The may help. I'm getting both Brands depending on the plane.

Which Plane Iron?

 

To me I love Lee Valley and know Lee personally for a few years. I have never seen where someone needs help on one of his tools and where he does not step in to make it right or help. I do not know how many times someone has asked about a part that broke or miss placed and he steps in to replace it for free.

He is a fantastic guy and his company reflects his pride and craftsmanship.

I also have to add that being inexperienced at hand planes does not help a person no matter how good the plane or tool. I have seen what I thought were pieces of junk by Bandit be made to work like a charm.

 

Both are great tools. I have Lie Neilson planes I used to have their chisels with a leather tools roll and Dovetail saw.
When I found some chisels that performed better I sold the set . Same with the saw.
But I still have the planes.
Pick one and go for it. And don't listen to the voice in your head telling you there's something better. It's the user that makes the most difference.
Good Luck

 

Both are great tools. I have Lie Neilson planes I used to have their chisels with a leather tools roll and Dovetail saw.
When I found some chisels that performed better I sold the set . Same with the saw.
But I still have the planes.
Pick one and go for it. And don't listen to the voice in your head telling you there's something better. It's the user that makes the most difference.
Good Luck

- Aj2

Which chisels and saw did you find that preform better?

 

For the lateral adjust on my Veritas I've actually started using a small hammer for fine adjustment like I do with a wooden plane. I also do this sometimes with my bailey pattern planes. I have the Veritas LAJ and bevel up smoother and they're both amazing planes but I think that for day to day stuff I reach my bevel down planes. My Sargent 4, Craftsman 5 (mad by miller's fall's), and Stanley 7 see more time on the bench than my Veritas bevel up planes. That said when it's the right job for the Veritas planes nothing comes close!

So I say get whichever LAJ you think looks better and you'll probably be happy with it. But keep your eye out on craigslist, ebay, timetestedtools, hyperkitten, patrick leach etc. for some old bailey pattern planes too. Embrace the addiction!

 

I usually have a standing offer:
IF someone can not get a old plane to work, or it needs rehabbed to make it work like a plane should…

I require postage to and from my shop, nothing more. I will rehab the plane, and send it back in the mailing box it came to me in…..with either a Postal Money Order for the return postage, or a printed return label.

Usually takes a day, sometimes two, to rehab the plane, and then send it back on the next mailing day.

Usually, it is ready for use when it arrives back at the sender's shop…all I really require is postage both ways, nothing else. Any missing parts? That is the sender's problem, usually I can recommend a seller for those parts.

Be sure the plane is well packed in the box, as the USPS seems to like throwing things across the buildings…..and the boxes I sometimes get will look like they went through a football game…as the ball….
LOTS of bubble wrap…..

A PM would be nice, if anyone wants to send me a box…..

 

I'm a proponent of learning about hand planes via rehabbing quality junk shop/yard sale/flea market finds. That's how I learned to both use and tune them. That said, I bought my fair share of literal junk (including post-1950s Stanleys) in my "learning curve" period and wasted a few bucks, but not too much. The most I've ever spent on a vintage plane was $120 for a Stanley Bailey No. 7.

I did buy a new Lie-Nielsen large router plane, which is a wonderful tool, and someday I'll buy a lefty Veritas small plow plane. I'd never suggest not buying new planes from either company, but know that you can get great older planes if you're willing to expend a bit of time rehabbing them.

 

I m a proponent of learning about hand planes via rehabbing quality junk shop/yard sale/flea market finds. That s how I learned to both use and tune them. That said, I bought my fair share of literal junk (including post-1950s Stanleys) in my "learning curve" period and wasted a few bucks, but not too much. The most I ve ever spent on a vintage plane was $120 for a Stanley Bailey No. 7.

I did buy a new Lie-Nielsen large router plane, which is a wonderful tool, and someday I ll buy a lefty Veritas small plow plane. I d never suggest not buying new planes from either company, but know that you can get great older planes if you re willing to expend a bit of time rehabbing them.

- cmacnaughton

I am honestly not into used tools, actually i'm not into used anything. My OCD again, I just like new. It could be vintage design, but must be new. I am actually trying to tune the HD planes in to usable tools, so i'm learning a lot from that.

 

Both are great tools. I have Lie Neilson planes I used to have their chisels with a leather tools roll and Dovetail saw.
When I found some chisels that performed better I sold the set . Same with the saw.
But I still have the planes.
Pick one and go for it. And don't listen to the voice in your head telling you there's something better. It's the user that makes the most difference.
Good Luck

- Aj2
Which chisels and saw did you find that preform better?

- AlaskaGuy

Japanese chisels and Wenzloff and sons handsaws.

 

I am honestly not into used tools, actually i m not into used anything. My OCD again, I just like new. It could be vintage design, but must be new. I am actually trying to tune the HD planes in to usable tools, so i m learning a lot from that.

- MartyZ

Fair enough! I think either are good choices. Lie-Nielsens are made in Maine and Veritas are made in Canada, so at least you'll be supporting jobs on this continent, which is important to me personally, living about 7 miles from the abandoned or demolished buildings where Stanley used to make all their tools.

 

I have found the quality of the Veritas to be lacking. I received this last spring and they still haven't shipped a replacement:

 

Both are great tools. I have Lie Neilson planes I used to have their chisels with a leather tools roll and Dovetail saw.
When I found some chisels that performed better I sold the set . Same with the saw.
But I still have the planes.
Pick one and go for it. And don't listen to the voice in your head telling you there's something better. It's the user that makes the most difference.
Good Luck

- Aj2
Which chisels and saw did you find that preform better?

- AlaskaGuy

Japanese chisels and Wenzloff and sons handsaws.

- Aj2

Looks like Wenzloff and sons handsaws is no more.

 

I am honestly not into used tools, actually i m not into used anything. My OCD again, I just like new. It could be vintage design, but must be new. I am actually trying to tune the HD planes in to usable tools, so i m learning a lot from that.

- MartyZ

Fair enough! I think either are good choices. Lie-Nielsens are made in Maine and Veritas are made in Canada, so at least you ll be supporting jobs on this continent, which is important to me personally, living about 7 miles from the abandoned or demolished buildings where Stanley used to make all their tools.

- cmacnaughton

+1 America first !

 

I have found the quality of the Veritas to be lacking. I received this last spring and they still haven t shipped a replacement:

- Eric

Eric…....what is it I'm look at and what's the problem?

 

I am honestly not into used tools, actually i m not into used anything. My OCD again, I just like new. It could be vintage design, but must be new. I am actually trying to tune the HD planes in to usable tools, so i m learning a lot from that.

- MartyZ

Fair enough! I think either are good choices. Lie-Nielsens are made in Maine and Veritas are made in Canada, so at least you ll be supporting jobs on this continent, which is important to me personally, living about 7 miles from the abandoned or demolished buildings where Stanley used to make all their tools.

- cmacnaughton

+1 America first !

- Aj2

I really want to like the LN more and buy american, but the Veritas, at least the LAJ, is just more appealing. The the simple addition of the thumb indentation and the redesigned lever cap to allow you wrap your fingers around it when shooting. And even the adjustable mouth set screw just makes it so much more appealing.

 

I have a LA LN jack and I'm not a fan. I just don't use it much and I think they've been oversold to the woodworking public. The money saved over a premium jack with a frog may be worth it though. A standard jack is easier to camber the edge and adjust the blade angle side to side leaving the LA jack to only occasional work.

That said the Veritas version has set screws on the sides as I recall and those would be useful on the LN.

Anyway, I have a Veritas scraper plane and the quality is quite good.

 

LAJ is that a low angle jack plane? If it is then I wouldn't know anything about that particular tool I do have a low angle block plane. For years I thought the low angle bevel up plane is for end grain. Apparently lots of people find them useful for all sides of a board.
All my bench planes have chip breakers. If one thinks about how a chip breaker handles grain and compares this to a (Bryd) insert head in a planer there's lots of similarities.
It's good to have you back sharing your experience Loren.

Good Luck everyone

 

Good Luck everyone

- Aj2
[/QUOTE]
Some of us really need it!

 

I'm not sure I understand replacing a smoother with a jack, but I'd go with the LN

 

Done with a Craftsman Jack plane….

aka…Sargent No. 414

 

I didn't say I plan to replace a smoother with a jack. I said I want to replace a pos hd 4 1/2 with a LA jack from LN or veritas. and buy a LN or veritas smoother in the future.

 

Very well..before you toss the HD plane away….send it my way…I rehab it, and post here how it turned out…

I have a WR 62 LAJ…..not my "go-to" plane for anything, but as a scrub plane…..

 

That is what I stated, that I might turn the hd into a scrub plane. It's not an old plane, I bought it new. But the iron is soft, dulls instanly the sole took me 2 hrs to flatten, and the lateral adjustment keeps going off while planing

 

I've got a LN 62 I'm thinking of selling. I never use it. It's a great well made plane, I just never use it.

 

I have found the quality of the Veritas to be lacking. I received this last spring and they still haven t shipped a replacement:

- Eric

You are one of a tiny, tiny minority then. I find it hard to believe you didn't receive a replacement, why, and what the details are. Over 20 years and loads of tools and items, I've found LeeValley to be immediately responsive to anything I've ever asked and their tools are top quality. I recently lost a part for my low angle block plane. I sent them an email and I had a new, free one in my hands a week later. Looks like a vise grip was on the piece you're showing.