# Should i get a lee valley low angle jack or lie-neilson low angle jack?



## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

It will get used mostly for shooting end-grain. None of my restored plane have sides square to the bottom. What looks better, how about thePM-V11 blade? any other good planes for end grain in that price range or less? don't have to ship if i get a lee valley plane.
Thanks in advance.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

Lee valley with PMV-11 blade.
IMHO, they're nicer than LN.


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## Arminius (Dec 27, 2007)

Most people I know who have tried the Veritas vs the L-N say they are both really good. There are some real differences (Norris vs. Bailey adjuster, Veritas has a depth stop and side set screws) which on the technical side seem to come out ahead for Veritas, but on the 'soft' measures like enjoyment of use and sheer aesthetics, L-N often come out ahead for some users. The L-N is a gorgeous tool, I chose the Veritas.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I have the LN. Its a very high quality plane but I wish I'd gone with the #164.


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## Arminius (Dec 27, 2007)

Don - Interesting, I would not think to compare the two. Although the LAJs can be used as smoothers, I tend to use others for that, whereas I use the LAJ for just about everything else. What makes you want the shorter plane?

In particular, the extra length and mass make the LAJs excellent for shooting.


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## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

You're not going to go wrong with either one. This, as my teenage daughters would say, is a "first world problem" to have…


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Aside from not having the iron and frog sticking up in 
the middle of the plane, I don't find that low pitch
planes perform much better than standard pitch planes
on end grain. Sure, they've been marketed as such,
but as a practical matter I usually use a standard smoother
set fine on end grain and it makes an excellent finish 
with a sharp iron. When you turn a plane on it's side,
the balance of the low angle planes makes them friendly
to balance and hold on to.

I have a L-N low angle jack and I pretty much only use
it on plywood.


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## yrob (May 26, 2008)

I own both LN and Lee Valley planes. Ten years ago, I would have said LN no hesitation. Now, its no longer so clear cut. Lee Valley is producing planes that are rivaling the quality of the Lie-Nielsen tools.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Well, I guess for shooting, the jack is better, but as Loren said low angle versus regular angle doesn't make a big difference to me. I can make a Stanley #5 shoot just as well. For me, a low angle should be used were smoothing with a regular angle doesn't work as well because of the wood.

From what I've seen, the difference between the LN and LV is the looks. I like the traditional look of the LN. The quality is in either.


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## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

I have the Lee-Valley LA jack…and love it. The machining is excellent and the design solid. I especially like the side set screws that keep the blade from shifting all around. Before I properly adjusted the set screws, the blade would go out of square when I shot end grain. But after I set them, bingo. I've been getting square edges on my shooting board ever since. And wafer-thin shavings.

I originally bought this as my dedicated shooting plane. But I also use it in various situations. Like when I use dovetail joints for a box and want to smooth the ends flush. The LA jack is excellent at bringing the tail end grain flush to the face.

I like the look of the LN better, especially the tote and knob. That said, while the LV LA jack's tote is not aesthetically pleasing, it is functional. It feels solid in use, probably due to the two rods that run through it instead of the one my SBs have.

I also have the Lee-Valley 3/4" shoulder plane and the Lee-Valley scrub plane. They have all impressed me with their quality. I also love that Lee-Valley is continuing the tool industry tradition of constant innovation, meaning they conceive, design, implement, test, and patentt new designs. Like side set screws. While I love the tradition, quality and beauty of the Lie-Nielson products to my knowledge they haven't patented any new design features. Lee-Valley has.


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## Richforever (Mar 19, 2008)

Here's a radical suggestion: get both and try them out.


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## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions, i will probably take a good look at the lee valley jack plane next time i go to the store.


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## MonteCristo (May 29, 2012)

They are both good.


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## JohnChung (Sep 20, 2012)

My LV LAJ performs well. It can shoot and hog wood off pretty fast. The blade configuration is a very extensive. Well worth the invest. BTW your blades can work on the rest of the LV LA line….....


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## MJCD (Nov 28, 2011)

I'm considering this purchase; and will go with the Lee Valley.


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