Tpt life Posted May 10, 2016 Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 Standard block planes are easy to find in the used market. I don't think you'll use the rabbet function as much as you envision, but you are far less likely to find a good used plane of that model. If you are going for a model with a removable side plate, there is no real loss of function either way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted May 10, 2016 Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 It won't do you a lot of good as a shoulder plane. It's great for cheeks, not so great for shoulders. Just buy a regular block plane for now since you're in such a hurry to get one, then down the road buy a large shoulder plane. Also, the rabbet block is just not as comfortable to use as a standard block because of the exposed blade. It really isn't. If you want an all-purpose block plane, the rabbet block is not the one you want. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Llama Posted May 10, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 29 minutes ago, Eric. said: It really isn't. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted May 10, 2016 Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 For quite a while, I used an old Stanley #78 for rabbet's and shoulder plane, It worked, but not as good as those designed for a specific purpose. Buy the plane that you're going to use the most.. Rabbet's are much more easily done with a router, a table saw or dado... Unless you're wealthy, buy smart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted May 10, 2016 Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 I'm sorry to hear that a great company like LN is having some issues. Maybe they let the wrong guys retire or changed some service relationship and haven't noticed the negative impact yet. I consider it a service to the company and sort of a duty to my fellow WW'ers to let a company know when and where they have fallen short. A good company appreciates this if you present the info and don't just rant at them ;-) Hand tools are even more personal than a hand held (corded) router. The fit and feel is different for everyone. If the tool doesn't feel comfortable in your hands and you don't feel confident in guiding it, the tool isn't 'wrong', its just wrong for you. I lucked out early on and ended up at a show where LN and LV were kitty-corner to each other on the floor. This allowed me a rare opportunity to go back and forth (and back and forth, and back and forth) getting my hands on a lot of tools from each. LN makes wonderful tools based on traditional designs. I took the Lee Valley path early on as I like their enhancements to proven designs, interchangeable irons, and so forth. (I have a jack, smoother and a jointer that all take the same iron format bevel angle variation is just a moment away for any of them. Different things are important to different people but, what fits your hand is generally what's right for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted May 10, 2016 Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 Another vote for not worrying about the imagined versatility of a rabbeting block. It could be useful if you do a certain kind of work but do think carefully about the standard block Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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