Infill shoulder planes question

[Dean Lapinel]

Of course there will be diversity but in general, does the blade taper thinner on the end opposite the cutting edge? I have to make one for a plane missing the blade.
Thanks,
dean

[lowell holmes]

Check this link.

http://lumberjocks.com/Ripthorn/blog/35367

I bet it is done many different ways.

[Derek Cohen]

Of course there will be diversity but in general, does the blade taper thinner on the end opposite the cutting edge? I have to make one for a plane missing the blade.
Thanks,
dean

Dean, this is a blade from an infill shoulder plane I restored (apology, but it is the only one) ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRestorations/Renovating%20an%20infill%20shoulder%20plane_html_m e483e97.jpg

All the shoulder planes I have seen are similar, with the exception of HNT Gordon, where the sides are squared off.

Edit: Oops, you are asking about blade taper. The answer is that infill shoulder planes, as with infill bench planes, use parallel irons. Tapered irons are only used in woodies, as far as I am aware.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[John Vernier]

Are you asking about blade taper overall? That's how I read your question. I think most shoulder planes have parallel blades, but some earlier ones are tapered. If you have the original wedge for the plane you should be able to determine the taper (or lack thereof) by fitting a dummy blade made from wood. If you don't have the wedge then you can choose to make a tapered or untapered blade and wedge to fit.

I have a Norris no.7 shoulder plane and an unmarked bullnose rabbet plane which have parallel irons, and a Mathieson trim rabbet plane, probably made by Norris, which has a tapered iron. I had to make a new iron for that one because the original blade was dogmeat. I forged it out of a piece of 1085 steel using an oxyacetylene torch for heat, and did the finishing, including refining the taper, by filing prior to hardening. If you don't want to forge you could do all of the tapering by filing.

[Dean Lapinel]

Thanks!
Looking at the space of the wedge it needs to be a parallel iron. Missed that as the wedge clearly doesn't fit this blade. I think I need a slightly thicker blade as well as a wider tang. I'll make one a bit thicker then grind it down for fit. Probably 1095 steel.
I added some pics of this shoulder plane. It's stamped H.SLATER MAKER MEREDITH ST CLERKENWELL LONDON and a larger M below.

Is the width of the tang usually just a bit more narrow than the allotted space?

344376344377344378

[John Vernier]

I don't think the tang of your new blade needs to be any wider than the one you have. They usually allow for a fair amount of adjustment. Some irons have a "sneck," a bulge or hook off one or both sides of the back end of the blade, to allow you to use light hammer taps to back off the blade without striking the plane body, the same as a traditional plow plane iron.