Veritas Bench Plane No. 4½ (Custom), PM-V11

The corporate philosophy of Canadian tool manufacturer Veritas aims to develop new adjustment mechanisms and enhance historic plane design. With bodies made of stress-relieved spheroidal cast iron, these tools are highly resistant to cracking and distortion. Their soles are perfectly plane and trued at right angles to the sides. Their thick blades of high-strength A2 steel are hardened to 60-62 HRC and additionally subjected to a special low-temperature process to achieve a finer grain. Veritas planes are optionally available with PM-V11 blades. (The Custom series models are equipped with PM-V11 blades as standard). Two setscrews on the sides constrain the blade laterally, keeping it in place regardless of the type of stress applied. Unless otherwise stated, the blade is angled at 45°. With their material combination of finely-ground or black-coated cast iron bodies, polished brass setscrews and beautiful torrefied maple handles, these planes are also pleasing to the eye.