Scrub that

Well that's the Scrub Plane review up. I can't say that I like it when I find myself less than thrilled with a tool; it's very hard to get the balance right to convey why I don't like it, while still making it clear it works just fine and dandy and it's just my opinion. Previously I've failed dismally, but I hope I've struck the right balance this time. It's a trifle awkward though - I'd have liked to let LV know it was up, but R is away until later this week, and the chap who wrote a charming explanatory letter that came in the parcel neglected to inclued his email address. I hope they'll understand, both my apparent lack of civility and the fact I don't much like the plane. Oh well. If I start down the path of not telling it as I find it, then my reviews are pretty worthless so I might as well not bother at all. There's a thread on WoodCentral that goes into the rights and wrongs of reviews, particularly ones of products sent to reviewers before general release, brought on by D's early review/thoughts on the honing guide. Certainly it does bother me a little. Not so much because I don't think I can remain unbiased, but more because I like to write a review such as I believe anyone buying the tool would write. This is like this, this is like that, my opinion is, and so forth. Not having the whole package disrupts that a little, as well as putting me in the position of writing for two very different types of reader - the woodworker in the street, and the R&D department of Veritas. And heaven knows, I'm in no position to give a technical opinion on anything...