Japanese hand planes

[Reed Gray]

Among my future projects are to make some of the solid wood Japanese style pull planes. Is there a source for them in the US? I did find one at Lee Valley, but it has a screw cap type chip breaker. I did see that Woodcraft had some, but couldn't really tell about quality. So, any suggestions? I am blessed or cursed with having to experiment.

Also looking for some plane 'floats, which are essentially rasps, and would like to find a US source for them, but not having much luck.

Robo hippy

[Jim Koepke]

My lack of experience or knowledge with Japanese style pull planes is unsurpassed.

Regarding floats…

One of my favorite float style file's was found at an estate sale.

For something available in the current market maybe start here > https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sear...erOfResults=25

jtk

[Edward Weber]

Hey Reed, here are a couple of places
https://kakuritools.com/
https://hidatool.com/
https://osakatools.com/

[Howard Pollack]

Here's another idea: buy an old worn one off of ebay to get a blade, get a block of hardwood and carve or build (Krenov style). There are plans on the web for a dai (the wooden block). If I can do it you can! I've made them of purple heart and Japanese white oak (I have a stash of those blocks). Supposedly Bay is good and I imagine that beech would work very well. As for floats, google "auto body file" you will find ones quite similar to floats- they work really well. Have fun.
=Howard

[Cameron Wood]

If you're going to make some, why do you need a source?

[Richard Coers]

Among my future projects are to make some of the solid wood Japanese style pull planes. Is there a source for them in the US? I did find one at Lee Valley, but it has a screw cap type chip breaker. I did see that Woodcraft had some, but couldn't really tell about quality. So, any suggestions? I am blessed or cursed with having to experiment.

Also looking for some plane 'floats, which are essentially rasps, and would like to find a US source for them, but not having much luck.

Robo hippy

How familiar are you with Japanese planes? Do you know how to dress the sole for either truing or surfacing? Relief cuts at the throat so the body doesn't crack, fitting the blade, etc? https://giantcypress.net/ is a great blog for information, Japanese Woodworking tools by Henry Lanz is a good book, and of course Japanese Woodworking Tolls: Their Tradition, Spirit and Use by Toshio Odate.

[Cameron Wood]

How familiar are you with Japanese planes? Do you know how to dress the sole for either truing or surfacing? Relief cuts at the throat so the body doesn't crack, fitting the blade, etc? https://giantcypress.net/ is a great blog for information, Japanese Woodworking tools by Henry Lanz is a good book, and of course Japanese Woodworking Tolls: Their Tradition, Spirit and Use by Toshio Odate.

Published in 1899??

[Reed Gray]

As for why I need one in hand, I do have Scott Wynn's book on Japanese style hand planes. I am one who needs an actual piece in hand if I am going to make them. I have watched a whole bunch of You Tube videos on setting them up and using them, so I at least have an idea of what I am getting into. Surprising that the sole is actually not totally flat, but concaved before and behind the blade. While not stated, I am wondering if this will help make up for the tendency of flat planes to end up with a slightly convex surface on long jointing passes since hand planes don't have infeed/outfeed tables. One of the more interesting videos I saw, the guy put a piece of end grain in right ahead of the blade, which is the high wear part on the sole. This also is done with some of the western style planes. Ed, I will look up those sources. Oh, the plane floats, if you have ever watched the Stavros Gakos videos on You Tube, I am guessing he made all of his floats. They are as impressive as his finished products. If you haven't seen his videos, you should. True artistry.

Thanks for the responses.

robo hippy

[Richard Coers]

Published in 1899??

My copy was copyrighted in 1985 by Sterling Publishing.

[Edward Weber]

Reed, I understand why you want one to examine/use and get a feel for.
One suggestion is to get one of these inexpensive planes.
https://kakuritools.com/collections/...-oak-body-42mm
They are even less on Amazon, $28.80
This is a great little plane for the price but it also has all the elements you want to look at.
Just a suggestion

[Richard Coers]

As for why I need one in hand, I do have Scott Wynn's book on Japanese style hand planes. I am one who needs an actual piece in hand if I am going to make them. I have watched a whole bunch of You Tube videos on setting them up and using them, so I at least have an idea of what I am getting into. Surprising that the sole is actually not totally flat, but concaved before and behind the blade. While not stated, I am wondering if this will help make up for the tendency of flat planes to end up with a slightly convex surface on long jointing passes since hand planes don't have infeed/outfeed tables. One of the more interesting videos I saw, the guy put a piece of end grain in right ahead of the blade, which is the high wear part on the sole. This also is done with some of the western style planes. Ed, I will look up those sources. Oh, the plane floats, if you have ever watched the Stavros Gakos videos on You Tube, I am guessing he made all of his floats. They are as impressive as his finished products. If you haven't seen his videos, you should. True artistry.

Thanks for the responses.

robo hippy

The sole either runs on 2 or 3 lines across the plane, but both profiles have contact on the leading edge and immediately in front of the blade. The system works very well for me.

[Cameron Wood]

My copy was copyrighted in 1985 by Sterling Publishing.

That sounds more reasonable. A couple of reviewers said not much covered beyond what's in Odate's book. What do you think?

[Cameron Wood]

As for why I need one in hand, I do have Scott Wynn's book on Japanese style hand planes. I am one who needs an actual piece in hand if I am going to make them. I have watched a whole bunch of You Tube videos on setting them up and using them, so I at least have an idea of what I am getting into. Surprising that the sole is actually not totally flat, but concaved before and behind the blade. While not stated, I am wondering if this will help make up for the tendency of flat planes to end up with a slightly convex surface on long jointing passes since hand planes don't have infeed/outfeed tables. One of the more interesting videos I saw, the guy put a piece of end grain in right ahead of the blade, which is the high wear part on the sole. This also is done with some of the western style planes. Ed, I will look up those sources. Oh, the plane floats, if you have ever watched the Stavros Gakos videos on You Tube, I am guessing he made all of his floats. They are as impressive as his finished products. If you haven't seen his videos, you should. True artistry.

Thanks for the responses.

robo hippy

I would just get some on ebay. By the time you get them tuned up, a lot has been learned and there is little need to start from scratch. If you make a plane body, you need the irons to start with, and the Japanese oak really is the best material for the body, so that would be bought.

Letting in a piece in front of the mouth is to make the opening smaller- it gets bigger as the sole is conditioned repeatedly.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15569300744...Cclp%3A2047675

[Cameron Wood]

Reed, I understand why you want one to examine/use and get a feel for.
One suggestion is to get one of these inexpensive planes.
https://kakuritools.com/collections/...-oak-body-42mm
They are even less on Amazon, $28.80
This is a great little plane for the price but it also has all the elements you want to look at.
Just a suggestion

That is a handy little plane, like a block plane, but not to be mistaken for a typical smoothing plane, with an iron almost twice as wide.

[Edward Weber]

That is a handy little plane, like a block plane, but not to be mistaken for a typical smoothing plane, with an iron almost twice as wide.

It's a little workhorse, good for lots of things. It's usually the first thing I reach for.