Comments on: When Planing, I Can Be a Real Drag

By: Mark Dorman

Mark Dorman — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:43:04 +0000

I’ve always thought plane stops were a good idea; but if you drag your plane back they don’t work.
Light bulb comes on and plane stops work because you don’t drag your plane back. I set my plane blade down on my bench ( usually enough shavings to protect the blade) I’m more concerned about scuffing my bench than dulling the blade. Question is; is the effort to (currently planing 39″ long red oak) pick up my no 8 to preserve the blade less than the effort spent to keep it sharp if I drag it?

By: Woodworks by John

Woodworks by John — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:09:05 +0000

This is a great controversy that’s been on my mind and one I question when I teach my students. My thoughts have been that if you drag the plane back you don’t need to re-orient your body and stance for the next stroke. Kind of like you have or get a rhythm going to be efficient. Never having a knuckle rapping nun I thought this made sense!! Interested in any feed back on that one.

By: SD-Don

SD-Don — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:41:37 +0000

It is the harder substance that scratches the softer one, not the other way around. The abrasive effect of wood on steel when dragging the plane should be negligible, and much less than the dulling that results from planing.

By: TomHolloway

TomHolloway — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:29:35 +0000

To Marty Collins, above: I was at the L-N “hand tool event” at NWS here in Portland. OR last Sat., and was a little surprised to see a demonstrator on their staff (whose name button I did not read) consistently dragging while demonstrating both hogging with a jack and smoothing with a . . . smoother. I’m half deaf, and the sound of the drag back was just like the cut to the front. This just couldn’t have been doing the cutting edge much good, but I’ve learned that demonstrators at L-N events consider themselves the font of all WW wisdom, so I didn’t question him on this point. BTW, I’m also an unapologetic setter of planes on the (wooden) bench straight up. They are much less awkward to pick up again, and I don’t want to leave the edge exposed, as side placement does.

By: Saw Dust Man

Saw Dust Man — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:16:45 +0000

Chris you are ray of sunshine. I’m as guilty as you are for dragging the plane backwards and making contact with the wood. Thank you for the amusing article. I am always looking foreward to your next article. I try very hard not to miss any of the things you have to say. Chris you are a credit to your profession and your hobby. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Looking foreward to your next witticism. from an avid woodworker, sawdustman in Mich.

By: Mike Ward

Mike Ward — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:00:45 +0000

My question is does dragging the plane effect the work? My impression is that it does not. If so, then the only reason to lift is to prolong edge life. Maybe worth the effort but probably not. I also shamelessly lay my planes blade-down on the workbench and sometimes “sand” wood…

By: msiemsen

msiemsen — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:24:41 +0000

I work with my stock lying loose on the bench and plane up against stops. If you drag the plane the wood comes with it.

By: pshupesr

pshupesr — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 01:02:23 +0000

Draggina plane back never thought of it but after thinking about I just release the downward pressure and while on the subject when I am resting and put my plane down I always put on its side. just a thought for a later post.

By: tnoll

tnoll — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:40:33 +0000

I’m with you. How can anyone possibly be that interested in such tedium to waste 7 hours of their life on it?

By: Brent

Brent — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:25:43 +0000

I believe the clearance angle on a bevel down plane is the different between the planes bed angle (normally 45 degrees) and the blade’s bevel (normally about 30). That different is about 15 degrees.The why it is important has something to do with went you cut wood, it compresses and springs back, anything less than 10 degree behaves like 0 degrees and won’t cut right. I was told something like that but I am remembering it poorly.