How sharp is your plane?

[Tynyyn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRL3Y1xzlzI

This is a video of a Japanese wood plane with differing cap iron placement on the blade and differing cap iron leading edges. Yea, its 16 minutes long but it sure does a good job explaining why some American hand planes suck while others yield good results. Seems that you have to place the cap iron very close to the cutting end of the blade AND have the correct cap iron angle relative to the distance the cap iron is to the edge.

Now I'm no expert but after seeing this vid it drives home to me why some of my planes might not cut well. I will go and look at the cap iron mating surface to the blade and adjust the cap iron leading edge to 80* relative to the surface of the work piece.

[Wilbur Pan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRL3Y1xzlzI

This is a video of a Japanese wood plane with differing cap iron placement on the blade and differing cap iron leading edges.

Just so you know, I was one of the folks that created this video. The YouTube video that was linked to is an unauthorized copy of it. My main contribution was to help with translation and putting in the subtitles. The original version of the video and some commentary can be found here: http://giantcypress.net/post/23159548132...created-by

[spowers]

It does seem random, sometimes. I have rehabbed a Sargent jointer (no 7 size) that came out well, a No. 3 Stanley that is ok, and a Sargent jack that is spectacular. I haven't been tempted to throw any of them, though, lol. Now my LN spokesahaves...one of those actually did get thrown.

Check the flatness of your irons.  Have run into many of them which needed to be flattened before a could mating surface could be made between the iron and chipbreaker.  I use a ball peen hammer for flattening.