Hello hand plane enthusiasts! I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything in the hand plane thread, but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost interest in them. I’m still collecting them and still using them as much if not more than ever. I’ll admit that I’ve been sidetracked by a bunch of different interests that I’ve been able to pursue now that I have a lot more free time on my hands. As some of you may or may not know, I retired last Spring, and I gotta say that I like it. I’m busy every day. While I can’t tell you what I do all day, I can say that it takes all day to do it. Like I said, I have a lot of interests and things I’d like to try at least once. If one or some of them “stick” then I’ll keep up with them, if not, there’s sure to be something else. So where am I going with this and how does it relate to hand planes?
Well, I mentioned having more time to pursue things that I’d like to know more about. One of the things high on my list for many years has been to build my own beehive and fill it up with bees. I know there’s a lot to learn about bee keeping and I’m sure I’ll make a ton of mistakes, but I’m still going to give it a try. I’ll let you know how it works out. Anyway, part of the fun was building the hive. Now you’re thinking, “Where the heck is this going?” Okay, I’m almost there. I need to fill in a little more of the back story before I get into the featured plane…….
For the past few years, my son has taught English in a Japanese high school. He recently returned home. It was an outstanding experience and one that I think he’ll look back on with good memories for the rest of his life. It was a big step for a young guy to take. Pretty much as soon as he hit the ground in Japan, he had to go to work, set up a household and assimilate into the population……and learn the language! Some his first “adventures” out of his apartment were to the grocery store and to a small hardware-like/convenience store. During the course of his time in Japan, he naturally visited the stores and shops near his apartment on a regular basis. As I mentioned, one of those businesses was a small store that seemed to focus on hardware type products, but also carried other household goods, some food and clothes. On one of his early trips to this hardware store (in search of a screwdriver), he noticed the tool aisle included a variety of wood bodied hand planes of various widths and lengths. He estimated that there were at least a dozen different models. Obviously knowing my affinity for hand planes, he picked up a small block plane and bought it for me. There was no real rhyme or reason for picking the block plane versus another model, other than the fact that according to my son, it was small and easy to carry back to his apartment. Okay, I’m good with that!
Japanese block plane:
As far as I can tell, this little plane is a mass-produced item that one might find in any Japanese hardware store. Based on its very affordable price (about 1500 yen or $14 - $15) it appears to have been designed and marketed to the average consumer/homeowner who needs a plane to knock the edge off a piece of wood, etc. I would equate it to a common block plane like the Stanley #9 ¼ in terms of its utility and target market. That’s about where the similarities end when compared to a block plane one might find today at their local hardware store, Home Depot, etc. So, in an effort to “get to know the plane,” and since I don’t have much experience with wood bodied planes, I decided I’d use it as much as possible for any “block plane-like tasks” I might encounter while making my bee hive. It took a little practice and some experimentation setting the cutting iron, but with a few lightly applied hammer taps to the front and rear of the plane body and some practice cuts, I was able to produce some very nice shavings.
Upon closer inspection the Japanese plane seems to have a few features that make it a desirable tool. First off, the throat and iron bed are really precision milled into the wooden body. The cutting iron and chip breaker fit snuggly into the recess under the perpendicular retention bar that runs from side to side. Again, with gentle hammer taps to the front of the plane, which advances the iron forward for a heavier cut, or taps to the back of the plane, which retracts the iron for a lighter pass, fine adjustments can be made. The other feature I noticed was the wood grain direction on the plane body itself. Either it was just a lucky choice by my son, or it was intentionally manufactured that way, but it seems to have been quarter sawn, which I think lends itself to stability and maintaining a flat sole. The cutting iron is hollow ground and about 1/8” thick. I like that feature, as it reminds me of my tried and true Lie-Nielsen #60 ½” block plane, which also is outfitted with a thick cutting iron. I will say that the iron really held an edge and remained very sharp. The plane cut fairly well right out of the box, but with just a little honing, it was razor sharp. During the course of my beehive project, I used the Japanese block plane exclusively. Although I think it was designed to be pulled instead of pushed, I pushed it more often than not. I guess it’s just habit. Anyway, the little Japanese block plane performed well and really exceeded my expectations. I guess you’re never too old to try something new.
Jim C.
If you're wondering what the paper label affixed to the top of the plane says, here you go:
(40mm x 150mm) How to pull out the blade How to pull out the blade Item No. 110412 A Precautions for use As this is a blade, handle it with care. ● Do not use if there are cracks in the canna body or cutting edge. If there are foreign substances such as nails on the material, remove them before use. → Do not touch the blade. After use, keep it out of the reach of children. Sold by Fujiwara Sangyo Co., Ltd. 2115-1 Fukui, Miki-shi, Japan TEL.079486-8200 77292 110419 MINNISNE
