A Scraping, Smoothing and A Sawing We Will Go

[John Edwards]

A few tools that followed me home.
St. James Bay 112 Scraping plane. Darryl Hutchinson A13 Smoother at 50*.

A couple of saws. Atkins backsaw and an RH Smith & Co. St. Catharines DT saw.

Gotta start making some sawduste and shavings.

Thanks John Edwards

[Jim Young]

A little too shiney for me. Don't think I could bring myself to using that plane.

[Corvin Alstot]

Let us know how you like the Hutchinson smoother. I have always admired closed handle infill smoothers but have yet to purchase or make one.
If it works as well as it looks, you should be very happy.

Corvin

[Alan Turner]

NIce collection there. You may find that the Atkins saw is of a harder steel than your typical Disston of the same vintage. I notice this when I go to file one. Very underrated, great Cleveland saw.

[Mark Stutz]

Beautiful tools, John. I'd almost be afraid to touch one, let alone use it....NOT:D . Maybe someday:)

[Brian Hale]

Very nice looking tools John, and boy do they look beefy!

A question about the scraper plane..... Have you used one before? Are they eaiser to use than card scraper (which i just can't seem to get the hang of)?
I keep looking at the various models available and wondering if it's worth the money to try one.

Brian :)

Yes, i'm new to these metal thingys that don't have a cord.....

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Brian...I'm not John, but I'm sure he'll give you an answer when he sees your question.

Scraper planes are a very controlled way to scrape a surface. With the thicker replacement blade for an original, or a LN, LV or St James Bay model which comes with them (make sure to order the thick blade if you get the LV), you do not even need to use a hook, which is how most people have a bad experience with card scrapers.

Producing a proper hook takes practice. Then when the hook is formed, one still needs to determine the proper angle to hold the scraper in order to make use of it.

The same applies to a scraper plane, which is why there is such a large degree of adjustment. But a scraper plane can produce good results without a hook. However, best results come with a hook.

Once the hook is formed, if you make one, hold the blade (whether it's a card scraper or the blade from a scraper plane) against a surface and take practice strokes. Each time, slightly vary the angle you hold the card/blade. Once you find the angle for the hook, use that angle on the piece you wish to scrape, whether holding it by hand (card scraper) or adjust the scraper plane to reproduce the angle you found to be effective.

All that sounds harder and more time consuming than it is in reality. For me, the main thing I like about the thick blades in scraper planes is that I can produce acceptable results without a hook, remove the blade to hone when it needs it and put it right back in and continue much faster than also fiddling with a hook.

I do use a hook when I am using a scraper plane for leveling as the hook does make for a more aggressive cut.

Ok, my rambling is done...

Take care, Mike

[John Edwards]

Brian,
Mike has done a woderful job in explaning the actions of a scraper plane.

I like to use one on large flat panels that simply cannot be smoothed by planning alone. As is often the case when using highly figured wood. Or when you have panels that the grain reverses from one to another.

Can`t say much about the LV as I have never used one.
The LN and the SJB are similar but miles apart at the same time.

LN first;
Thicker blade.
Better finishing on machined parts

SJB;
Frankly I was a bit disapointed in the way the lever cap, blade holder and sole were machined. Much of the surface is left in "as cast" state. With the only the edges and top portions finish machined and polished.
Now this is a personal point not a techincal issue. I like smooth and shiney. The "working" componets were finished off very well.

The SJB is quite a bit heavier in weight then the LN. An object in motion tends to stay in motion.

The Rosewood handle and knob are much nicer then the cherry on the LN.

Bottom line ?
Well the LN wins in the smooth and shiney. The thicker blade works well if you do not put a hook on it.

The SJB being quite a bit heavier and the thinner blade being designed to have a hook on it I find tends to work a bit better then the LN.

Clear cut winner, nope. Each tool has its merits. To hook or not to hook. That is the question.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Clear cut winner, nope. Each tool has its merits. To hook or not to hook. That is the question.
Great way to put it, John.

With the LN, you can elect to put a hook in the blade or not. Both work fine. With the LV, one needs to purchase the optional .125 blade to avoid the hook, but the standard blade works great with one. The LV, with the purchase of the optional thicker blade mentioned is about $50 less than the LN large scraping plane.

In use, both work great. I personally own the LN. I have used the LV several times. If LV had came out with theirs years ago, I would have most likely gotten it. The LN is simply a great tool too, though. Ah, decisions.

btw, I had a Stanley 112. I placed a Hock scraper blade in it, John. It worked as well as my LN even though is was thinner (iirc, it is the same thickness as the LV thick blade). You may be able to put one in the SJB for those times you don't want a hook.

Take care, Mike

[Steve Clardy]

Looks great!!

[Jim W. White]

I have the LV Scraper plane and have been very happy with it. I've used it thus far on bird's eye maple and fiddleback maple as well as hard maple glue-ups with opposing grains. It performed very well for these applications. While certainly not as "pretty" as the LN; I think it merits a couple extra points for adjustaility and machining design considerations.

My two cents,

Jim W

[Chris Barton]

Hey John,

I love looking at your tools but, show us some of the work you have done with them!

[Doug Shepard]

Hey John,

I love looking at your tools but, show us some of the work you have done with them!

Yeah Jack! Back before you were retired and became The-Father-of-Shiny-Things:D , I seem to recall you showing me some pics at work. Aren't any of those in digital form? I could be wrong but I seem to recall pics of some sort of large period reproduction piece that looked pretty impressive.
BTW - How did those carving classes work out?