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Bought a set that seemed a bit thin at 3.2 and after jointing and leveling with P100 grit on the 10-20 was at 2.5-2.65 mm.
Target thickness was 2.4-2.5 mm.
Rather than risk the drum sander, I got out a Veritas scraper plane to try for the thickness I wanted, and I like the results.
First time I've used it in anger (although I did practice sharpening and setting it up, taking some shavings on rosewood previously)
I think this tool will be seeing more use from now on.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I use scrapers and planes all the time, so I'm not surprised it worked. I don't have a scraper plane though.


That stock is very cool! What is it?

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Why be normal?

Black Limba

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I also use scrapers and planes a lot, probably have 6/7 scrapers including the "ultimate" SM.
A scraper plane definitely has a learning curve, both to set up and to use, but can give 55-60 mm wide very thin (sub-thou) shavings on a level board.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I have the same plane. A bit of a learning curve but works great.

I like my LV as well. Have 3 scrapers for it, the one that came with it, an extra thick one, and a KUNZ replacement scraper blade. I/ve found different setiing angles work better with some woods than others. The blades have differing angles as well 90 45 an 35 .

A lot of woodworkers prefer the Stanley 80 and clones. Easy to set up, easy to use, results just as good, and cheaper to boot.

Ed M

Yes, I can buy a decent clone for less than $35 new, but I like the longer sole of the plane for thicknessing.
Got it with a low-ball bid, second hand, virtually unused, on the bay.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

So do you sharpen a scraper like you would normally for hand scraping the same way for that plane? I could see that being very useful as scraping gets tiring on the hands.

I use a Stanley#80 cabinet scraper, but also have this Sargent #42 veneer scraper (similar to a Stanley #12), which is kind of in between a cabinet scraper and a scraper plane - it has a longer sole than most cabinet scrapers, and you can adjust the angle of the blade to suit the wood. I sometimes use the blade as a hand scraper so now I'll have to go track it down.

You can make your own scraper plane if so inclined:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfZzd3xi8l8

Clay

Really like his video on making the plane body. Surprising amount of bounce in his heavy bench when he cuts the mortice.

The 80 must be a little understood tool as I have owned a couple and seen a dozen others new in the box. This fellow does just what the original Stanley instructions say to do when sharpening the blade.

Ed M

Veritas instructions are - Bevel/sharpen at 45 degrees to 6000 grit, turn a burr in a couple of steps with the final one at 15 degrees.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Hi Ed,
I re-viewed the video and it looked like he was working over his vise when chiseling through the plane body which may account for some of the "bounce". I guess that saves marring the bench but seems a little hard on the vise, but maybe not.
He has a number of videos on plane making, so I will start a thread linking some.

Edit: After watching another video, you are right , Ed, his bench does move a lot!