Replacement Cutters

[ken hatch]

Another Creeker and I were at a swap meet a couple of weeks ago and as happens at swap meets we traded a couple of tools. One I traded for was a very nice Sanley#3. For some reason I'm short of user #3 planes, not a clue why because I really like using #3 sized smoothers. The #3 was in pretty good shape for a user, the lever cap was much too shiny and the iron had pits close to the leading edge. The lever cap was an easy fix, just dig through the parts box and find one that is not too shiny. A replacement cutter is also easy but needed some thought because I couldn't find a usable OEM #3 iron in the cutter pile. After OEM my first option was Japanese iron but I couldn't find one to fit the #3. Next it was pick between Hock, Veritas, or Ray Iles. Flip a coin, the Ray Iles won.

Long way around to: After receiving the Ray Iles I decided to measure the thickness of the available replacement irons. Not that it makes much difference but.....

All are approximate.
The OEM iron measured 0.086"
Japanese #4 measured 0.99"
Hock #3 measured 0.100"
Ray Iles #3 measured 0.110"
Veritas #3 measured 0.100"

I know the engineer types will do little green apples over the significant digits but that is what my cheapo digital calpers read.

What does it mean? Who knows other than different makers make cutters of different thickness.

ken

[Pat Barry]

Veritas = 0.125"?

[Patrick Chase]

Long way around to: After receiving the Ray Iles I decided to measure the thickness of the available replacement irons. Not that it makes much difference but.....

All are approximate.
The OEM iron measured 0.086"
Japanese #4 measured 0.99"
Hock #3 measured 0.100"
Ray Iles #3 measured 0.110"
Veritas #3 measured 0.125"


The Veritas replacement irons (the ones they make specifically for use in Stanley planes as opposed to the ones for their own planes) are 0.100" thick. I have a Veritas #3 replacement iron and can confirm that's the case.

The only #3-sized iron that I know of that's 0.125" thick is the one L-N makes for their own #3 plane. Are you sure you didn't measure that one and mistype? I know for a fact that the Veritas is thinner than that, because I had to modify the L-N's cap iron to get the Veritas iron to work in that plane.

[Jim Koepke]

[edited]

Japanese #4 measured 0.99"



Wouldn't that require a bit of filing at the mouth?

It would likely eliminate any chatter.

jtk

[ken hatch]

The Veritas replacement irons (the ones they make specifically for use in Stanley planes as opposed to the ones for their own planes) are 0.100" thick. I have a Veritas #3 replacement iron and can confirm that's the case.

The only #3-sized iron that I know of that's 0.125" thick is the one L-N makes for their own #3 plane. Are you sure you didn't measure that one and mistype? I know for a fact that the Veritas is thinner than that, because I had to modify the L-N's cap iron to get the Veritas iron to work in that plane.

Thanks for the heads up Patrick. I just re-checked the Veritas and it was 0.100", BTW I checked two irons, a O1 and a PM.

The post is corrected.

ken

[John C Cox]

I would also check the mouth. They will likely require a frog adjustment to work right.

The other concern is the adjuster. Often - a too thick blade prevents the adjuster from properly engaging the chip breaker.. You end up either rounding off the tip of the adjuster or the adjuster not engaging at all..

If both of those are fine - then get to work. ;)