# Block plane recommendation



## dws780 (Dec 2, 2016)

Any recommendations on which one I should get as my first premium block plane?

LN No. 60-1/2 Adjustable Mouth Block Plane

LN No. 102 Low Angle Block Plane

Veritas Standard and Low-Angle Block Planes
with PM-V11 

I was wondering how come LN never come up with something similar to PM-V11?

Thanks


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

The Lie-Nielsen 102 is a small block plane that fits small hands nicely. The 60 1/2 is more of a traditional block plane that is more what comes to mind when people think of block planes. I use the 102 for lighter work, the 60 1/2 for heavier work, heavier cuts and wider pieces. The 60 1/2 has 1 3/4 with blade vs the 1 1/4 width of the 102.

Don’t have the Veritas block planes so I can’t comment on them. I do have other Veritas planes and they are top notch as well so I doubt you could go wrong.

Lie-Nielsen is proud of their blades being cryogenically treated, or something like that. Suppose to make them somehow better then traditionally prepared steel.


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## dws780 (Dec 2, 2016)

I am aware that the 102 is light duty but it’s a low angle block plane and the 60 1/2 doesn’t say it’s a low angle as the Veritas (they have both traditional and low angle).

If I was just comparing the LN 60 1/2 vs the Veritas low angle is that a fair comparison?


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

The 60 1/2 has a 12 degree bed, same as the 102. The 12 degree bed with a 25 degree bevel on the blade leaves a 37 degree attack angle, a block plane with a 20 degree bedding angle and 25 degrees on the blade leaves a 45 degree attack angle, the same angle as your standard bench plane. All the Lie-Nielsen block planes are now low angle. They once made a 103 that was identical to the 102 except a 20 degree bed angle.

I know it’s confusing, when the blade is used bevel up, the angle of attack is determined by adding the bevel angle to the bedding angle.

With the traditional non-low angle bench planes the angle of attack is determined by the angle of the frog (bedding angle) since the blade is used bevel down, and the back side of the blade does the cutting. With the standard 45 degree frog it doesn’t matter what the bevel angle on the blade is (within reason).


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Terry Q said:


> Lie-Nielsen is proud of their blades being cryogenically treated, or something like that. Suppose to make them somehow better then traditionally prepared steel.


Depends on the steel. In stainless or high-alloy steel, the cryogenic treatment helps convert the last bits of retained austenite to martensite, gives it an increase in hardness and strength. Gives a few extra points of hardness and a better blade at the end


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## dws780 (Dec 2, 2016)

Terry Q said:


> The 60 1/2 has a 12 degree bed, same as the 102. The 12 degree bed with a 25 degree bevel on the blade leaves a 37 degree attack angle, a block plane with a 20 degree bedding angle and 25 degrees on the blade leaves a 45 degree attack angle, the same angle as your standard bench plane. All the Lie-Nielsen block planes are now low angle. They once made a 103 that was identical to the 102 except a 20 degree bed angle.
> 
> I know it’s confusing, when the blade is used bevel up, the angle of attack is determined by adding the bevel angle to the bedding angle.
> 
> With the traditional non-low angle bench planes the angle of attack is determined by the angle of the frog (bedding angle) since the blade is used bevel down, and the back side of the blade does the cutting. With the standard 45 degree frog it doesn’t matter what the bevel angle on the blade is (within reason).



Yes it does sound very confusing. 
Thank you for the information I’m going to go with the LN 60 1/2.


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