Hand Tools Archive
David Weaver
the other thing about ash is that it'll keep that lattice open a little until fairly thick shavings. There's some english oaks that are like that (really bright shiny surface, buttery wood, interrupted by pores).
Cherry will have that lattice on the very thinnest of shavings, but then it closes up.
Examining shavings is a funny thing. You can have two 1/2 thousandth shavings, or even a little bit less, and tell which one came from a natural stone (the shaving will be less uniform) and which came from submicron abrasives - more uniform, even when thin - due to additional (completely unnecessary) sharpness.
Much of the art of selling snake oil and making really thin shavings at woodworking shows requires:
* careful selection of wood
* wood already has to be close to perfectly level in use
* sharpening (though this is minor, despite being peddled as the culprit for thin shavings)
* willing plane pusher
Audience that thinks they're viewing something very unusual, potentially rare, and useful.