repurposing a plane iron

[Judson Green]

Bought a #7 earlier this summer and this was the iron from it. I've since replaced it with a awesome PM-V11. Was wondering can I cut this one up (resize it) and use it in a shop made shoulder plane? Its 15/16" between the slot and edge. I guess that's how wide, maybe a bit less, I'd make the shoulder plane. Is it tempered beyond the business end?

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[Steve Voigt]

It's probably hardened and tempered all the way through. I've done stuff like this a bunch of times. If you are using a cutoff wheel in an angle grinder, or a dremel, I recommend cutting right down the center of the slot, so you stay far away from your finish edges, then slowly grind to finish width. If there's a way to get a continuous trickle of water on the blade while you cut, so much the better (this is probably best done outside!).

[Bruce Haugen]

I've made several marking knives from a blade that looked just like that, and they work very well. There's no reason you couldn't make a shoulder plane iron from it. Making the plane might be a different story.;)

[Jim Koepke]

The amount of hardened metal may depend on the age of your blade. I am not sure of when Stanley stopped laminating their blades. Some of the more recent blades seem to be soft at the top end.

A small file may be able to help you determine where they hardness ends.

Like Bruce, one of my marking knives is made from a plane blade. My recollection is it was laminated which made it easier to drill holes for handle attachment.

A shoulder plane would be a good use.

Take lots of pictures.

jtk

[Judson Green]

Okay thanks guys. Googled Stanley laminated plane irons and surprise it lead me to a older thread here http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?168408-Old-Stanley-Sweetheart-Blade

I can see a sort of shadow line right though the widest part of the slot where the two metals meet. And also poked at it with a file.

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[bridger berdel]

you can get a similar but less distinct line at the limit of the hardened part of a non laminated plane.

[Judson Green]

So just cut out the blank. Still needs a lot of work. Used a hack saw with a regular blade, it would cut everything but the harder lamination. For the laminated part I switched to a blade with magical black crud (some kind of abrasive) on it. Could really tell the iron was laminated, on the front (the side with the makers stamp) it was easy cutting on the business end, but not so on the back.

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[Jim Koepke]

Looks good to go.

What are you thoughts for the shoulder plane?

Bevel up, low angle or something else?

jtk

[Judson Green]

Was thinking of following the advice here. So bevel down ~40°.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?189255-Making-a-shoulder-plane-design-considerations

[Bill Houghton]

On the laminated blades, the inserted steel for the cutting edge reacts to vinegar by turning black. Try soaking the blade in white vinegar for 24 hours, rinsing it in running water afterward before applying WD-40 to neutralize the water. You'll see immediately if you've got a laminated blade.