes. So I would appreciate constructive opinions. I know someone will tell me I don't need them at all. And .... I already know that. But thanks anyway.

[john zulu]

I have the veritas edge plane. It works well enough and caters both sides.

[Chet R Parks]

Michael, I have both LH and RH from LN, they come in handy for trimming drawers and box lids when you encounter reversing grain and can't plane to the ends from the inside of the drawer or box. I also have the LV version which I prefer because of the blade screw adjustment. LV is a little larger and not as pretty but work better for my old fingers to adjust the blade depth. Just my 2 cents. Have fun at the tool event, been there a couple of times.
Chet

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I have the LN right hand version. I use it occasionally, but if I knew then what I know now, I'd buy the LN left and right skew block planes. In fact I'm thinking of selling my edge plane and doing just that. They're a bit more expensive, but can do what the edge planes do and a lot more.

[Patrick Chase]

The LN edge plane is on my list for the tool event this weekend. I have been flip flopping back and forth for the last couple of weeks as to buying the pair, or settling for one. So I pose this question to those that have the LN.... or Veritas for that matter.... edge planes. Do you have both left and right handed planes, and if not has there been instances where you wish you did. Or will I be fine with one plane and deal with that occasion where the opposite hand would have been convenient to have. I looked thru past threads and I didn't see this specific conversation.

This may be the last Hurrah as far as my opportunities to purchase the planes. So I would appreciate constructive opinions. I know someone will tell me I don't need them at all. And .... I already know that. But thanks anyway.

I have both of the Veritas version (Veritii?). The advantage of having both both is that you can work long grain edges from either face while staying with the grain. If you're only working the edges of s4s boards then that might not matter, since you can come at it from either face, though even then it's ergonomically nice to have both options.

[Patrick Chase]

I have the LN right hand version. I use it occasionally, but if I knew then what I know now, I'd buy the LN left and right skew block planes. In fact I'm thinking of selling my edge plane and doing just that. They're a bit more expensive, but can do what the edge planes do and a lot more.

At least for me those are very different planes with very different roles. The fences on skew block planes are quite small, and don't provide anything like the degree of registration that an edge trimming plane does. Even with a larger aux fence screwed on it isn't as surefooted. The skew block is useful for many more applications (short rabbets, tenon cleanup, etc), but IMO it isn't as pleasant to use for edge trimming.

With that said and as I'm sure somebody will remind us shortly, you don't really need a dedicated plane for edge trimming at all. This is clearly a luxury item IMO.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

At least for me those are very different planes with very different roles. The fences on skew block planes are quite small, and don't provide anything like the degree of registration that an edge trimming plane does. Even with a larger aux fence screwed on it isn't as surefooted. The skew block is useful for many more applications (short rabbets, tenon cleanup, etc), but IMO it isn't as pleasant to use for edge trimming.

With that said and as I'm sure somebody will remind us shortly, you don't really need a dedicated plane for edge trimming at all. This is clearly a luxury item IMO.

Patrick,

Your final paragraph is essentially what what I mean. I purchased the dedicated edge trimmer before I became proficient with a jointer and built long grain and end grain/miter shooting boards. While the skew block plane is not a dedicated edge trimmer, it does the job in a pinch, plus, as you and I pointed out, much more. I tried one at last year's Oakland Lie-Nielsen tool show and was more impressed with it than I thought I would be. A lot more bang for your bucks, IMO.

[Mike Henderson]

I have both of the LN skew planes and rarely use them. I can do most of what they do with a regular block plane.

I thought maybe I'd use them as regular block planes but don't - I reach for my Stanley 65 knuckle joint plane.

Mike

[William Fretwell]

I could have been the guy to say you don't need them, however for boat building or barrel making, attaching angled shims inside is wonderful. Lets face it, who has not wanted to build a barrel. The short length of the plane won't stop you making a curved surface, but you may only be able to build really big barrels or Noah's Ark.
At CD$257 for the LV pair they represent an absolute bargain for Ark building. You will need the Carpenter Steel blades as most Arks are made of Oak, and there will be a lot of it! You won't want to climb up & down ladders all day sharpening your blades.

[Michael L. Martin]

I could have been the guy to say you don't need them, however for boat building or barrel making, attaching angled shims inside is wonderful. Lets face it, who has not wanted to build a barrel. The short length of the plane won't stop you making a curved surface, but you may only be able to build really big barrels or Noah's Ark.
At CD$257 for the LV pair they represent an absolute bargain for Ark building. You will need the Carpenter Steel blades as most Arks are made of Oak, and there will be a lot of it! You won't want to climb up & down ladders all day sharpening your blades.

Actually William .... I've tried my hand at coopering, with the traditional tools, and without much success. Not as easy as it looks. And as far as the Ark goes, I'm too old for the task and wouldn't complete it "in time."

If nothing else you guys have me thinking of some alternative choices. Like maybe a complimentary RH plane for the Left Hand #140 I already have. I've been so focused on the edge planes I didn't think of this. Glad you got me off track and thinking. I'm sure I can straighten edges by other methods, so now I question the real value of a pair of edge planes versus something that would have more value. Even though I am a LN fanboy, I did look up the Veritas edge planes. A little more reasonable price for the pair.

Ain't it fun.... this whole process?

Thanks to those who took the time to contribute their thoughts.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I have one LN version and the other LV version. The LN is brass, the other is iron. Registration is a bit narrower on the LN. The LV has set screws to keep the blade true in use, the LN doesn't.

Though an argument can be made to have both RH and LH planes, with a very sharp & skewed blade, I find I generally only use one of the two and that would be the LV. When used, it is generally only for the "wispisest" shaving after my jointer, just to make sure the edge is as close to square as I can get it.

[Jim Koepke]

Ain't it fun.... this whole process?

Spending money is almost always fun... Even more so when it is someone else's money.

jtk