Veritas small scraper palne

[yetloh]

I have great admiration for the innovative approach of Veritas/Lee Valley and I sure it works a treat, but why does it have to be so pig ugly?

I thought they had got their aesthetic act together with the DX/NX60 block planes which are superb in every respect and in my opinion streets ahead of the Lie Nielsen equivalent. I bought an NX 60 and sold my LN 60 1/2 on ebay and haven't regretted it for a second. Shame they seem to have reverted to type with this latest effort.

Jim

 

[Paul Chapman]

but why does it have to be so pig ugly?

Have you tried one, Jim? It fits really nicely in the hand.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

...I thought they had got their aesthetic act together with the DX/NX60 block planes which are superb in every respect..

Jim

I thought so initially once as well (and I reviewed them for F&C) I'm not so sure now :?
I also have the little scraper plane and it's real beaut, and does work very well - Rob

 

[Jake]

I love the aesthetics of their normal range much more than the poncey blocks.

 

[dunbarhamlin]

... but why does it have to be so pig ugly?

Master Lee includes an especial ingredient* in his tools. Once touched, the rather individual aesthetic rapidly gains appeal**.

*Those stricken might consider it magical, whilst the more mundane argue that this is but a manifestation of fine design and execution.

** The other Great Corruptor is of course Master Edwards of Philly Planes, but he uses his tools' aesthetic charm as a web to enshroud the unwitting metal souled Luddite.

 

[Jake]

Nice theory. But I preferred the look before touching or seeing them in the flesh.

They just are what they are, and they are of their time.

It's Ponce Charles -vs- Lord Rogers.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I tried it out at West Dean and I reckon it's a cracker 8)

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[yetloh]

I don't doubt for a moment that it works very well but I'll take a lot of convincing about the looks. Lee valley generally do get the functional things right, but not always. I bought one of their sliding bevels but found the locking mechanism not to be up to the job. It is really important to be able to lock it really tight so that the set angle is not lost if it gets knocked. If you adjust the Veritas to do this the mechanism bends; shame because it's a nice idea.

Jim

 

[newt]

Function before form always

 

[yetloh]

But we can have both.

Jim

 

[newt]

Jim, not always sometimes function gets in the way of appearance. I think the problem is with tools if they look good they must work ok, often not the case. It is nice if you can have both.

 

[Vann]

...but why does it have to be so pig ugly?

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When I first saw pikkies of this scraper plane I thought it looked really nice.

I haven't seen one in the flesh.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[studders]

.... sure it works a treat, but why does it have to be so pig ugly?


Jim

If you're taking it out on a date just put a bag over its head.

 

[Harbo]

One should not worry about the fireplace when poking the fire!

I had a play with my little scraper yesterday and it performs really well - fits the hand lovely. As Rob said a little Beaut.

Rod

 

[bugbear]

I thought they had got their aesthetic act together with the DX/NX60 block planes which are superb in every respect

These were explicitly designed to be "bling", and the cost was higher as a result.

LV normally design to a price/performance ratio, and I'm duly grateful.

BugBear

 

[TrimTheKing]

It's all in the view of the person, not intentionally being different but I disagree with both of your points! :wink:

I do like the look of the new scraper, not sure why, just think it looks cool. On the other hand, I think I'm one of the only people I have seen or spoken to who actively didn't like the look of the new blocks, especially the shiny one, I think that's hideous! MY LV LA Block, IMHO, is the perfect shape for my hand and I would take that over the new shapes any day.

Every review I've read* says there is no performance gain over my plane, so I see no need to spend all that money just on the bling factor.

* There may well be ones that disagree but I haven't seen them

 

[woodbloke]

MY LV LA Block, IMHO, is the perfect shape for my hand and I would take that over the new shapes any day.

This is one of the things that started to make me doubt the design of the new LV blocks. They initially looked very, very sleek 8) but it's only after prolonged use do you realize that there's something not quite right with it. I had the LV DX60 and LN LA block side by side and I always instinctively went for the LN as it just felt more comfortable to hold. The other huge disadvantage of the new LV block is that's it's very awkward to hold it in anything other than a top clamping LV honing jig (surprise surprise) The mouth is also very difficult to set with the allen key provided - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

I've tried out the "bling" version but much prefer the feel of the standard, old, LV low-angle block plane.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[paulm]

I think I'm one of the only people I have seen or spoken to who actively didn't like the look of the new blocks, especially the shiny one, I think that's hideous!

Me too ! Didn't like them from the off, wouldn't have them in my workshop. At least with the LV dovetail saw, which again looks awful to my eye, it does provide a massive cost/benefit advantage compared to the competition, but the blocks don't as far as I can see or determine.

And think of all the polishing required to keep them clean of fingerprints after Paul C has been round :lol: (not that I'm a collector you understand :roll: )

Cheers, Paul

 

[woodbloke]

I've tried out the "bling" version but much prefer the feel of the standard, old, LV low-angle block plane.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Michael Huntley left the new LV bocks with the boys at the Barnsley 'shop for an in depth test. One of the things they didn't like was the gap at the toe end. with a close set mouth. Their feeling was that if you were say, planing a chamfer then the timber could drop into the exposed gap when you reached the end of the piece of wood. I don't know what other findings they came up with though - Rob