Block Plane Shootout – One Plane to Rule Them All | Hand Tool Shootout
Block Plane Shootout – One Plane to Rule Them All | Hand Tool Shootout
Time for another Hand Tool Shootout! Today we are looking at every woodworker, carpenter, and furniture maker’s best friend, the block plane. This versatile and well most used hand plane of any hybrid or hand tool only craftsman has been around forever and there are a ton of different models and configurations. We are looking at some awesome models from Veritas and Lie Nielsen and even the 15$ Kobalt block plane. This shootout is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully there is enough of a sample here to learn something and have a little fun.
If you enjoyed this video please drop me a like share with your friends and leave a comment about what tools you want to see me shootout next?!?
How to Get your tools Super Sharp! w/ Ze Frankestraup
Or your table saw blades if you are into that kind of thing
Today we are looking at the Veritas DX60
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=61963&c=
Veritas Right Hand Skew Plane
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=65373&cat=1,230,41182,48942
Lie Nielsen No. 140
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/skew-block-plane-left
Kobalt Low Angle Block Plane
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-6-25-in-Adjustable-Block-Plane/4777021
If you really still want to rock out a Kobalt Plane though,
I would have loved to have had the Stanley Sweetheart 60 ½ after how impressive the chisel was in the chisel shootout, I will definitely have to do a follow up on this one. This may have been a giant killer.
http://amzn.to/2xdanKa
Let me know in the comments if you are planning to buy a new plane soon? If so what?
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Nice review!
I find myself using my block planes less and my smaller "Apron Planes" more these days.
Here is what a plane maker can do with a Cobalt block plane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2t4TIhJWPg
Thanks for the info! 👍
If I could buy any plane I wanted I would buy a Cessna.
A great review.
Seriously, it should be blade (how thick, sharp), and throat and adjustability. Also how well the blade stays with the body. Or, does the heaviness of the blade not seem to matter?
I bought Cobalt block just for the hell of it, to see if I could true it up. save your money buy a 12-pack instead.
If you buy both left and right hand skew from Veritas, they give a discount on both. Even if you buy one a few months after the other !! I just asked for a second chance for the discount and they said they were happy to do it.
Excellent shootout. I’m with you on the "mid-range" planes. I would like to see how a decent Stanley stacks up. Love your video style too.
What’s your opinion on pmv-11 vs A2? Thanks-
Absolutely agree with Stu 101. Pointless as a comparison piece. Apples to Oranges to toothpaste. Not even sure if any points made were valid, with exception the El Cheapo is a steaming pile of…
thanks for the informative video. i think the cheap planes could have been left out as theres almost no point in comparing them to the high end planes, but good video overall.
im a handyman but have been doing allot of doors and such lately. i was looking for a block plane specifically that i could plane into corners with, because sometimes the door stop needs to be adjusted and i dont want to pull it off and re nail it, and also one that has a fence for planing down edges. seems like the veratas skew would be my best bet. it was helpfull to see it compared to the lie neilson as thats the other one i was considering
I think you’ve actually found the worst block plane I have ever seen.
Did any companies sponsor this video and its products?
Simply awesome video. Thank you very very much!
Lie-Nielsen No. 60-1/2RN Low Angle Rabbet Block Plane with Nicker
Yes, what I was hoping for was the mid grade – ish block plane, Stanley, Vs these expensive ones.
Good video!
Nice comparison Rick, thanks for sharing it.
I would buy a Stanley or the DX60 because they are versatile and reasonable to good quality planers.
What type of blade was on the Veritas one?
Im a homer for Lie Nielsen but I like that veritas
Veritas has a skew sharpening jig.
Great video and very informative!
Regarding The cheap junk plane you showed…. I agree all of the other ones in your video are definitely more desirable.
However, if that’s the only thing folks have,…… they can be tuned and set up to work great!
20 years ago or so……when I was in middle school and first starting to get into woodworking…
A family friend set up one of those cheap junker planes. He probably spent two hours flattening the soul, cleaning everything up… Making sure the iron contacted the body properly. Honed the blade to the proper angle and taught me how to keep it sharp. That was one of the tools that got me through several years of woodworking as a young teenager. And if they’re set up properly they can definitely work for folks!
Another example of cheap tools… The five dollar set of woodworking chisels sold by Harbor freight…
I got a hold of a set when I was about 15 years old. The steel was decent actually, however a few years later when I was about 18… I tried my hand at rain heat treating the steel using directions in an old Blacksmith book. I just use a blowtorch, a magnet, and then tempered it in my toaster oven. Took a few tries but it came out great… And I proceeded to re-harden the entire set. I refinished the stock wooden handles and shake them a bit… And that set of chisels took me through high school woodshop, woodworking after high school, and I use them full-time eight hours a day until I was about 25 in my guitar making business… And I could afford to buy premium tools.
I still use those chisels and a lot of the cheap tools that I started with… I use them all on an almost daily basis. Especially in an “iffy” position where I might chip the blade on one of my nicer tools or I’m not totally sure about what I’m doing.
I would like to add, that great quality planes and other tools can be found for the same low price. It might take a little bit of poking around online, and junk stores, antique shops, yard sales and what not. Start asking people that you come in contact with every day like coworkers or friends. You will get your hands on some great quality tools in a hurry for free or very cheap.
Like a block plane for example… I’m sure you can find an old Stanley for under $10 heck probably under five dollars. As long as it has enough of the blade left and isn’t too damaged… You can tune it up and have it cutting like butter for generations.
If you have a local scrapyard that allows visitors… Check with them on a regular basis. A few of my local scrapyards constantly have hand planes, handsaw‘s, and all other types of goodies. It’s best to get by there every day or two even if only for a few seconds. Try to be nice to the employees and maybe bring someone a milkshake or something… You could literally stock a whole woodworking and metalworking shop with power tools and everything within a year or two. I have a beautiful Bridgeport milling machine that was brought to the scrap yard… I have all kinds of incredible things I found in there. And out of all the great stuff… the best value is in the accumulated small hand tools and accessories that I’ve gotten for cheap or free.They may be a bit rusty and need a bit of love… However they will be almost free considering most scrapyards sell iron for $0.30 per pound. A block plane probably doesn’t weigh more than a pound so you’re looking at under a dollar.
Hope this helps someone and don’t let finding and setting up quality tools keep you from trying woodworking. Honestly it’s probably the most fun part anyway! Give it a shot!
Im thinking to buy the lie nielsen low angle rabbeting block plane. What fo you think about? Will u recommend it?
Stop putting the planes down on there soles 🤯
My 1st hand plane was a Stanley Sweetheart 60 1/2 block plane. Still one of my go-to tools.
Woodriver low angle!!!
Thank you.
You keep doing these videos you won’t have much arm hair left. Great video though love learning these things.
Awesome match up! You got me interested in veritas block planes now. I’d like to see how it compares to my stanley #65 low angle, it’s a bit on the older side
I think you have your skews backwards.
They have trouble keeping the Veritas in stock. Just got mine today. It is just… sexy.
Interesting and some lovely looking tools.
Interesting video but a little pointless as a comparison, the selection of planes are not like for like ,the skew planes are not block planes.
intresting comparison. id like to see some less expensive, quality vintage block planes however. ive always thought these were a much better deal than things like the cobalt. they can usually be had for less money and both need to be tuned / flattened anyway.
also, the edge your using is straight off a dmt xxf? id say those quality planes deserve a more refined edge than that.
My latest block is my favorite it’s a L/N rabbeting block plane. For dialing in tenons it’s so sweet. But I still love my $30- Stanley low angle block plane. And in the future I hope to add to this list. It’s truly how good you get at sharpening. Awesome video looking at several planes.
So you got 3 expensive planes and 1 cheap one and piece of trash and compared them……. whats the point? You could have at least got a plane that is medium cost and acted like we didnt know what the outcome would have been. I dont see the purpose of the video.
Great info!!! I still have my first new block plane I ever bought it’s a Buck Brothers. I still use that plane a lot but my new Lie Nielsen adjustable mouth block plane is the greatest block plane I’ve ever used.
Thnx Again
Personally I prefer my veritas Apron plane . Magnificent little plane . more maneouverable than any block plane.
What do I do when I run out of arm hair ?
I dont mind a well tuned cheap block plane (i dont use block planes often), but im sure i wouldnt care for a stamped one like that. As far as an open mouth goes I have an unknown one, its identical to a german made one I have, that acts like the moth is closed when useing it. I also have a 3rd similar to the other cheap one. I spent $1 or less on each but most of the time I use a #4 or a chisle for these tasks.
I have a Stanley 220 that was in my grandfathers tool box. It works well as I am just starting to learn about hand planes, the ins and outs, and adjustments therein. I have had my eye on a low angle plane , and this video has made my mind up to go with the DX-60. Thanks
If I were buying a plane today it would be the NX60. I already have about 10 block planes…don’t tell my wife!!!
Rick, shootouts are your forte. Between chisels and saws I have found your way of classifying and describing the most clear and unbiased I’ve seen. You show not only the pro and con but inform a user who makes a lower end choice how to get the best from their investment. Many reviewers scale their description to the type of work they prefer or teach: i.e. high end guys with high end results only review high end kit. There is something to be said for that angle, but if you are the everyman making your first choices, I prefer your perspective.
Actually Lie Nelson has a set of jaws for their sharpening jig that will do skew blades!~!
A shoulder plane, I could really use one of those. Or at least just really want one. Great shoot out!
I’ve yet to find a Stanley 9 1/2 or 60 1/2 where the adjustable mouth seat is parallel to the plane sole. The mouth piece will only be co-planer with the sole in the position it was originally ground in. After scraping the sole flat I scrape the mouth piece seat parallel to the to the sole. Then I scrape mouth piece mating surface flat. Of course, now the mouth piece is below the sole. I place a brass shim between the mouth piece and its mating surface to bring the mouth piece slightly above the sole. Then I rescrape the assembled plane. Now the mouth piece will be co-planer with the sole in any setting.
Deliberately setting the LN plane so it looks harder on the end grain.
Noob.
I have an older (2012?) LN 60 1/2 and am pretty happy with it. Also have a Veritas low-angle smoother with PM-V11 blade and love it. I’ve never used a Veritas block plane but will definitely check them out. I’m assuming some of the negative ratings will be coming from the LN fan boys. Used to be one myself.
You dont use water on diamond plates
FYI the Veritas Skew Block Planes can have a fence and a depth stop added…