Japanese plane set up

The Japanese plane is a special tool that has been used by Japanese woodworkers for centuries. Working with the Japanese plane is a special experience, mainly because of the extraordinary precision that the instrument offers.

A well-tuned plane will produce wafer-thin shavings, and those who have experience with the tool will be able to plane a continuous curl along the entire length of a surface. Reworking will therefore often not be necessary.

It can take some practice to get the block, iron board and plane iron just right, especially for the western woodworker who does not have much experience with Japanese tools. However, the result is more than worth the effort. Therefore, in the following we give a brief guide to the use and maintenance of a Japanese plane so that everyone can benefit from this special instrument.

japanse-schaaf-300x150

Setting up the planing block

After purchase, a Japanese plane is not immediately ready for use - on the contrary. The carefully designed tool must first be re-set up so that it is fully adapted to the conditions in which it will be used.

First of all, it is important that the planing block is adapted to the plane iron and the chipbreaker to be used in it. This has already happened during the production of the planing block, but often the wood changes due to the changing climatic conditions during production and transport, which means that the irons no longer fit perfectly.

To fit the plane block to the plane blade, the plane iron must first be removed from the block. You do this by alternately hitting the left and right corners between the back and the top of the block with a small hammer. Meanwhile, place a finger on the blade so that it cannot shoot away.

After removing the iron, colour it in with a soft pencil or a slow-drying felt-tip pen. Then put it back into the block, tap it gently and remove it again as described above. Wherever pencil or felt-tip pen is now visible, the block is too tight. Plane these areas smooth and repeat the process until the bed is wide enough for the iron, with some slack on both sides.

Taken off a little too much? No problem: just glue a thin piece of cardboard to the iron bed!

instructies-japanse-shaven-690x200

Straighten the sole of the plane

If the wood deforms due to changes in temperature and humidity, this also has consequences for the evenness of the sole. Fortunately, it is also easy to test here whether something needs to be adjusted. Rub a perfectly smooth surface - like a glass plate or mirror - with ink and drag the plane over it (with the iron in place but without protruding at the bottom). Smooth out the high spots that have been inked, for example, with a scraper. Repeat this process until the sole is completely smooth.

 

Insert the chip breaker

The chipbreaker breaks wood fibres so that they do not crack before they are cut loose from the plane iron. It is important that the chipbreaker fits exactly on the plane iron, otherwise wood chips can get stuck in the opening and make planing harder and less accurate.

If there is not enough space in the iron bed of the plane for the chipbreaker, the wood can be adjusted in the same way as with the plane iron. The chipbreaker is then positioned so that it gets stuck under the metal pin that is inserted through the bed. It is important, of course, that the plane iron that has already been placed does not slip.

 

instructies-chisel-690x200

 

The use

When all parts of the plane are properly adjusted, the tool can actually be put into use. The Japanese plane differs from the Western plane in one important respect: it is used with a pulling motion, so pull it towards you when planing. To do this, place your "good" hand in front of the iron bed of the plane, and the other hand on the back to be able to steer the plane. If the surface to be planed is very long, it may be necessary to go along with the instrument.

It is important to maintain the plane well, especially if it is used regularly. Due to a variety of circumstances, the wood of the plane block may warp again, whereupon the above steps need to be repeated briefly. This way, the performance of the plane remains undiminished and you can continue to enjoy its exceptional functionality.