Pfiel chisels & lie neilson planes

[EddieM]

Possibly the next "investment" anyone use or have any experience of these?

 

[Roger928]

I have the lie neilson dovetail saw.
And a few veritas items. Veritas have PM-V11 as a choice for blade steel in some of their tools which is supposed to be exceptional quality.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

L-N planes are good, but then so are Veritas (I have some of each) - which you prefer depends on how they feel to you. Never tried Cliftons, but I'm told there isn't much in it between them and L-Ns in bench planes - but I have the Clifton #311 and it's a beaut! Better than the original Record #311 I hade years ago. All are far superior to equivalent antique tools IMHO. Personally I prefer O1 carbon steel blades - sharpens to a better edge than A2 or PM-V11 but the edge doesn't hold as well, especially in stuff like oak. My own preference for my No.1 chisels is a British make, Ashley Iles (mk.2 bevel edge). They not only look good, but they sharpen and hold an edge. Thety are also true bevel edge chisels, unlike most which are firmers wiyth the edges knocked off (important difference if yo do stuff like dovetails). Not for most site work, though!

 

[EddieM]

Thanks for the replies... think I am getting almost to the right route.As you can probably tell I am a weekend warrior.. but I am sliding into retirement and workwork / carpentry / cabinet making has always really fascinated me. Fully appreciate that experience trumps all. But am learning... desperately sad there seem so few really high quality British tool manufacturers as I would certainly buy british given the choice. Let's face it though I thought a year ago an electric plane would be as good as a final finish with a quality hand plane (albeit in a competent users hands) looking forward to the journey and my custom made workshop. Really look forward to it.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If you want to buy British I seriously suggest that you take a look at Clifton planes. Sheffield made and with some of the best O1 carboin steel blades on the market, bar none. A colleague brought his #5-1/2 jack in today and it's well up there with the Veritas and L-N planes I've tried. Personally I still use the jack planes I bought as an apprentice more than 40 years ago - and they were secondhand then - but nowadays fitted with modern O1 steel irons made by Ray Iles and thicker chip breakers from Clifton