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Tapper said:
This is an interesting thread to me as I have an order in at LV (not yet shipped) that includes a new V1 iron and cap iron combo for one of my Stanley #4's. I don't have any aftermarket irons at present and thought this might be a good upgrade that I wouldn't have to sharpen as often.
There are strong recommendations for both the new PM-V11 and the tried and tested O1 variations. Would appreciate any further comments.
BTW, I use a Worksharp for primary sharpening.
Thanks,
Doug
Here's another observation Original Stanley blades span a long period of time and present a wide range of quality. Some of the best I have seen are the 1930's era laminated blades. Most of the originals were mass produced and the most inexpensive part of the plane. Since blades are easily replaced, I think the mfg saw it as a good candidate for cutting costs. Other parts of the plane are not so easily replaced, so bake in quality there. Another point is that these bench planes were marketed to carpenters. Most of them required an inexpensive blade that could be easily sharpened on the job site. Most house trim is soft wood like pine, fur and poplar. A not so hard blade works well here and is easy to sharpen. It can even be touched up with fine sandpaper. The point here is that almost ANY replacement blade will be an improvement over the original. Exotic steels may be the correct choice for exotic woods but could be overkill for general purposes and even lead to sharpening vexation.
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blackhat said:
What's the objection to A2? I haven't used the PMV11 but the LV A2 blades I have perform quite admirably. The replacements, a 4, 5, and 6, are certainly light years ahead of the originals.
I replaced the 25 deg bevel A2 blade on my Veritas Low Angle Jack with PM-V11. The difference in how sharp I can get a V11 compared to the A2 is night and day. I was able to shoot end grain pine quite easily with the PM-V11, leaving behind a nice, shiny surface. I can't say the same for my A2, no matter how I sharpened it. The slicing was easier as well with the PM-V11. Sharper helps. I've not experienced the same as a previous poster with any difficulty sharpening my PM-V11 tools. I use Sigma Power water stones. The only plane I've handled that even comes close to the kind of cut I get with the V11 blade is Ron Brese's shooting board plane, with a super thick O1 blade.
Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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blackhat said:
What's the objection to A2? I haven't used the PMV11 but the LV A2 blades I have perform quite admirably. The replacements, a 4, 5, and 6, are certainly light years ahead of the originals.
I agree. I have not used the PMV11, but I made my own A-2 blades 17 years ago. I also have A-2 blades on all the LN planes I own, except the block which was purchased before they were available. A-2 is no more difficult to sharpen but does stay sharp longer than 0-1. I too have a No. 3, I want a blade for and will get the A-2 version from LV or LN. For what its worth I sharpen with a hand cranked grinder, Norton India stones and 3M wet and dry paper. Rob Millard www.americanfederalperiod.com
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Ordered the PM-V11, a first for me. We'll see how it does!
Doug
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blackhat said:
What's the objection to A2? I haven't used the PMV11 but the LV A2 blades I have perform quite admirably. The replacements, a 4, 5, and 6, are certainly light years ahead of the originals.
I find PM-V11 easier to hone, on water stones, than A2 and it lasts MUCH longer. That said, because I don't want to buy more irons right now, I swapped out the V11 blade that came with my shooter for the O1 in my LAJ. Reasoning was that I don't do that much shooting at the moment but I do use the jack. I find the PM-V11 irons as easy to hone as A2 irons. Ya just gotta rub more.
Thanks, Curt
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cputnam said:
I find the PM-V11 irons as easy to hone as A2 irons. Ya just gotta rub more.
Please elaborate on this last here. If you rub anything on anything else more for long enough.......well you know, water wears stone and makes the Grand Canyon. Yes, that last statement was me being a wise guy but I am asking the question seriously. In what way do you mean the V11 sharpens as easy as the A2s if in fact, you just gotta rub more?
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Axehandle said:
[blockquote]cputnam said:
I find the PM-V11 irons as easy to hone as A2 irons. Ya just gotta rub more.
Please elaborate on this last here. If you rub anything on anything else more for long enough.......well you know, water wears stone and makes the Grand Canyon. Yes, that last statement was me being a wise guy but I am asking the question seriously. In what way do you mean the V11 sharpens as easy as the A2s if in fact, you just gotta rub more?
[/blockquote] Shows you what pain meds & a glass of cabernet will do .... What MEANT to say was that, compared to O1, both A2 & PM-V11 require more rubbing. I use Stu's famous three stone set (Sigma Power II's I believe) and do not find that PM-V11 and more difficult to hone than A2. I flat grind, by hand, and have not yet needed to do a full bevel regrind on either. Adding a secondary bevel usually takes but a few strokes on each stone.
Thanks, Curt
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First of all, the chip breaker blade combo really makes a difference over just the blade, for me at least. Second, I am REALLY happy with my PMV-11 blade, that I bought a couple more.
They were easily sharpened on my water stones, but I have since gone to a coarse diamond stone and diamond paste on honing plates. Talk about fast sharpening!
Roger
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RLMillard said:
[blockquote]blackhat said:
What's the objection to A2? I haven't used the PMV11 but the LV A2 blades I have perform quite admirably. The replacements, a 4, 5, and 6, are certainly light years ahead of the originals.
I agree. I have not used the PMV11, but I made my own A-2 blades 17 years ago. I also have A-2 blades on all the LN planes I own, except the block which was purchased before they were available. A-2 is no more difficult to sharpen but does stay sharp longer than 0-1. I too have a No. 3, I want a blade for and will get the A-2 version from LV or LN. For what its worth I sharpen with a hand cranked grinder, Norton India stones and 3M wet and dry paper. Rob Millard www.americanfederalperiod.com
[/blockquote] +1. I don't think the metal is critical when working USA domestic woods. Maintenance habits seem to determine my preferences. I don't like honing and adjusting what feels like a bad habit. And, I hate rigorous work over abrasives. I would rather have PMV-II on a little-used tool and not need to worry about honing it every other use. OTH, PMV-II is pretty nice on brutes and "always in hand" tools too. I wish there was PMV-II for my LN 102 block. But the O1 is pretty durable, and it is my pocket knife of shaving tools. Once I have a sharp blade, the next issue is flex.
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