All agreed , and to be honest I felt a bit guilty about it. I'd made a classic mistake of buying it via 'tinterweb rather than actually going to a proper tool shop and handling one. Rubbed in a tad further when I picked up the old one ( for nothing) which in all honesty is probably better than the new one

I bought the LV BUS plane a couple years ago and have been super happy with it as a smoother, however, if I had it to do over again, knowing what I now know, I would go for the SBUS instead as I think a smaller plane is much easier to handle. Noting wrong with the BUS, its just a tad bit heavy with a wider footprint than I need. It works very well on tabletops, etc where there is a larger surface to smooth. The PMV11 blade has been great. Holds and edge very well and cuts super clean.

BUS? SBUS? Care to elucidate, please? (I probably know, but not everyone will)

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"The person who never made a mistake, never made anything" - Albert Einstein

"I too will something make, And joy in the making" - Robert Bridges, 1844~1930