# Lie-Nielsen Vs Veritas Medium Shoulder Plane



## PlaneOldWood (Jan 13, 2011)

I am in the market for a medium shoulder plane. And I am looking at 
Veritas® Medium Shoulder Plane, A2 $179.00 
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=48430&cat=1,41182,41192&ap=1

Lie-Nielsen Medium Shoulder Plane $195.00
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=042

The price difference is $16 on a tool I plan to have the rest of my life this is not what I will use to decide.

As for use I do a lot of mortise and tenon and I sometimes need to trim the shoulders. I have a Rabbet Block Plane to trim the cheeks. I have always heard that if you only have one shoulder plane it should be a medium.


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## rwyoung (Nov 22, 2008)

Functionally they will do the same thing and last for the rest of your life. You would likely be happy with either one.

What you should consider is the ergonomics of the two. I have a LN medium shoulder plane and with hands slightly larger than the average US male but with thin fingers, it works great for me. I had the opportunity to test a LV as a show too. I just decided I liked the LN better.

In short, you can't go wrong with either one.

p.s. you can use the rabbet block plane for the shoulders but it will have much less bearing surface than the shoulder plane. Likewise you can use a shoulder plane for the cheeks. Also a router plane works well for the cheeks although you may need to make an auxillary base for the router plane to be sure you have enough reference bearing surface.


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## PlaneOldWood (Jan 13, 2011)

I have tried using the rabbet block plane for the shoulders with very little success but I am need to this so it may just be me. I don't feel like I can control it and keep it strait.


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## TominTexas (Aug 20, 2010)

Jeff - You won't be disappointed with either tool. I happen to own the Veritas medium shoulder plane. I've found it to be a wonderful tool - easy to set up and adjust depth of cut. I especially like the adjustable knob on the top of the lever cap - it can be rotated to the side. This produces a more comfortable and secure grip when the tool is used on its side as in trimming tenon shoulders.

Tom


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

I agree with rwyoung. You'd be happy with either, but they do feel significantly different. Try to go someplace where you can get your hands on both preferably where you can try them on wood. Bring a tenoned piece of wood with you and try them both. I suggest backing the blade out on both of them so that you are just testing feel and not making a comparison based on the current sharpness of the sample. I don't own either one but I have had my hands on both and they do feel different.

For me I prefered the feel of the LN but I am also more inclined to go with the Large Veritas with the tiltable handles….decisions decisions.


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## PlaneOldWood (Jan 13, 2011)

swirt,

Why would you pick the Large over the medium? Just curious.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Have you used a shoulder plane?

I ask because mass is a factor in the performance of these tools. 
I had the bigger Stanley 93 plane and it was a pathetic performer
in contrast to the 4 lb. Record I got later (same pattern as the
big Lie-Nielsen). The Stanley simply lacked the mass to do good 
work. The manufacturing and blade quality were fine and accurate - 
the tool was just too light weight for chatter-free shoulder cuts
in firm hardwoods.

Successfully clean shoulder cuts in end grain will be determined 
in part by sharpness, blade angle and so on - but the width of
the blade engaged in the cut as well. You want to take a very 
fine, even cut, not a scrape. The lighter weight planes jitter
and lift away from the cut in use. The wood pushes the plane
away from the cut, basically, so the more weight you've got in 
the plane the better. The sides of a shoulder plane is fine-ground
to make a good reference surface for shoulder cuts, but the 
fine grind also, in my opinion, helps the plane sort of "suck" up
against the cheek of the tenon. The concentration of downward
pressure from the weight of the plane (assuming you're trimming
shoulders with the cheek-face clamped parallel to the bench top)
helps register a straight and clean cut on the perpendicular end
grain.


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## PlaneOldWood (Jan 13, 2011)

Thanks Loren. That makes sense.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Loren,
Thank you for pointing out all the problems I am having with my #92 Stanley. I reviewed my Stanley #92 on LJs as it had some initial QC issues. I took care of those issues but continued to have what I would call poor performance in trying to face my Ash tenon shoulders with the #92.

Your post makes it sound like you were there watching me struggle with the #92. Very accurate assessment. I will move up to a larger and better made model when I can afford it. Thanks.


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## PlaneOldWood (Jan 13, 2011)

I tried out the Veritas at the woodworking show in Indianapolis last weekend didn't have much luck with it but I don't think it was sharp. I asked one of their people to help me with it and he didn't have any luck either so he suggested the large one and he didn't have any luck with it either. At that point he just put it down and didn't want to touch it again. I asked him about a beading tool I had just bought from them and he said he didn't really know anything about them ether. Now to be fare I don't think this guy is up for employees of the year. My true feeling at this point is that if I buy ether one I will have to lean to sharpen and use it properly. At that point I think I will be happy with ether.

At this point I am leaning just a little to the LN mainly because I have never been disappointed with anything I have got from them in the past. I hope my experience with Bob the builder at the wood show is not clouding my vision.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Other than what Loren said, I'd choose the larger because I tend to do larger (cruder) stuff. The added mass and width would be a help. Also I like the handles that allow to tilting and repositioning so I don't whack my knuckles. For the kind of stuff I like to do (but don't often get the chance to do) I'd be better off with the LN 10-1/4 bench rabbet with the tipping handles and knickers, but the larger veritas shoulder plane seems like a close runner up.


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## Gofor (Jan 12, 2008)

I am trying to make the same decision: Here is site where both have been reviewed. I was particularly interested in the reviews by Christopher Swarz and Derek Cohen. I am interested in which one you pick and how you rate it.

Router planes are also on my list.

http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To.htm

Go


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## PhineasWhipsnake (Jan 20, 2010)

I've had the LN for a couple of years, and love it. It's so pretty I sometimes just hold it & admire the workmanship. I've also been happy with LV planes…you can't go wrong with either


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## twokidsnosleep (Apr 5, 2010)

Save yourself the trouble and get them both!!!!!
Seriously, they both will be awesome


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## jcwalleye (Dec 26, 2009)

I was looking at both of those planes but didn't buy either. One difference I noticed was that the medium Lie-Nielsen is 3/4" wide while the Veritas is 11/16". If you think you might use the plane to clean up dados, the veritas would seem to be better suited for today's thinner plywood.

Then again many will suggest better tools for cleaning up dados,


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## jsheaney (Jun 25, 2007)

I have never used the LN, but own the Veritas medium shoulder plane. I really like the knob that flips from one side to the other. I also like the side set screws for fine tuning the alignment of the blade. I think I would miss these two features, now that I have used them.


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