Wooden plane iron advice please

[Phil Mueller]

I'm considering refurbishing a wooden smoother plane. However, the iron and chipbreaker are toast...pitted beyond all honing possibilities.
The current iron/chipbreaker measures 2 1/8" wide.
Replacement iron/chipbreakers seem to be either 2" or 2 3/8". Either would fit the plane, but the 2 3/8" would be snug.
Question is, given the wooden wedge is 2 1/8", would I compromise performance with a 2" or 2 3/8" iron, and/or would the 2 3/8" iron not leave any ability to adjust the skew?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Phil

I suspect that you are referring to a Stanley plane iron when you mention 2 3/8" for a width. That is unlikely to fit a woody, which is more typically fitted with a thicker and tapered iron as well as a thicker chipbreaker.

I would look out for a combination iron/chipbreaker on eBay that is either 2 1/8" or 2 1/4". If the latter, then grind it down on a beltsander (1/16" each side).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Derek. The plane is "branded" Cayuga, NY. Can't read the name on the iron, except for the word warranted and a bee hive.

[Steve Voigt]

Thanks Derek. The plane is "branded" Cayuga, NY. Can't read the name on the iron, except for the word warranted and a bee hive.

Howland is the maker of the iron. I have one; good iron.

And, what Derek said about finding a new one.

[Patrick Chase]

I'm considering refurbishing a wooden smoother plane. However, the iron and chipbreaker are toast...pitted beyond all honing possibilities.
The current iron/chipbreaker measures 2 1/8" wide.
Replacement iron/chipbreakers seem to be either 2" or 2 3/8". Either would fit the plane, but the 2 3/8" would be snug.
Question is, given the wooden wedge is 2 1/8", would I compromise performance with a 2" or 2 3/8" iron, and/or would the 2 3/8" iron not leave any ability to adjust the skew?

In addition to what others have said...

Hock makes blade/breaker combos that are well suited to wooden planes (look under "blades for Krenov-syle planes"), but they only go up to 2". You might call and see if they can do anything wider...

[don wilwol]

here is a possibility.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=71259&cat=1,41182,43698&ap=1

[Phil Mueller]

Thank you all for the input. I have looked at Hock, and Lee Valley, and others. I'd go with the LV, but it doesn't allow for a chipbreaker...will check with Hock on a custom setup, but I fear It'll be more $ than I'd like to spend on this experimental rehab project.
I sent an email to Patrick Leach to see if he had something laying around...we'll see.

In the meantime, I've laminated a new sole and in the process of chiseling out the mouth opening.

[Patrick Chase]

Thank you all for the input. I have looked at Hock, and Lee Valley, and others. I'd go with the LV, but it doesn't allow for a chipbreaker...will check with Hock on a custom setup, but I fear It'll be more $ than I'd like to spend on this experimental rehab project.
I sent an email to Patrick Leach to see if he had something laying around...we'll see.

In the meantime, I've laminated a new sole and in the process of chiseling out the mouth opening.

The reason I suggested calling Hock is because they have a long history of doing limited-volume runs for custom applications (IIRC they now do those in their US facility and send a lot of the higher-volume stuff to their French supplier). There's at least a small chance that they'd have a usable non-catalog part on hand. Can't hurt to call as you did :-).

[Mike Siemsen]

You may want to find a tapered iron. When you tap a tapered iron into the plane body it loosens the wedge enabling you to remove the wedge and iron. When using the plane the iron gets tighter if it moves back at all.

[Patrick Chase]

You may want to find a tapered iron. When you tap a tapered iron into the plane body it loosens the wedge enabling you to remove the wedge and iron. When using the plane the iron gets tighter if it moves back at all.

That's understood and a given. The Hock and LV irons that have been suggested in this thread are tapered.

[Steve Voigt]

If Ron Hock is making tapered irons, it's news to me. His stock woodie irons are parallel and very short, 3" or 4". Great steel and perfectly fine for a Krenov plane but unsuitable for an old woodie. He makes replacement irons for infills, but those are parallel irons also. Ebay UK is the best bet, though another option is Josh Clark (hyperkitten)--he had a few in the "parts and projects" section last time I checked.

[Martin Loesing]

Irons from german planes of reputable makers (ECE or Ulmia) are commonly tapered as far as I am aware. Although I can only vouch for a standard double iron plane (some 20-30 years old I'd guess) I own, where the iron is held in place by a wooden wedge. The taper is not as pronounced as in the british made irons I have; 3.5mm to ~2.5mm from front to end.
The Primus range of planes may have parallel irons as they are usually fixed with a lever cap analogue.
Two cherries made irons are available in 54 wide as well, which is very close to 2 1/8". Sadly enough they don't publish a whole lot of information on the geometry, only that they are made to a german norm (same as ECE and Ulmia) which I can't find online.

[steven c newman]

I could walk downtown here, and buy about 10 wood bodied planes with the size iron needed for the OP. Cost is around $15-20 each plane. Mainly have irons from Ohio Tool Co. or W. Butcher.

Location, location, location...

[Chris Hachet]

I could walk downtown here, and buy about 10 wood bodied planes with the size iron needed for the OP. Cost is around $15-20 each plane. Mainly have irons from Ohio Tool Co. or W. Butcher.

Location, location, location...


....and you would have them rehabbed rather than giving up the iron....

[steven c newman]

There are some downtown that the wood body is toast. The irons can be cleaned up, and made to work.

Not all wood bodied planes were "double" iron ones. Some of the older ones were single iron, no chipbreaker. They were also a bit thicker.

[Stewie Simpson]

The tapered single irons were possibly made thicker to address vibration. Less of a problem with double irons.

Stewie;

[Phil Mueller]

The ones I'm looking to replace are tapered with a chipbreaker. I haven't exhausted all sources yet, but Steven if you run into a couple that are 2 1/8 I'd gladly reimburse you plus shipping...you can even keep the body👍

[Alfred Kraemer]

Phil,

Did you find a tapered, laminated iron, or are you still looking for one? I think I have a spare ohio tool blade of that size.
BTW before considering refurbishing you should take a closer look at the body and see if the effort would be worth it. I have found it much harder to find a good restorable wood plane body than irons. Apart from deep splits, many have a gaping mouth, ok for scrubs but not much else.


Alfred

[steven c newman]

I'll see what I can scrounge up...