Ura Dashi success, Cherry proof

[Michael Todrin]

I have been working with Japanese planes for several years and they are now my go to planing tools. I am currently working on a cherry cabinet and it was time to smooth the panels after cutting all the joinery. This is one of the most pleasant stages of the project, after test fits are done and everything is tight to make the parts smooth as silk. So I pick up one of my go to planes to sharpen for the task and I notice that the very thin flat in front of the Ura has disappeared. I have read about the solution to this situation but have never executed it. Ura Dashi. So I mounted a 3 pound sledge hammer in a vice, placed the iron on it and started tapping away at the soft iron.
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Astoundingly and pleasantly not only did the iron not break but with a little work on the stone, a new landing appeared in front of the Ura. Success!

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And the evidence.
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[Bill McDermott]

Nice! I can see why you might be a bit nervous about that process. Congrats on the bold play and nice, fluffy results. Great photos.

[Jim Matthews]

3 pounder?

Would a regl'ar ball pein suffice?

[Michael Todrin]

Thanks Bill, it was actually quite an enjoyable process.

Jim, I am sure you could use a ball pein hammer for a striking surface. My thought process was that the larger diameter head would support the iron better and be a little more forgiving with an imperfect strike.

[Jim Matthews]

Missed the part about the 3 pounder as an anvil.

My bad.

[Jim Koepke]

Missed the part about the 3 pounder as an anvil.

My bad.

It is always good to have a large, heavy piece of steel to use as an anvil. My luck at finding old pieces of rail road track has been pretty good. Imagine my great surprise to find this at an estate sale for $3:

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It has since been mounted to a hunk of tree stump in my shop.

jtk

[Michael Todrin]

Here is the tapping out hammer Jim.

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