Official Luthiers Forum!

This was my grandfather's plane. (I have no idea if it is valuable or not. I suspect it is not, but if it is, please let me know.) It has no manufacturer's name on it. It says Made In USA.   I'd like to be able to keep using it. It is a nice plane and very useful for plate joining.

I don't have any experience with this type of plane. My other planes have just the blade and no chip breaker. The blade is 1 15/16" wide and 7 1/4" long. The plane is about 14" long.

I have used it a little, but I'm pretty sure he used it a lot. It was time to sharpen the blade. Now that the blade is sharp, I can't get it assembled so that the blade will retract far enough. I think it is because the blade is too short. The chip breaker has the slot that the blade height adjuster rides in. No matter how I position the chip breaker, the blade will not retract enough.

Am I just doing something wrong, or do I need a new blade? If I need a new blade, can anyone recommend a source or have one to sell me?











Is this how the chip breaker should be positioned?

_________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Steve,

In general you want the chipbrraker as close as possible to the cutting edge as practical as it helps to eliminate chatter and support the edge. Generally about a 1/16'' in fine although some will do closer or slightly further back than that.

I cant tell from the picture but you have the bevel facing down when the blade is in the plane and the chipbreaker sits on top as close to the cutting edge as possible. The combination of the edge of the chipbreaker edge meeting with the very front edge of the plane iron forms a sort of wedge shape whereas your picture it looks like the chipbreaker is on the same side of the blade as the bevel of the cutting edge. IF you just flip over the blade from the way it is in the picture you will find that it has plenty of length.

Usually bench planes have the bevel facing down whereas smaller block planes have the bevel facing up.

If you were going to upgrade the blade and chipbreaker I would hihgly recommend the Hock blades (available from Hock, Woodcraft, Lee Valley and other sources) as they are thicker and generally superior to the original blade of most American planes. The only blades that I have found that are comparable as the english blades found in infill planes or earlier Stanley or Record planes with "crucible" steel blades.

Steve, I think you will find that chip breaker goes the other side of the blade real close to the cutting edge, cant help with the make though.

Cheers

Kim

Whoops, that what happens at the OLF when you start a reply, answer the phone and come back to finish the reply and post it. Someone else has already done the deed, and aint that a good thing.

Cheers

Kim

Shawn,
Did I mention that I don't have any experience with this type of plane. I thought so.

So you think the blade should be like this?



You were right, I had it the other way. I tried it and it works great. Thank you!

_________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Kim,
Thank you for your effort!

_________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

that is the correct orientation, but the chip breaker needs to be closer to the edge.

also, it is customary to have the bevel honed twice. a main bevel of 25* and a cutting bevel of 30*. the extra relief this creates helps cut cleaner, finer shavings.

Steve,

I can promise you this, for a wood worker, any time invested in learning to sharpen, tune and correctly use a hand plane will be some of the most rewarding you can spend.

A well honed plane is a thing of beauty, the feel in the hand a true delight and the quality of resulting work second to none. I am almost a little embarrassed to admit I have in the past knowingly planed away a perfectly good piece of timber into nothing but shavings just to hear THAT sound

Sounds bazaar now I'm sure, but when you get that No 5 clone of your Grandad's cook'in you will know of my insanity

Cheers

Kim

Thank you for the tips. I'll adjust the frog, resharpen the blade and report back.

_________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Others have mentioned it, but I'll give my 2 cents worth. I have an old Stanley #5 that I use for thinning backs, sides and tops as well as jointing backs and tops. I bought a Hock blade and chip breaker for it a couple of months ago and the difference is amazing.

My original blade was rounded just like yours, and the new blade is ground perfectly straight. It seems like I can hone a shaper edge on the new blade and it seems to keep its edge longer than the old one. Consider upgrading, I think you would be pleased. You can find the blade and breaker for $30 - $40.

_________________
53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/

I have that exact same plane and also one that is about 3" longer that is the same brand and make. I inherited it from my father, and I have no idea how long he had it or where he got it from. When it is properly tuned, it can take off a shaving so thin you can read a newspaper through it. I still dont know enough about planes to be able to give advice on them, but from my experience you have a good one and the steel the blade is made out of is hard to beat!

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H