Knight Jointer

[Jerry Thompson]

As some of you may recall I had concerns about my order with Knight Toolworks and getting my jointer.
It arrived today. I have honed and polished the blade and now I am having trouble learning how to adjust for a very fine cut. I am getting there but it all seems strange to me because it is. I can shave off pine but maple needs a much finer cut than I am able to adjust for yet. The blade and the wedge fall out sometimes when I tap it.
The iron is massive. It felt as though I should be doing something else with it instead of sharpening it. It honed down well. I ended up polishing it to 1micorn. I'll keep you posted on my learning curve. Any advice from the "knowers" will be appreciated.

[Robert Rozaieski]

I don't have any Knight planes but use a lot of woodies. When you are trying to take a fine cut, you need to make sure your practice piece is flat. If it is not, the iron may not contact the board, even if it is projecting below the stock.

To set it, put the iron and wedge in and seat the wedge firm but don't tap it home. You can now do several things. You tap the back of the iron lightly, then tap the wedge, then try the plane. If it does not cut, tap iron, tap wedge, try plane. Keep doing this until it just begins to take a shaving. This will only work if the board you are planing is flat. If it has a hollow, the plane will not cut until the iron is set too deep.

What I often do to get in the ballpark is to seat the wedge and iron, then turn the plane over and sight down the sole. Hold on to the wedge and iron so they don't fall out, DAMHIKT :o. Turn the plane back over, tap iron, tap wedge, then turn it over again and sight down the sole. Keep doing this until you barely see the iron stick out of the mouth; we're talking a hair here. Then tap the wedge home and try the plane. If it still doesn't cut, lightly tap the iron then the wedge. If it still doesn't cut, try a different board, making sure it is flat. If it cuts too deep, lightly tap the back of the plane stock to back the iron out slightly and then tap the wedge again, then try the plane. Continue until it takes the shaving you want.

There's a slight learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. It's really not that hard, just different than you are used to.

[Michael Hammers]

I have a Knight joiner and can give you what I know about my use. I am sure others can chime in better info.

blade and the wedge fall out sometimes when I tap it

it sounds as if you do not have the wedge and blade in tight enough. It should not be able to fall out even if you turn the plane upside down if it is seated properly. You might be experiencing some chatter and that could skew your results.

It felt as though I should be doing something else with it instead of sharpening it.

I am not sure what you have done to your blade after receiving it from Steve. At most it should only take a honing (I stropped) and be cutting good.

I would start not with an edge joint but on a relatively flat piece of wider wood and play with it till you find the "sweet spot".
There is a slight adjustment for the mouth but I would not go there just yet.
Hope this helps, MSH

[Johnny Kleso]

I set my planes by laying them down on my bench and inserting the blade and them wedge with sole on a flat piece of stock..

If that doesn't work try adding a piece of paper to the toe..

For Adjusting

BobSmalser Said:
Dunno why it would be more difficult than on a Stanley...except for the important frog adjustment, the blade adjustments on metal planes are too coarse and pure eyewash, IMO...they all need to be tapped into perfection when set with a brass hammer just like a woodie.
On your new wood plane...turn upside down in your off hand and rap it on the back end to loosen blade and wedge.
Remove and make sure the mortise is clean of chips....then reassemble.
Fit blade dead even with the sole with no exposure...hold it there while you push wedge in with firm hand pressure or a very light mallet tap.
Holding plane upside down in off hand again and sighting down the sole:
Use a small brass hammer, taping the top of the blade to set the blade beneath the mouth just a tad...also tap to get the edge perfectly parallel with the mouth.
Try it out. Repeat as necessary on a test piece of edgegrain about as wide as the blade...shaving should be equal in width as the board and uniform thickness throughout.
All the older references say to tap the front end of the plane to drive the wedge and iron deeper. Try it once you have the basics down, it's more difficult that way but easier on the plane.
The only difference between this procedure and a Stanley is you begin with a Stanley blade set closer to your final set because you can only tap within the mechanism's slop and lash or you will damage it.
The only advantage of a Norris or other 50-degree, thick-bladed heavy smoother is superiority in faceplaning hard, figured wood. I don't use planes for that...I have a thickness planer and scrapers. I use planes to make shapes I can't do on machines well...oars, stems and breasthooks for example.

[Tristan Raymond]

I finished my first wooden plane a few weeks ago and am still getting used to it. The principles are not difficult to grasp, but getting the feel of it takes some time. I'd suggest keeping at it and after adjusting the blade always take your first cut on scrap. Have fun :)

[Steve knight]

it's not harder but just different. plus each size plane will take more or less effort depending on the weight of the plane. it's always easier to make a deeper cut then a shallower one. so if you install the blade slightly in the body and tap the iron to bring it out you may get it better.
remember the finer the shavings the flatter the sole needs to be. the plane may have moved a bit it takes a little bit for it to settle down.

[Jamie Cowan]

I think we'd all like a picture of that beautiful plane, properly set up or not.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Jerry

I have absolutely no doubt that a plane sent to you by Steve will be capable of perfect adjustment and wonderful performance out of the box. He has a reputation in just this regard.

A pictorial tutorial of plane setting is available on the HNT Gordon website:
http://www.hntgordon.com.au/bladesettingsmoothtry.htm

My modification to this procedure is to use a glass plate rather than a hardwood surface. The glass does not damage the edge of the blade (of course I am not talking about slamming the blade through the mouth!) and limits the amount of projection possible. It is for the finest of cuts. Hardwood works just fine, however.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Tools%20that%20I%20have%20made/Glassbladesettingplate.jpg

Keep in mind that it is easier to adjust a woodie for a deeper cut than for less (although both are easy enough).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Chuck Hamman]

Jerry,
Just a thought. Woodies are more suseptable to seasonal movement than are metal planes and the longer the woodie (e.g., jointer) the more noticeable the change. It could take a few days for that plane to reacclimate itself to your location and you may find that you'll have to lap the sole a bit, back into flatness. In fact, it's a good idea to check the sole anytime you use it.

All in all I'd say it deserves a "You suck!" :) I wish I had a Steve Knight jointer.

Regards,
-Chuck