advice on restoring/cleaning molding planes

[Zahid Naqvi]

After I mauled one of the rails on a bed I am working on with a router, I determined it was about time I started getting into molding planes. So after some careful hunting on-line I lucked into acquiring about 6 of these which no one else wanted. They look better than I had hoped for but still they need some cleanup.
So how do I go about doing that? My usual approach with wooden planes (flat cutting surfaces kind) is to flatten the bottom and sharpen the blade. I like the patina so I never sand any old planes. Among my newest acquisition I have a few that will also require resurfacing the bottom, that has me scared a little.
Other than that I need to clean dirt and grime from some. The outer surfaces are easy as I can sand and oil them. What do I do with dirt accumulated within the throat and wedge areas.

[Alex Carrera]

I've used steel wool and wax on mine. I've used a couple of old bore brushes to clean the throats. I'm interested to see what everyone else has to say about this. I've got about fifteen of these planes, but have basically only done a good cleaning on them. I havne't sharpened them and put them to use yet.

[Steve Wargo]

I have a couple moulding planes and really don't do much to cleaning them. As far as the grime in the throat of the planes I just attempt to clean them as much as possible with a knife. Don't sand the throat or cut it at all. The throat is very important for the wedge to fit properly. I usually remove grime Briwax and steelwool (### or ####). Briwax has something in it that cleans very well. This will also work well on the outside of the planes. You can then strip any was residue with Mineral spirits. If you have to resurface the bottom of a moulding plane (like a rebate) just be careful to remove only a little bit from the bottom. I spend most of the time on the irons. Flatten the backs very well and then give the profiles a good once over with a set of slip stones. Always check the profile of the iron with the profile of the plane sole. If you're just working hollows and rounds or side beads this isn't too much problem, but when doing complex moulders this can really take some time. The more time you spend on tuning up the moulding plane the better it will work. It's that simple. If you're cutting something like mahogany or poplar then you probably don't have much fettling to do other than a sharp iron. But if you are cutting wenge or ebony the more you do the better. Good luck and PM me if you have any questions. Did I mention I have a few moulding planes?

[Steve Wargo]

Alex,
I like the idea of getting a boring brush for the throats. Very ingenious. I will have to look for one. Thanks for that tip.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Thanks Steve, I was hoping you'd chime in. I know you have a thing for molding planes :)

[Joe Meazle]

Z,
Might be time to learn to use the router too. Those pesky bits with their bearings sure need somethng to register against.;) ;)

Joe Meazle, who is sitting in glass house with a bucket full of rocks.

[Joe Meazle]

This will most likely be of more use than my previous post. I heard James Knight, peace be upon him, say to never reshape the sole of a molding or hollow/round plane. If there is a diffrence between the iron and the sole it is most likely due to poor sharpening and the Iron should be reshaped not the sole. That is the extent of any useful information I have.

[Zahid Naqvi]

I'll have to show you some of these, perhaps take some pictures this weekend. But it seems some of the soles are crumbling or have quite large nicks in them. For now I am more concerned about removing non-wood accumulations, shaping will come later if at all needed. As per advice given above, stiff brush, mineral spirits, wax and steel wool. Let's see what happens.

[Dusty Fuller]

If the grime is in a narrow throat, you can use the longer q-tips with mineral spirits or other grime-buster. As for the crumbling soles, you can always make a new body. Its time consuming, but if you've got the wood, the old iron, a few carving tools, and an old chisel that you sharpen like a scraper, its not too complicated. I made a 'round' of sorts using the mentioned tools, and used a hook knife to scrape out the fine points of the profile. I think the wood moved on me a little, but that's expected from a piece of plain-sawn air-dried oak. I built it just to see if I could. Pictures coming after my lunch break. Plane-making is addictive...

Dusty

[Dusty Fuller]

Here are the pictures... its not a Clark and Williams, but hey I made it from leftovers that were free to begin with. When I get better stock I'll see about making another body and wedge. You can tell in the side by side how the sole on the old one is misshapen. It was also a little on the small side, but it was made to fit with its brothers and sisters in a case.

Dusty

P.S. Everybody meet Sam, the sometimes shop dog. Sam, meet everybody. He doesn't like cameras so I had to give him some motivation to look at me.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Dusty did you make these or just restored. I cleaned up one of mine, it's not quite functional yet but I think I have the basic cleanup process figured out, now for the more complex task of actually matching the sole and the blade as well as sharpening a blade that is not straight.

[jonathan snyder]

Zahid,

There is some good info at the Best Things website http://www.thebestthings.com/molding_planes.htm

Jonathan

[harry strasil]

most hdw stores and farm supply's have those little toothbrush sized wire brushes, I use the Stainless steel ones to clean the inside. First time dry to remove anything loose, second time with Formby's restorer stuff, I also use the Formby's on the outside to remove grim paint drops etc, it takes off the crud but leaves the original patina.

[Dusty Fuller]

I made the lighter-colored one. The dark one is the original, which I used as a rough guide. I made the new one bigger and a little more "stout". I'll probably be replacing that one when I get some better wood. I used plainsawn oak, ~5/8" thick. You can start square, just mark the outline of the sole on the end of your stock. Mark the front of the new plane with the outline of the front of the old, and the back with the back, by placing them end to end. You can use a bevel gauge, protractor, a piece of wood, or whatever you have to mark out the angle for your iron. It took some time and patience to hollow out the throat, simply because I was using a thin chisel. With other tools it would be easier (drill press, brace and bit, heck, even a steady hand drill would wokr to start with), especially a thin rasp or planemaker's float. I don't have either one of those yet. I'll be using the hand brace on the next one, simply because its what I have. As for sharpening, this is a good example: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=29716 I borrowed that from another post. Thank you to Eddie Darby for posting, and to Taunton for making it available. Mr. Lowe uses slipstones, some people use dowels wrapped in sandpaper. Both will work. Lap the underside, hone the bevel. Usually works unless the iron is in really bad shape. Good luck with the planes, I'll take some more pictures of the limited originals that I have, and I'll post some of my homemade users too as they come out. They're not perfect, not really pretty, but they do their jobs.

[Michael Stadulis]

I asked this question on WC many years ago and this reply was cut and pasted from a Sam Simpson email. Sam restores antiques in Great Britain. -
Mike Stadulis

American,
8 fl oz Pure turpentine
4 fl oz Denatured alcohol
2 fl oz White vinegar
1 fl oz Murphey's Oil Soap
1 fl oz Brasso
1 tea spn houshold Ammonia

English
200 ml Pure Turpentine
100 ml Methylated spirits
50 ml Acetic acid B.P. (33%)
25 ml Teepol (liquid soap)
25 ml Brasso (metal polish)
5 ml Ammonia .088

There yer go.
Good luck. Sam

[Zahid Naqvi]

thanks Michael, considering I have about 6 of these I think I should make a batch. I know hand planes are addictive, specially wooden ones, so I know I will be using that fluid in the future.

Dusty thanks for your advice I have made several Krenov style smoothers, haven't garnered enough courage to tackle a molding plane yet. Maybe one of these days.

Harry I have one of those brass wired brushes, now why didn't I think of using those :)