Wooden Plane Blades

[Jim Parmeter]

Hello - I am a frequent lurker who needs some help. I want to make a 22 inch wooden jointer plane (Krenov Style) and need some suggestions on blade sizes and sources. I have made two smaller planes using Hock blades but the Krenov style blades only go up to two inches in width. My preference would be to use a 2.5 inch blade unless there is a logical reason not go wider than than two inches on a wooden plane. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

[Mike Henderson]

I made a wooden jointer and used a 2" blade. I never felt it was too narrow. Seems that as long as the blade is wider than the wood you want to joint it would work okay.

Why do you wish to go to 2.5"?

Mike

[James Scheffler]

Hello - I am a frequent lurker who needs some help. I want to make a 22 inch wooden jointer plane (Krenov Style) and need some suggestions on blade sizes and sources. I have made two smaller planes using Hock blades but the Krenov style blades only go up to two inches in width. My preference would be to use a 2.5 inch blade unless there is a logical reason not go wider than than two inches on a wooden plane. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

These Lee Valley ones go up 2-3/8: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=60009&cat=1,41182,43698&ap=1

I have one of the A2 blades. It's nice, although it doesn't have a chip breaker like the Krenov-type blades.

Jim

[Jim Parmeter]

I will use this mostly for flattening larger panels and boards that I cannot fit on the jointer so I thought that it would be good to use the largest iron that I could get. All of the stanley style jointer planes have 2 3/8 or 2 5/8 blades. I really like the Hock blades, so if I cannot get a similar quality larger blade I will use the 2 inch iron. I was curious to what other people were using.

[Jim Parmeter]

Thanks Jim - I did not think to check Lee Valley. How is the chatter without without the chip breaker?

[Phillip Pattee]

+1 for the Lee Valley blades. They are nice blades. You can skip the chip breaker, and pitch the blade at 55 degrees. The higher pitch may not even be necessary.

[Mike Henderson]

While it's not a Hock blade, occasionally you'll find antique blades with chip breakers on eBay which are over 2" wide. They're plain carbon steel but sharpen up well (usually). Those blades were used in wooden planes and became separated from the body somewhere along the line.

Another alternative is to use a thick modern blade without a chip breaker. For what you want to do, I think a thick blade without a chip breaker would work okay.

Good luck on your plane. Post a picture when you get the plane built, which ever way you decide to go.

Mike

[Phillip Pattee]

I posted before I saw your question. The higher pitch helps to prevent tear out. As for chatter, the Lee Valley blades are thick, and because of that are less prone to chatter than a thin blade.

[Jim Parmeter]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I will give the Lee Valley blades a try. I hope to make the plane sometime in the next month or so but I have a cradle that I need to get done first. Thanks again.

[Casey Gooding]

In making a Krenov style plane. Anything over 2" just gets cumbersome to hold. I have built Krenov planes wider than 2" and they become very uncomfortable.

[Jim Parmeter]

Hi Casey - You raised a good point in that this would make the plane width over three inches - and I don't have large hands. I might need to put modify the design slightly to accomodate a handle. I will have to play with this after I get the blank. Thanks

[Larry Marshall]

Wide blades sound great until you try to push them. Most people use a very mild camber on their jointer blades and the result, with a wide blade, is a whole lot of resistance. Something to consider.

Cheers --- Larry

[David Gendron]

All good coments up there, so I wont repeat what was said. If you realy like Hock blades, call him, he can make custom stuff some times! I think it's worth to talk to the guy anyway!

[Tri Hoang]

I'd also like to mention that David Finck have blades for Krenov style planes in A2. Just check his website.

[James Scheffler]

Thanks Jim - I did not think to check Lee Valley. How is the chatter without without the chip breaker?

Mine doesn't chatter. However, I'm using it in a smooth plane (see my avatar), so I've never taken a thick shaving with it. I don't anticipate chatter would be an issue, but I haven't seen for myself. By the way, I have the 1-7/8" version.

Jim

[Derek Cohen]

I built my 30" jointer with a 2" Hock. This is used for edges not faces. One of the planes I use for faces is the Veritas LA Jack. This is 2 1/4" wide - not a whole lot of difference.

I don't see a big need for a wider blade... I mean, really, when is "wider" wide enough? Especially when the cutting angle is high and, as Larry notes, then harder to push.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[John A Walker]

I built my 30" jointer with a 2" Hock. This is used for edges not faces. One of the planes I use for faces is the Veritas LA Jack. This is 2 1/4" wide - not a whole lot of difference.

I don't see a big need for a wider blade... I mean, really, when is "wider" wide enough? Especially when the cutting angle is high and, as Larry notes, then harder to push.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Fair comment Derek.
But I find in the longer planes 5 and a half F/I, the wider blade/body is less inclined to topple on wide boards. Narrow boards it don't make much difference nohow!

J

[Derek Cohen]

Fair comment Derek.
But I find in the longer planes 5 and a half F/I, the wider blade/body is less inclined to topple on wide boards. Narrow boards it don't make much difference nohow!

J

Topple? ........!! :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[John A Walker]

Tip over. Sometimes I find the No 5 topples over, the plane body that is. Doesn't happen so easily with a Number 4 due to the short length. The wide blades have more of a base to rest on.

Planing edges it makes no difference of course. The planes topple anyhow when I get to work!
Hmm.. Looking at some of the work here though, I think I am slightly out of my depth .. In short I am up sawmill creek without a paddle, and don't even have the skill to make one! :cool:

John :p

[John A Walker]

I am thinking of a Hock as a replacement blade for a No. 4 I have.
Am I alone in thinking that the Hock Blade, with its square profile, makes a plane look a bit clunky? And I wonder does Ron make blades with a shaped top?

Or am I being over-fussy?

:confused:
JW

[Sam Takeuchi]

Topple??? I have no idea how plane topples. Do you mean chatter or...plane skipping on the stock?

If you are interested in getting a Hock blade, I highly recommend reading through his website. He answers that very question regarding shape, and he wouldn't mind if you grind or do whatever with it, but he doesn't make pre-shaped blades. Aside from that, there are loads of useful and interesting information on that site, it's a good reading to do nonetheless.

[James Scheffler]

I am thinking of a Hock as a replacement blade for a No. 4 I have.
Am I alone in thinking that the Hock Blade, with its square profile, makes a plane look a bit clunky? And I wonder does Ron make blades with a shaped top?

Or am I being over-fussy?

:confused:
JW

Yes, they look a bit clunky. They're good blades, though.

[Jim Paulson]

Derek,

Can you post a picture of that plane you made. I'd love to see it and perhaps others would too.

Jim