# A2, O1 or PM-V11



## trevor7428 (Oct 9, 2015)

I've never purchased a plane from lee valley before, but after I get my tax return. I think I just might. What blade do you guys prefer?

I looked up the details @ Lee valley

A2 is hard to sharpen/ holds edge longer.

O1 is easier to sharpen but doesn't hold edge as well as A2

PM-V11 I guess is easy to sharpen and holds edges long.

Is the PM-V11 a must have? Or do you prefer A2 or O1?

Thanks


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

PM-V11 is definitely worth the money. What do you use to sharpen your cutting objects? That also determines which steel is easier to sharpen.


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## KelleyCrafts (May 17, 2016)

I have two with PM-V11 and a bunch of old Stanley's and I definitely enjoy using the PM-V11 steel better. Not much more money either.


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

I have and use all three. I find no difference in ease of sharpening and know that if someone was to use their tools hard daily that then maybe would warrant PMV-11's price diff. O1 is a great steel for average use in my opinion.


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## KelleyCrafts (May 17, 2016)

Turtle might have a point. I personally work with hard Arizona woods 90% plus of the time. The mesquite is much harder than walnut and the red eucalyptus is 50% harder than mesquite. It's like stone. So if you're working regular walnut and maple type woods then I think what turtle says rings true.


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

Trevor, click on this link by Ron Hock. http://www.hocktools.com/tech-info/o1-vs-a2.html

If you decide on a bevel up plane, my advise would be to start in the middle with a 38* bevel in your choice of steel.


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## Lemwise (Sep 17, 2016)

I use the King Deluxe 1200 and the Sigma Select II 6000 to sharpen my chisels and plane blades and on these stones O1 is the easiest to sharpen. I've found there isn't that much of a difference between sharpening A2 and PM-V11. This could be because both my stones have a fairly friable bond and the continues release of fresh sharpening particles ensures they work fast and efficiently. Some also say you can't get A2 as sharp as O1 or PM-V11 but in my experience that isn't true. I can get A2 just as sharp as any other steel. All it takes is a steady hand and the right amount of pressure for each stone. I will say PM-V11 stays sharp a bit longer than A2.

I also really like the Quangsheng T10 carbon steel blades (T10 is the Chinese variant of W1, a water hardening steel) that come with the planes Workshop Heaven sells. These are hardened to 63RC and stay sharp a long time yet are still easy to sharpen. In fact, I like T10 more than O1, A2 or PM-V11. After losing most of it's initial sharpness it feels a bit dull but it actually keeps going for a long time.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

I have all 3 types, all but one blade are for BU planes. A2 is least favorite due to its brittleness - the edges chip and then it takes longer to resharpen vs O1. PM-V11 has better impact resistance than A2, and wears/sharpens about the same as A2. Pmv11 performs well at lower bevel angles for end grain. I use my A2 blades in higher bevel angle applications where the edge chipping is less of an issue. The one bd blade I have is beveled at 30*, and chips out more than I like, but the sharpness lasts quite a bit longer than O1. I use it in a jointer/panel plane where the small lines from the chips dont matter. When buying a plane new from LV, getting the PMV11 blade is a no-brainer - its well worth the small cost premium. Swapping out all my blades for pmv11 is another story, and no, I wont be doing that.


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## RandyinFlorida (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks for posting the question. I too am trying to make this same decision.


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## trevor7428 (Oct 9, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the reply. I have a worksharp and MKII to sharpen my planes and chesils. My tax return should deposit in my bank account by tomorrow. Lucky me, lee valley has a free shipping special right now.

(I would've been so mad if I my tax return came a couple days earlier and I paid shipping on a $700+ order, then they offer free shipping the next day)

Anyways, the planes I'm looking at are sold out of the PmV11 untilled the Feb. 28th or have limited quantity instock. So wondering what to do if sold out by the time I want to checkout?


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

Order what you want and let it ship when stock is renewed.


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## HT1591 (Feb 13, 2017)

Little lait on this post. I got into hand tool woodworking about a year and a half ago. All of my Veritas plAnes witch includes low angle jack, jointer,small smoother, medium shoulder,nx60 block plane,jack rabbet, are all pmv11. I also have lie Nielsen 101 102 block planes rabbeting block plane all in there version of A2 and for some reason I prefer the A2 over the pmv11. In my opinion (maybe I'm doing something wrong ) I get a much sharper edge with A2 over the pmv11. I'm using a piece of plate glass Veritas honing guide and there specialty sharpening sand paper that goes up too about 10k grit.


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

I have Lee Valley planes and have used all three of the different materials. PMV11 is a game changer, easy to sharpen like O1 but stays sharp longer. Would never go back to any other material.


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## TJMD (Jul 30, 2016)

Im following up this post. Ive been considering O2 vs PM-V11 for block planes. So what's the consensus now, two years later? I am a hobbyist, and have a decent sharpening set up with diamond plates and some water stones, dont mind sharpening. Im looking for the steel that gives the best edge for trimming and smoothing, without worrying about how frequently I sharpen. Is O2 it or does PM-V11 give the same edge??


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

I am about 1/3 the way into Ron Hocks book "The Perfect Edge". I should be an expert on this question by the end of the book. We all know that me being an expert is not going to happen but the book does help me get back to sleep at night.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

> Im following up this post. Ive been considering O2 vs PM-V11 for block planes. So what s the consensus now, two years later? I am a hobbyist, and have a decent sharpening set up with diamond plates and some water stones, dont mind sharpening. Im looking for the steel that gives the best edge for trimming and smoothing, without worrying about how frequently I sharpen. Is O2 it or does PM-V11 give the same edge??
> 
> - TJMD


 I have Veritas BU planes with O1 and PM-V11. The PM gets just as sharp and holds the edge longer. A bit longer to sharpen and hone. Have a Veritas apron plane with PM thats gets more than sharp enough. It is no longer a ? for me, PM-V11 is the best material


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