"Tattooed and Dusty" wrote in message
ups.com...
I find that I am most missing a small shoulder plane for trimming up
mortice and tenon joinery. I have a lie-nelson shoulder block plane,
but have found it unwieldy on the shoulder or the tenon. So far I have
been drawn primarily to either a japanese style, probably from Steve
Knight, wooden shoulder plane, or the Clifton shoulder plane. I am
reluctant though to drop up to a couple hundred dollars on something in
case I later find it's not what I really want.

I must admit the depth adjustment knobs on western style planes is
appealing, but I have found my japanese smoothing plane is reached for
much more often than my number 5.

I guess I am wondering what peoples thoughts are on these two types of
shoulder planes, though realize that the fit in the hand and some other
number of intangible things contribute to the ideal handtool.

While I am asking, what is the consensus of japanese dovetail chisels?
Do they do a better job somehow than high quality japanese bench
chisels at chopping joints? I have some extra money and want to add a
partial set of nice chisels to the bench.


Have both the LN rabbet block and the Veritas medium shoulder. They're a
pare -uh pair - of beautiful, useful tools. The combination is so pleasant
to use that I have begun making most of my tenons wildly oversize so I can
play plane. If you don't have the Norm tenoner for the tabelesaw, this is
it.

As to Japanese style or wooden planes in general, that Veritas design gives
you the best in adjustment, and plenty of hand room even for large hands.
Wood's good and all, but it's not, in my opinion as reliable and adjustable
as iron or bronze. I've also got an old Stanley smoother with a Hock iron
and a corrugated bottom, and it doesn't fear even resin.

Only thing wrong with buying non-English chisels is the sizes don't match.