Question about Veritas 5 1/2 inch custom plane cap and blade

[Dennis Droege]

I've been using a 5 1/2 inch Veritas custom plane (PV blade) for about a year now, and I love it. I especially like to be able to use their fence with it.
I've been making small wooden boxes to while away the time--today, I was squaring up some 5/8" pine, and the plane quit cutting. When I removed the blade and cap, I discovered a shaving between them, something you might see happen with a cheaper tool.
I'm puzzled; wish I had taken a picture of it. Spoke to customer service at Lee Valley this morning. Nice lady said someone would get back to me Monday.
I know that I'm capable of fouling up, so I'm the first place I look when something like this happens. The only thing I can think of is that in honing the burr, I might have microscopically distorted the flat side of the blade. I couldn't measure any gap between cap and blade, though. I've got a new blade and cap on order. We'll see.

[Derek Cohen]

Generally, all planes with chipbreakers need tuning, mating the chipbreaker to the back of the blade. You may be able to get away without the tuning if (1) the factory manufacturing process is above average in precision, and (2) the chipbreaker is pulled back from the edge of the blade and effectively out of harms way (that is, is not acting as a wedge for shavings).

The closer the chipbreaker is the the back of the blade, the more work it is doing. There is more pressure on the intersection, and more risk of shavings finding the smallest of gaps, fine shavings especially.

So, check the intersection surfaces for flatness. Ultimately, that is the issue.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dennis Droege]

Thanks, Derek; I almost knew I'd hear from you.
Your assessment certainly agrees with my intuition. I had the chip breaker within 2 mm of the edge of the blade and had the shaving gap closed closely, owing to the light shavings I was taking. While a gap between blade and chip breaker is, for me, with my thinnest feeler material, unmeasurable, I will carefully flatten it further.

Regards from St. Louis

Dennis

[Jim Koepke]

Also look for a burr where the shaving jammed.

My chip breakers have never been checked with a feeler gauge. Usually any gap can be seen by looking for light between the iron and chip breaker.

jtk

[Dennis Droege]

Thanks, Jim.