Krenov Style Planes

[Darnell Hagen]

I finished up a set of Krenov style planes a couple of weeks ago.

The Block:



The Smoother:



The Jointer:



All three are capable of taking a see through shaving.



I made them from beech left over from my bench build, with lignum soles.






The pins are made from brass rod, and I milled two tenons and a flat to receive the wedge using woodworking tools and homemade jigs. You can see how I did that here.

[Mark Wyatt]

Post-modern in look. Do you find them comfortable to use? Can you provide some insight on the irons?

[Darnell Hagen]

All three are comfortable whether pusher or pulled. The jointer took some getting used to, as the tote hand is palm down, instead of in the handshake position used in metal bodied planes.
The irons are Hocks, made specifically for Krenov planes. They are thick, which results in chatterfree planing. They are also very easy to hone freehand. They are a high quality blade with a long lasting edge, their only drawback is they take some effort to lap flat.

[David Weaver]

A question about the irons - how do you adjust the plane when you've worn 1/2 an inch off of them?

I have a similar shaped small infill plane, actually more in the back end and less in the front, though, which allows for a longer iron. I initially wanted to go short, but I was afraid that if I ground the iron after a few years, it would be too short to use.

I have also used hock irons on my infills, except for when I've gotten kits and they came with irons. The black finish hock irons are exceptionally high quality, as are the ones that come through makers who source from hock but don't have hock printed on the irons.

[David Weaver]

Also, I don't see a seam for where the pieces were laminated together. If they are made out of one piece, well done.

The details/chamfers etc. are tidy and look very nice.

Smart move with the lignum sole also. They should be very long wearing planes.

[george wilson]

I think they are a lot nicer than Krenov made them. Nice lamb's tongue. Flawless workmanship. One piece? That will pay off,too,with the sole not trying to separate from the sides and pooching down where the iron comes through.

I could only wish,like David,that the irons were longer. They are already near enough to the bodies(like all Krenovs) to accidentally hit the body while adjusting.

This is not your fault,though. I know the irons are made that way,but why? I'd change the shape a bit and lengthen the rear ends so a longer iron,and wedge,too,could be used. How can you access the sneck on the wedges with them so far down in the throats?

[David Weaver]

On the bright side, if you do decide that the iron has to be short as a matter of comfort on the shorter planes, you can certainly buy a chunk of O1 from mcmaster carr if you have a way to heat it, and just make irons as you need them.

Might be a little learning curve on holes/slots on the first one, but after that, no problem.

Only issue I can see is they'll be too big to heat treat with a small torch.

[Bill Dieckman]

Doubt they're one-piece construction with the brass rods built as they are.
They are beautiful and makes me want to go dig out the Hock I've got stashed in the one-day project pile (more of a 'someday' one than a count of the days )

[Rob Young]

Also, I don't see a seam for where the pieces were laminated together. If they are made out of one piece, well done.

The details/chamfers etc. are tidy and look very nice.

Smart move with the lignum sole also. They should be very long wearing planes.

How do you think he got the shouldered brass rod in there then?

You can see the hint of where the seam is on the jointer plane in the all-three-together picture.

All in all, a very slick job.

[Sandy Stanford]

Lovely work. You could start a business.

[george wilson]

Rob,you are right! I completely overlooked the stepped brass rods. Good seams.

[David Weaver]

How do you think he got the shouldered brass rod in there then?

You can see the hint of where the seam is on the jointer plane in the all-three-together picture.

All in all, a very slick job.

I didn't look too close or read too close, just browsed, I guess. You could always thread that, though, just like the irons on some infill planes are threaded and held by screws rather than by peined pins. On here, you never know - all it takes is a milling machine or an accurate drill press.

I've seen a lot of "sold" planes that look worse, though, where the matching is not nearly as tidy.

[Jeff Schmidt]

Absolutely beautiful work, Darnell. I really like the lines and the detailed refinements. I would agree that aesthetically and practically, the irons are shorter than desired. As much as I am thankful for the excellent products that Mr. Hock offers, I wish that he would make available some longer increments to that style of iron. Are there any other suppliers of this style plane iron that offer a longer version? I think that David Finck's are the same length.

[Jeff Wittrock]

Very nice looking planes all three! They look very comfortable.

As for the blade length, I am probably in the minority in that I like the blade short to start with especially on the block plane. I know that it makes it harder to adjust, but speaking for myself, I spend less time adjusting than holding the plane. The way you have it now, it looks like your hand could comfortably rest right over the top of the blade which is how I often end up holding mine.

-Jeff

[Mark Maleski]

Darnell, yours are the only Krenov-style planes I've ever coveted (well, other than those made be Krenov himself). I especially like the lambs tongue on yours.