Veritas Skew Rabbet Plane Deep Dive

In this video, I talk about the Veritas Skew Rabbet Plane, which I've owned and used extensively for over a decade, and how I get around some of the more bothersome aspects of its design. I also talk about and demonstrate some things about rabbeting in general.
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[@carsonwells1785]

Thank you. A lot of good useful info in that video. I've been looking at the purchase of that plane and you just answered almost every question or reservation I had. Now I just have to find a place in the shop to hide it until it picks up enough wear and nicks that I can convince the wife " No Dear, I've had that plane for years."

[@derekcohen1000]

You may find the plane more comfortable to hold with your non-dominant (left) hand if you remove the front knob and use that to set your thumb (as you push laterally against the body with your palm). In fact, I made a low brass know (ala a block plane knob, but lower) to rest the thumb. Secondly, I recognise what you say about the depth screw's knob loosening. I tighten it with a plastic-headed vise grip, and this works very well. No slipping. Use one also on the fence rod knobs. Regards from Perth, Derek

[@broomeco.8121]

Love your tool cabinet. Beautiful work there. When you buy an expensive hand tool you should feel confident that you can trust that the depth stop will work! I’ve found the Veritas knurled knobs to be totally unreliable for tightening down the fence and depth stop, and this mechanism seems to be the Achilles heel and a major flaw in engineering with this Veritas rabbet plane and their plow plane also (which I own). Veritas would be wise to re-engineer these knobs so they can be tightened securely with a driver, or go to a wing nut type like my trusty Record 778 that can be tightened securely without pliers. Perhaps not as elegant as the Veritas brass knurled knobs, but I’ve never had any issues with slippage of the depth stop or fence with the Record 778. The straight blade in the 778 is not an issue either on end grain if the blade is sharp - especially since I saw to the depth line on end grain anyway to prevent tearout.

[@SandyMasquith]

Thank you! Finally, validation on my hours of struggle with that doggone nicker! That thing really got my nickers in a bunch. (Sorry…. Can’t stop myself…). I always wondered why that thing was even there when I could just use a wheel marker and get the actual effect the nicker was supposed to do. Or a marking knife. Or a saw. Or a finely trained beaver. Well, the beaver attempt never has worked. Thanks again for doing this video. Love your content! :)

[@Fusion_Woodworking]

Great tip on placing the board on its side to cut rabbets with taller reference surface. I think you can also align the the edge of the board with the edge of your workbench to get the same result, assuming the board is not longer than your bench.

[@pekkaoksala6480]

Thanks. I like Your videos. And really admire Your precision with Your work.

[@richardrearick1975]

Great dive on this tool! I had similar experience with mine and had to look up troubleshooting it on multiple sites but you put it all in one spot! Great job!

[@barrydoxseyuk]

Great video! The little details make it real, with knowledge/skill. Thank you. It's not as violent as a router, more peaceful.

[@dragomirdichev1196]

I like the drawer locking mechanism of your sharpening station! Interesting idea.

[@GeorgeLowrey]

Excellent review and demonstration.

[@Fusion_Woodworking]

That's some great work behind you.

[@AlexEllis]

I saw you mention your video on instagram. Your quick demo shows how much better to use this is than the old Stanley 72. I got so much jamming with the Stanley on the case back I'm building at the moment.

[@franksabel]

Great video! The nicker has worked for me. I pull the plane backwards a few times to score, then I start planing.

[@franksabel]

PS. Pliers lined with a piece of thick leather works for tightening the knobs.

[@DrJuan-ev8lu]

It looks to me like the nicker does not protrude out far enough to align with the side of the plane and the cut line of the skew blade. Would a small thin washer fit behind the nicker to improve alignment?

[@jimcarter4929]

I was convinced that this would be worth getting, but not so sure if it is that much better than a 78. Maybe just going to look for skewed wood rebate for end grain. Scratched off wish list.I have been going with a 78 or woody short and finish the line with shoulder.

[@robnichols9331]

Thank you - very useful

[@erickuehne4194]

Good point on sanding the shafts. I've done this on my small Veritas router plane and it vastly improved the plane's ability to stay where I set it. Now you've got me thinking and I'm wondering if you sanded the depth stop and it's mating surface would you achieve a similar result. I'll have to experiment.

[@BuckSterling1]

I went with the veritas combination plane, which gets the job done. Can’t justify a stand alone skew rabbet especially with a skew block (lie-Nielsen) in the mix.

[@corwind3888]

The optional long rails will add another 2-1/2". Their website states: "They are desirable when you need to add a thicker auxiliary fence for stable registration against a workpiece, such as with a tapered spacer for angled cuts, but still require use of the full cutting width of the blade." I find it hard to see where these would be useful. What I really find odd, is that these are listed as an option for this skew plane, but not listed as an option on their plow plane which seems the more likely candidate for using longer rails. Go figure.

[@christopherharrison6724]

So your basically saying a wooden fillester plane would be equally good or better.Thanks for the honest review 👍

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

Well, assuming you can find a perfectly working one that doesn't cost even more than this one, which...I mean...easier said than done sometimes.

[@athmostafa2462]

O man you are surrounded with Veritas tools indeed 😅 , thanks for sharing.

[@MASI_forging]

How awesome. 😃😃

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@chaseth]

Why not check a lock washer or something on those fences? Maybe a brass lock washer. I imagine it's machined so well it doesn't hold. Or scuff up the bolt just a tad or buy a steel nut

[@bryantretheway3809]

Thank you. Any chance there is a build video on your sharpening box?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

There isn't. I built that quite some time ago.

[@bryantretheway3809]

It is nicely done. I’m trying to something similar with a Japanese style box when I go to woodworking classes.

[@fredosachoff]

This is great - thank you! I am trying to figure out if I should get one of these vs getting a stanley 78 - do you have any experience with the 78 and if so, is it better, worse, or equal to the veritas version?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

I haven't tried a Stanley 78, though I've always found the few vintage planes I've used to be pretty quirky in their own right.

[@geoffb108]

This obsession with uber accuracy and perfection in wood working tools is starting to annoy me. Wood is a constantly variable medium with heat and humidity always working on it. Oldy schooly tools don't need to be micro nano perfect. Spending hours of time setting up tools is not what carpenters did 100 plus years ago. I have an old record rebate plane . Work fine but will never compete with a CNC router or laser guided gizmo cutter etc. I'm raving , not criticising I'm just making a statement. Your video is great . It's just me, I'm not a perfectionist and have a relaxed approach to wood working. Thanks for you work. Cheers

[@arick_mnc]

Aren't the set screws used to ensure your blade aligns with the Nicker? Also, you mentioned in a previous video @ your #7 fence was off a little... I always wondered why you didn't put a aux fence of wood and them plane the wood to fix your angle. Thanks. I like your videos. Great job.

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

The set screws can be used for that, yes, but I still find it to be a fiddly PITA. The jointer fence I have actually has a slight convex cup to it.

[@arick_mnc]

​​@@themountaintopjoinersshop8422 You are right about PITA. I have a veritas magnetic saw depth stop. I will never trust it again because I easily blew past my setting and cut way too deep. I will try the sand paper top in it! ... but the marking tape will be on the otherside of blade. I don't use my #45 for a lot of sane reasons and instead use my wooden plough, wooden rebate, and wooden moving filester planes. All the screws make easy to find the fence shifted. Depth stop didn't... at the worst times.

[@saksmlz]

Thank you for the video! I have a question: do you think that this plane can be replaced by the plow plane with a wide blade? I know that blade won't be sqew, but other than that, is there much difference? Having both planes seems excessive 😀

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

The skew blade is why I feel I don't need the right and left hand versions of this plane, because it cuts a little cleaner against the grain than a standard blade does. I'm also not sure if a 1.5" plow plane blade is a thing, and I do use the full width of the blade from time to time.

[@saksmlz]

Yeah, I've searched more and found that plow plane max blade width is only 3/4, combination plane is 1-1/16. The cleaner cut makes sense too. Thank you for the answer!

[@fredpierce6097]

My Bestie take is not setting the blade corner to contact the layout scoreline in order to prevent tear out. I would probably be victimized by not knowing this tip. I have the Veritas Skew Block Plane with Fence and I’m sure the issues and workarounds are the same.

[@joeleonetti8976]

Thanks for sharing. I've reached the same conclusions on this tool. It does take some effort to learn to use it properly. You can purchase nylon lined non scratched pliars (learned this from Lost Art Press). Really help to tighten the knurles without chewing them up. Here's the name of the ones I bought but there are plenty of them out there. Tamiya TAM74061 74061 Non-Scratch Pliers,

[@bakerzermatt]

How does it compare to the bog standard 78 style plane by Stanley or Record? A marginal improvement or worlds apart?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

I can't speak to that with any authority except to say one thing companies like Veritas, Lie-Nielsen, Clifton, etc., have in their favor is the ability to make tools using modern materials and manufacturing methods and that generally (not always, but generally) results in a better functioning tool, with a functioning warranty, without any of the wear and wear and tear that typically comes with a vintage tool. But that's just my opinion, and why I tend to prefer tools of new manufacture. That said, if you're good at rehabbing old tools and enjoy the romance of it, you can save a lot of money that way, and still get your woodworking done.

[@skwalka6372]

When you sharpened the blade it seems your blade holder had the non-parallel cylinder on it, isn't that an issue with rabbeting planes?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

Not really. Even with a cambered roller you need to actively apply extra pressure to the corners of the blade to camber it. If you actively avoid this, the cambering effect will be negligible, if not non-existent. Thanks for pointing this out. I tend to do one or the other without thinking about it.

[@skwalka6372]

By "slipping" you men the nuts unscrew themselves as a result of the lateral force against the fence?

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

No, it's just hard to make them tight enough to hold the smooth fence rods securely, giving the rods a slight bit of texture helps with this.

[@alangknowles]

Sooo... There are issues with the nicker, depth stop and fence? You are really selling this tool, aren't you.

[@themountaintopjoinersshop8422]

Just being honest, and honestly, despite all that, I don't hate the tool at all, I guess because all the work-arounds work, and aren't that much hassle for me personally.