New ,old K8 C

I bought a Keen Kutter K8 a couple of years ago. It had a busted frog. I was doing some deep cleaning and I found a frog from a Bedrock 608 round side that I forgot I had. I know remember when I got it I was kicking myself in the behind for getting it. Anyway I started stripping the plane today. There is enough of the blade left to tickle the top of the blade on the grinder and the chip breaker isn't to pitted up, but I am kind of thinking a new chip breaker and a A PM-V11 blade would be nice. A # 8 isn't a plane one uses every day so I am still unsure what I will do.

I remember finding the plane as far back as one could go in the basement of an antique store on a lower shelf tucked back behind a coupe of other planes. I paid $35 and I was so excited to find it at the cost they were asking I missed the frog being busted. Anyway today is reresection Thursday.

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As if I didn't already have enough to do.

It is a joy when something like that happens.

When my shop only had a #7 it seemed a #8 wasn't needed. Then someone made me an offer that couldn't be refused on a #8. Now it is used more than my #7.

After that a #8 with a broken frog was found at the Habitat for Humanity store for $5 with a broken frog. It cost me $35 for a replacement frog. I used to call it my most expensive $5 plane.

It was sold at a flea market a few years ago.

Looking forward to see how this turns out.

jtk

Tom,

One more ya did good! The tote and knob look perfect, and as you know that is not all that common. The iron and chip breaker are fairly rough, but look very restorable, as the rust doesn't look too deep, but of course it is hard to tell very well from the photo. Already having a replacement frog is also a super deal.

Beyond that, if anyone can perfectly restore the iron and chip breaker, it is you!

I have redone a few irons and chip breakers, and helped them greatly. The ones I did turned out very serviceable, but sometimes I had to grind off more of the irons, to get past pitting, than I wanted too. However, like you mention, I think that the #7 is used a lot more than the #8. I gave my only restored #8, a 608 flat side, to my son in law for a graduation present. I have used it, at his shop, but have used my #7 a lot more, so grinding some off of the iron will probably still leave more iron than he will ever use up.

Like Jim, I am looking forward to seeing the restored plane! Again, great job.

Regards,

Stew

A no.8 works good on big pieces. It will almost find flat on it's on. I use one to take a little twist out of something that I don't have enough meat left to deal with on a jointer(machine). This picture is a porch handrail job.

I also found a #7 Wards plane that has been in the wings for to long. Everything on the plane tells me it was made by Stanley, right down the the grog adjusting screw. I also decided to do a Bailey #3 so I will be busy for a couple of days. I do not know if I can save the iron or chip breaker on the #3 yet. But I did get all three completely stripped today.

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Tom,

Looks like you will have your hands busy for a while. Agreed, the chip breaker and iron on the #3 look pretty rough. Still, the body on the two planes look OK.

Please let us see the results after the battle is over. Based on the #7 you did for me, I would bet the results will be pretty good!

I don't know about all of the rest of the folks, but I know a lot of us love to follow restorations of tools.

Right now I have lots of irons in the fire, but sooner or later I hope to get back to restoring planes that I have waiting in line for their turn for restoration, along with saws, chisels, etc. I did sharpen an iron for my Stanley #71 this morning though. (I needed to use it, which was all of the motivation I needed.)

Stew

It is hard to understand, just how BIG a #8 Jointer plane really is...
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Until you set a No. 3 sized plane beside it....

Truer words have never been spoken. I have managed to get all three planes stripped. I have extra chip brakes for the #3 and #7 even extra blades. But I know I have nothing extra of the #8 I am still leaning toward a PM-V11 blade and lever cap as they call it from LV. I am leaning toward the same for one to The one that fits the #7 also fits my 6 and a 51/2 and 41/4 which I do not have.

Tom, I put a PMV-11 iron and Veritas chipbreaker in a K4 and have zero regrets in doing so. Even with a significant chip out of the bedrock levercap (the plane is totally assembled from mis-matched parts) the stiffness of that veritas chipbreaker makes it so the iron is held rock solid. No chatter or movement whatsoever.