After 18 months on the shelf the ‘one day’ arrived. New handle time.
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Each plane was $10 (pre-covid). The smoother in the background has a stylish quality handle, just too small for comfort. I drew a stretched sketch, found some black walnut and 5 fret saw blades later had a cut out. A curved spokeshave and a small knife later; oh almost forgot, some sandpaper.
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I refined the shape over 5 days, inspired by the attention given to the smoother handle. Scribbled pencil on the bits I could feel and remove them. The time scale helped give a fresh opinion each day.
872F4834-CC68-4744-8196-C3254990AF76.jpg One benefit of the handle removed is flattening the bottom. It was concave. Used the jointer and smoother for the high spots.
94F53CB1-C04D-4DAE-AC66-610AB610DB2A.jpg Five coats of varnish later, gave it a spin. More black walnut, edge up.
The blade is ‘cast steel’ well the bottom edge anyway as blister steel was very expensive. Enjoyable to sharpen, takes a good edge, polishes well. I compared it with my steel jack plane. Adjusting the blade, ONE tap at a time, double tapping seems to be a habit of mine! The shavings were a little thicker and the reversing grain section thicker still. The wood plane just flies over the wood, low friction, hard to balance on the edge, had to slow my stroke down, just not what I’m used to.
57BDC979-1717-4CC0-B815-A88ADA0827E9.jpg Smoother and joiner mouths: 5874BF68-C985-46AE-B06C-5B4DC5B0234A.jpg joiner is wide.
Neither comes close to the steel jack plane but lots of that is due to the mouth opening, the surface finish is very good with the grain, worse against the grain, again due to the opening.
On the rough sawn face from the mill it was glorious, like an upmarket scrub plane, the open mouth a real benefit. The iron plane would take off slivers unless you adjust the mouth and breaker and wear you out. It was easy work to get the board ready for the iron plane, little effort needed.
BD225144-45F3-4B91-9F56-81DEB35AA656.jpg So as an improved scrub, this plane has a future! Worth the new handle!
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