Picture of snipe bill plane's blade wanted

[Derek Cohen]

Can some kind soul(s) post pictures of their snipe bill planes and, especially, the blade. I am particularly interested in how it is sharpened.

I have never used one, do not own any, and have so far got by with my H&Rs without one. I have an idea to build my own (something slightly different ... perhaps), but need a good look at what I should be building.

Add your description of its use if you would like. That would be helpful.

Thanks.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Matthews]

I have one of the HNT Gordon versions, it's the version with the point of the blade on my left.

I particularly like the inset brass wear strip along the bottom. It registers solidly on the point where the profile changes from an "innie" to an "outie".
In my opinion, a well sharpened, properly tuned rabbet plane is just as effective for most of the molding I'm made.

These really don't come into their own until you're cutting very fine quirks (which I don't do).

I do use mine, with a batten, to score long cut lines on particularly hard timber.

Both the Bickford and Gordon versions are bedded at 55 degrees or greater.

******

The one class I attended with molding planes run by Matt Bickford stressed stropping the bevel
and honing the back of the iron to get a sharp cutting edge. Sharpening a Snipe Bill is an exercise in caution with slips (or in my case) a leather strop on a dowel.

I find molding planes useful only on the finest grained softwoods.
If the grain runs, alternates or has much figure - they're beyond my meager skills to control.

[mike holden]

Derek,
Surprised at the dearth of responses.
Still, here are pics of my snipes bills, made by Griffiths of Norwich, England. The snipes are not skewed, although all the hollows and rounds in the set I bought are.
I think I would get much more use out of side rounds. Enough that I am considering making my own.
The dimensions are 9 1/4 inches long, 3 1/4 inches high, 3/4 inches wide.

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[mike holden]

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The bodies are of english oak, judging by the ray pattern and have boxwood boxing on the point.

In use, a gauge line is set, then the snipes follows the line and enlarges it to the rounded side.

Hope this helps,
Mike

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Mike

Many thanks. Those pics will do the job for me.

Incidentally, my half set of H&R are Griffiths as well. They need a bit more work to get them into a workable state (need new wedges as the blades are a little shorter than ideal). They are bedded at 50 degrees.

Regards from Perth

Derek