Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Planing against the grain
I am surprised that there has not been any comments made about the latest short video from Paul Sellers, where he describes a method for planing against the grain. I guess one needs to watch YouTube! 
This is new to me. On one hand it makes sense (where it prevents the grain lifting, which is what a closed up mouth does), but it also looks like a recipe for a very brief planing spell. What am I missing?
Regards from Perth
Derek
Re: Planing against the grain
Hi Derek (and as a note to everyone else),
I edited your post so it displays as you intended.
This doesn't use [VIDEO] tags like before, you select the video icon 
and the following will pop up.
Paste the video URL, select Insert Video, and the video will appear exactly how it will appear in your post.
Re: Planing against the grain
Really interesting. Derek has it. Mechanically, what Sellers is doing is creating back-pressure on the shaving.
Back-pressure on the shaving is also the basic principle of the double-iron. Back-pressure partially counteracts the blade’s upward wedging force on the shaving. This prevents the cut from running away in front of the iron, with the fibres splitting and tearing under the wedging action. Shaving formation is kept close to the blade edge; splitting ahead of the blade is suppressed.
Wiley…..thinking Bill may explain this in fewer words😀😀.
Thanks Peter!
Nope, you got it perfect
I don't do videos so I don't know how Sellers does it. Seems unlikely he has improved on the double iron.
Re: Planing against the grain
Paul Sellers has spent a life-time in the craft.....and he has seen and experienced many unique and novel woodworking methods that he occasionally demonstrates......ways of working that you probably will not learn about anywhere else.
Re: Planing against the grain
At the end, Sellers comments that the method allows someone to continue working without adjustment or blade change. His teachings focus on beginners and prioritize working with minimal tools, so no arsenal of planes with varying setups. In that case, adjusting a cap iron back and forth would be very unproductive.
It's handy if doing site work with only one plane but in my shop I would just grab for a finer set tool. I'll definitely try it out when I have the chance.
Re: Planing against the grain
I set the cap iron after sharpening and never mess with it again till I sharpen again. Disclaimer: I never plane large surfaces. What I do works for my primary use of a plane, namely fitting parts.
Re: Planing against the grain
Fu*k if it works that's great -- another technique in the repertoire.
Now, release the piranhas and let the fisking begin.
Re: Planing against the grain
Me too. I will set the cap based on the shape of the iron and the work the plane is intended to do. Sellers tends to take a heavy shaving so will have the cap farther than the edge than I would use.
I tend to take his declarations with a grain of salt. Some are useful and some are uninformed. I do know for a fact that any disagreement with his sermons are promptly removed from his site.
I decided to try it out to see whether it's a useful tip or just a tip.
Re: Planing against the grain
Perhaps too frighteningly close to saying a very tight mouth might work in certain circumstances.
We certainly can't have that.
Re: Planing against the grain
Perhaps too frighteningly close to saying a very tight mouth might work in certain circumstances.
We certainly can't have that.
We cannot, indeed Charlie!
In the same way, high cutting angle BU and BD planes simply stopped working the moment that the double iron was understood. Oh, and sandpaper is the Devil's work.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Re: Planing against the grain
The world wobbled on its axis in 1974 or sump'n...