Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
For those obsessed with curves
Eric Hedberg
>on plane blades at least, there is a nice little article by David Charlesworth on the topic in the newest (just got mine) copy of Popular Woodworking. I know this topic pops up here often so I thought I'd get the word out. He doesn't address the low angle bevel up bench planes, though, that some of us have become hooked on. Chris, are you listening, er reading? Eric (Patiently waiting for his first Norton water stone due to arrive shortly)
Kudos to Popular Woodworking
Hank Knight from SC
>I thought the whole new issue of Popular Woodworking was excellent. The Charlesworth article was the best I've seen on cambering plane irons, and Adam's article on the proper names for handtools was top notch too. Heck, I even enjoyed the lead article. PW has caught FWW and together they have left the rest of the pack in the dust. It's a real treat to have PW's editor and several of the magazine's top contributors as regulars here. Thanks guys.
Oh, agony!
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>I got the latest Pop WW on time (meaning about the same time as the first post here), but am saving it for my vacation in mid-July. Now you guys are going to talk up all the good stuff in this issue, and I'll have to pretend I'm not reading the articles.
Bevel up planes
david charlesworth
>Eric,
Glad you enjoyed the article, Chris is a great editor to work with.
I use exactly the same techniques to curve bevel up plane blades. They need a little more curve to achieve the same result as a curve in a bench plane, due to the lower bedding angle.
best wishes,
David Charlesworth
Thanks David
Eric Hedberg
>I suspected that would be the case, but it is always nice to get a confirmation. Out of curiosity, I notice you continue to use the traditional bevel up/45 degree planes (at least in your articles) has the recent arrival of the Low Angle/Bevel Up planes to the market given you pause to consider using them more often in your work? Eric
Old habits.....
david charlesworth
>I have used that particular 5 1/2 for over 30 years now, so it has a friendly familiar feel, not unlike an old suit. {not that I wear a suit often}. It is tuned up as a super smoother and does everything I want it to.
The low angle, thick blade plane fashion is interesting but I do not feel a need to change over yet.
David Charlesworth
Say What?!
Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in FL. Exile :~(
>The low angle, thick blade plane fashion is interesting but I do not feel a need to change over yet.
Sp David, what you're saying is that you don't feel that all this thick blades such as Tom, Rob, and Ron are putting out are really necessary, and that the "thin" blades such as in old Stanleys are adequate. Right? I feel that way, but I work soft woods.
Todd O.
Re: Say What?!
paul womack
>So David, what you're saying is that you don't feel that all this thick blades such as Tom, Rob, and Ron are putting out are really necessary, and that the "thin" blades such as in old Stanleys are adequate. Right? I feel that way, but I work soft woods.
IIRC David's super-tuned #5 1/2 has a thick(ish) blade. I forget which one, but I do recall DC uses Hock, LN and Holtey blades extensivel, so it's likely one of those.
BugBear
Long overdue
Roger Nixon
>I wish this article had been aournd when I first started with hand tools. I found the reason for cambered irons some time ago but it wasn't in an article in a major magazine.
This article will really help flatten out the handtool learning curve for a lot of people.
Re: Say What?!
david charlesworth
>Todd,
I seem to remember a distant past where work got done with the thin horrible blades that were available in the early 70's. Flattening backs on oil stones took forever and I used three fresh blades to take one final set of shavings off my 8 foot, Beech bench top.
Working mainly in hardwood I love thick, A2 cryo, blades and their ilk. Less frequent sharpening, less chatter, less prep time. These blades really do make a huge difference in my work.
best wishes,
David