I decided to get a Veritas small shoulder plane not too long after I received my Veritas medium router plane. Since I make small woodworking craft like watch boxes and jewelry boxes, the larger shoulder planes are too large for me.
I opted for the PMV11 blade, so I paid $199 CAD (about $160) for the plane. Due to CoVID, production was a little slower than usual, but after a two-week wait it was shipped to me.
The Veritas small shoulder plane can in a sturdy cardboard box, with the PMV-11 blade packaged separately. The instructions were clear and useful, although I already knew how this plane worked and so to be honest, I only glanced through it.
Here are the details of the small shoulder plane:
- The 1 lb 2 oz body is ductile cast iron, machined and ground flat, with rust prevention treatment
- Low bed angle of of 15° with a 25° blade bevel, giving you a 40° cutting angle which is supposedly perfect for end grain
- Uses a “Norris-style” adjusted that allow you to control both depth and lateral adjustment of the blade.
- The lapped blade is 1/8″ (0.125″) thick and 1/2″ wide, made from PM-V11 steel. O1 and A2 blades are also available.
- The adjustable toe is controlled by two set screws, one on top and one in front, to control the mouth opening.
- Four set screws (two on each side) allows you to set the exact position of the blade once you get the perfect alignment
- The lever cap is narrow and fits the palm of your hands for a good grip
Broken down, you can see the adjuster and knurled brass knobs. Look at the toe of the plane, and you’ll hardly notice the seam line. In fact in this shot i’s almost invisible – that’s how accurate the machining is!
The sole is perfectly flat right out of the box, and the PMV-11 blade is very sharp. In terms of build quality, the Veritas small shoulder plane checks all the right boxes.
The machining is accurate, no sharp burrs anywhere, and the threads are butter smooth. But how does it perform in real life?
Veritas Small Shoulder Plane Review
Although I was still stuck at home for the third lockdown in Malaysia, I did happen to have a piece of scrap Southern Yellow Pine to play around with. I had no other tools however, other than a small Ryoba saw and the Veritas medium router plane I received a week earlier.
The Veritas small shoulder plane was set up perfectly to take whisper-thin cuts right out of the box. The PMV-11 blade performed really well even in the tough middle area of the scrap wood as you can see. I had not problem cutting through the huge knot.
The big hole and the extended lever cap work together to make gripping the small plane easy. Either upright or on its side, I was able to get a comfortable grip.
Here’s the final word: It’s amazing.
I am not someone who like to spend a lot of money on tools. In fact, this is one of the most expensive hand tools I own.
I think this might change in the near future, as I can clearly see the difference in quality and performance of the Veritas small shoulder plane compared to anything I’ve owned.
