Veritas Apron Plane vs LN 102?

[bobfog]

As per the topic, which one?

The Veritas apron plane looks like a nice piece of kit, but if there are advantages to buying the 102 for an extra few £, then that's what I would do.

Thoughts?

 

[waho6o9]

View attachment 1

I think it's more of a personal preference as to which one to get. See if you can try them out some where and find out which one
you like.

You might want to consider LN skewed version as it has a fence and that comes in handy.

View attachment 2

I have the LV and the skewed LN and both work well.  Good luck on your decision.

 

[HarveyWildes]

I have the Lie Nielsen and use/like it quite a lot.  The brass body is very nice.  All of the machining is spot on.  Fits nicely in the hand.  Blade seems to last nicely, though kind of by definition I don't really push the edge of my apron plane to its limits.

I haven't used the Lee Valley, so I can't do a direct comparison.  One thing in favor of the Lee Valley plane is that you can order it with a PMV-11 blade.  I have other planes with PMV-11 blades, and IMHO they are superior.  If you are think about using on plywood or woods that are heavy on silicon content (i.e. Ipe or Jatoba), the PMV-11 would be a clear advantage.

 

[bobfog]

Thanks for the info so far.

I did like the PMV 11 blade initially, but after a little research it seems to suggest you can't hone it to quite the same degree of sharpness as other steel.

 

[HarveyWildes]

I haven't had trouble with it.  I tend to hone to 30 degrees-ish rather than 25, and it seems to perform well.

 

[Lemwise]

I used to have the LN 102 but alas it took a fall and now resides on the bottom of the Princess Magriet channel. I initially wanted to buy it again but in the end went with the Veritas apron plane because I like the Norris adjuster the best. It's also very comfortable to hold and the PM-V11 blade is awesome.

 

[bobfog]

Got the Veritas with the PM-V11 blade in the end. If preferred it in the hand to the LN, going to give the blade a final honing and see what the deal is with PM-V11 and see how I get on with it.

 

[Dick Mahany]

I have the Veritas apron plane with the A2 blade.  I've had it for years and it's the handiest little tool to have around.  The adjuster is beautifully machined and the plane just feels great in my hand. I'm sure the LN is equally a great tool, but I wouldn't want to be without my Veritas.

 

[derekcohen]

Thanks for the info so far.

I did like the PMV 11 blade initially, but after a little research it seems to suggest you can't hone it to quite the same degree of sharpness as other steel.

If you are finding this, it is more likely to be down to either your sharpening media or technique. PM- V11 gets as sharp as O1 using most media, but will likely struggle a little on oil stones.

This said, I have the LN #103 as it came out long before the Veritas. It has been a fine plane. I do have the Veritas DX60 in PM steel and the LN #60 1/2 in A2. I prefer the PM steel as it holds a finer edge for longer, and Veritas planes generally have better ergonomics and adjustments. Still, both planes work very well and final decision may be down to personal views of their appearance.

Regards from Perth

Derek