If you ask most woodworkers what a block plane is good for, the usual response is trimming end grain. While this is true, there are many other chores that it...
When I teach people how to sharpen and set up a handplane, I can jabber endlessly to little effect. Sure, I’ll get in a few jokes about lemurs and frogs...
The first time I ever met toolmaker Ray Iles, we got into a conversation about the planes made by Karl Holtey. I asked Ray: Have you ever used one of...
It’s little wonder that Stanley chose to bring its No. 62 low-angle jack plane back to life when the company decided last year to re-enter the premium handplane market. After...
When I began teaching at woodworking schools several years ago, it was the most selfish act imaginable. I didn’t do it to share what I know about woodworking. I didn’t...
Several customers have asked why the pages in their brand new copy of “Handplane Essentials” have a slight wave to them, like David Hasselhoff’s hair in a botanical garden. The...
I got to spend a little time in the Marketplace area of the Woodworking in America conference this morning and got a first look at some new hand tools that...
When the new premium planes from Stanley arrived, it was agony. I was in the middle of another project and had to just stare at them for a week before...
Time to drop my drawers and lose all my Neander-cred. My favorite planing stop for drawers and casework is the rip fence on my $1,200 Unisaw. The rip fence is...
Some things about sharpening everyone knows (it’s two metal surfaces, an abrasive and friction). Other things nobody knows (such as the best system ever). And there is a third category...
A shooting board is one of the most essential accessories for a handplane , everyone should have one. But not every woodworker is confident enough to build one or isn’t...
