A client gave me a nice piece of vertical grain zebrawood to make into a small tabletop. It's the first time I've worked with this wood, and I'm finding it difficult to get a smooth finish from the handplane. Any suggestions for taming this grain that seems to change direction between growth rings would be greatly appreciated! After jointing it on a Hammer A3-31 (with new knives) there was moderate tear-out in some areas. I then used a freshly sharpened LN 5 1/2 with high-angle frog as a smoother for what should be a final finish. Not!
I'd rather not break out the sander it if at all possible, and I'm hoping some of you who have experience working zebrawood can come to my rescue.
Thanks in advance,
Ian