Extra Plane Irons

[jackellis]

I have a jointer, several fore plans and a smoothing plane. I'd like to be able to use them on board edges or board faces, and I'm thinking (perhaps incorrectly) that I need to sharpen the irons differently depending on the application (straight for edge, slightly crowned for faces).

Any idea where I can get reasonably priced, decent quality replacement irons?
$60 and up per iron seems pretty absurd when I probably spent a total of $60 buying the lot of five I have. Or should I just keep buying old used planes and clean up the irons?

[Uncle Cracker]

I've tried to scrimp on irons before, but I keep coming back to the Hocks. Not a thrifty decision, but I've never been disappointed in them.

[LarryG]

If you're doing enough hand plane work to require different setups for a given size plane, I think I'd vote for the buy-more-old-planes option. Then you don't have to waste time swapping irons and resetting the depth of cut and throat opening and such.

For example, I have two block planes. One is a standard angle. The other is a low-angle and gets used mainly on end grain; but when necessary, I can set the two up differently so that one gives me a heavier cut than the other. Much easier to just grab the other plane than to start fiddling with the setup of the one that's in my hand.

[eddy merckx]

I don't think there's such a thing as inexpensive irons which work well. My favorite are the irons from Veritas. They run in the $35 neighborhood. I like 'em because the backs are already perfectly flattened and the edges are pretty much ready to go out of the box.

Either the Hock or Veritas irons will seriously outperform old Stanley irons, IMO. The steel has a much finer grain and will simply take a sharper edge. The biggest difference that I saw was in the performace of the smoother. A super sharp iron leaves a beautiful glossy finish.

I'm no hand plane expert, but I don't think you'd need to change blades for face vs edge planing. Unless you want to hog off a whole bunch of material, just a little radius on the edge is sufficient. You could always sharpen one of your fore planes with a big radius and dedicate it for that purpose.

Eddy

[jackellis]

The story gets better. While looking around on eBay I found some planes made by Millers Falls. A little research showed they were highly regarded. I had two rusted planes in the garage that I'd picked up for $3 each at garage sales. Took another look because I thought I had remembered the red part of the body.

Turns out I have two - one 9 inch and one 14 inch. I'm now trying to clean them up and see how well they do (or don't) work.

Also just scored a Millers Falls number 85.

[JR]

Turns out I have two - one 9 inch and one 14 inch. I'm now trying to clean them up and see how well they do (or don't) work.

Also just scored a Millers Falls number 85.

You suck. I almost don't even mean it in the good way! I can never find planes, or any other tools, at garage sales.

JR

[jackellis]

Hmmmm. And here I was thinking I'd donate any extras I might come across on my next expedition.

Honestly I was on the verge of tossing these when I stumbled across some info about them yesterday.

I've just bought a few more on eBay. More expensive than garage sales, especially with shipping, but lots cheaper than a new plane from Leigh Valley or Veritas.

I also stumbled on another interesting find. Rather than using phosphoric acid or electrolysis to clean up old planes, ordinary vinegar seems to work pretty well at loosening the surface rust. We'll see whether the black oxide coating that's left behind after soaking for a few hours is a good thing or a bad thing.

[Hoover]

Don't rule out buying an improved chip breaker, which helps cut down on vibration and chatter. Lie Nielsen sells them for approx. $20.00. The Lie Nielsen is in front.

[LinuxRandal]

Gramps tool box

My brother kept gramps #4 plane, that I believe is from the sweetheart era. Didn't have the Sweetheart blade though.

A few months ago, I was going through the footlocker/toolbox (stuff nobody seems to know what it is) and I found wrapped in oilpaper, several blades, including what I believe to be the original Sweetheart blade for his plane.

I picked up 3 planes from a garage sale for $25, then bought one of the same, pretuned for $80 to compare to (figure out if I am not tuning them right, or technique).


Keep your eye out for those old sacks/bags/hankerchiefs, etc. You never know what is in them.

New, Lee Valley, Veritas, and Hock are the ways to go.

[jackellis]

Ordinary household vinegar works like a charm for breaking rust loose enough that I can easily scrub it off with a brass brush. The best part is that I can (I think) just pour the used vinegar down the drain, unlike phosphoric acid and other nasty stuff.

I'm also cleaning up a relatively recent model Stanley and now understand the difference between cheap and good. The Millers Falls irons took on a dark oxide coating and did not rust the minute I rinsed them off. The Stanley chip breaker and iron started turning yellow instantly. Millers Falls uses a brass adjustment knob. Stanley uses a plated knob.

Might have to think about better irons for the Millers Falls planes and give the Stanleys away.

[Uncle Cracker]

While looking around on eBay I found some planes made by Millers Falls. A little research showed they were highly regarded.

My very first plane (40 years ago) was a Millers Falls that was owned by my grandfather. Still have it, and still use it. Gifted it with a Hock blade and breaker a few years ago, and she really purrs now. Some tools beg to be used, and I think of "Pops" every time this old girl sings for me.

[herb fellows]

You suck. I almost don't even mean it in the good way! I can never find planes, or any other tools, at garage sales.

JR

'I almost don't even mean it in a good way' rotfl!