Restore a W Butcher No 4 hand plane

This is my second restoration project after picking up a bunch of other tools from a local salvage guy

I have already restored the axe



It’s is a W Butcher No 4 hand plane, with a cast stainless steel blade



Here’s what it looked like



I cleaned and sharpened the blade for a Tool Care Badge Bit - you can see all the steps I took. It was rusty and notched, so after 24 hours in a vinegar bath, it was sanded and then progressively sharpened with sharpening stones.

I cleaned the wood with a rag and then oiled with walnut oil. The base has been repaired and the inlay was no longer flush. It had warped slightly. I sanded with 320 grit sand paper and then lightly sanded the whole base - it felt a little sticky in places.



And here it is all finished. I was taught never to place a plane on blade, so both images are taken with it on it’s side.  

fantastic job!  you have a real knack for restoration - cheers!

You said you were having trouble getting good shavings with it.

That's usually not solely because of the sharpness, but also because of the set-up. First is the blade depth and chip breaker depth if there is one. You have to set these manually with a mallet I presume? There's usually a bit of getting used to the way a blade seats in any wooden plane. Sometimes you need to adjust the mouth. If it's too loose, you can slip some paper under the blade to give it more grip when you seat it.

This looks like a wooden body western style push plane. I'm not as familiar with this type as I am the Japanese style pull planes, but the basics should be the same.

Other than blade depth, it's also important to have the sole of the plane in the correct profile. Wood moves and warps, but it is easy to manipulate, and more often than not you can use a scraper to shave off a few thousandths of an inch of material to get it set. For a Japanese style plane anyway you don't have to get the entirety of the sole completely flat, nor is this really desirable. I'm having trouble finding the typical methodology for western planes. It looks like some people true them flat (seems like a waste of time to me...) and also risks opening the blade mouth too wide as you remove the full surface of the sole.

Can you hold up the sole of the plane with a straight edge on the width, length, and two diagonals with light behind it so we can see the curvature of the sole? Also the width just in front of the blade mouth.

Were this a Japanese plane - I would point you here: https://www.lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/24608

I've been trying to find an equivalent guide for a western style, but my internet connection is shoddy this morning. This looks like a decent start: https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/adjusting-wooden-planes/

This is an old book that's been transcribed to the internet and has some very good information: https://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/woodworking/Bench-Work-In-Wood/index.html Look at section 66 Planes and Plane-like tools.

L. Johnson wrote:You said you were having trouble getting good shavings with it.

That's usually not solely because of the sharpness, but also because of the set-up. First is the blade depth and chip breaker depth if there is one. You have to set these manually with a mallet I presume? There's usually a bit of getting used to the way a blade seats in any wooden plane. Sometimes you need to adjust the mouth. If it's too loose, you can slip some paper under the blade to give it more grip when you seat it.

This looks like a wooden body western style push plane. I'm not as familiar with this type as I am the Japanese style pull planes, but the basics should be the same.

Other than blade depth, it's also important to have the sole of the plane in the correct profile. Wood moves and warps, but it is easy to manipulate, and more often than not you can use a scraper to shave off a few thousandths of an inch of material to get it set. For a Japanese style plane anyway you don't have to get the entirety of the sole completely flat, nor is this really desirable. I'm having trouble finding the typical methodology for western planes. It looks like some people true them flat (seems like a waste of time to me...) and also risks opening the blade mouth too wide as you remove the full surface of the sole.

Can you hold up the sole of the plane with a straight edge on the width, length, and two diagonals with light behind it so we can see the curvature of the sole? Also the width just in front of the blade mouth.

Were this a Japanese plane - I would point you here: https://www.lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/24608

I've been trying to find an equivalent guide for a western style, but my internet connection is shoddy this morning. This looks like a decent start: https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/adjusting-wooden-planes/

This is an old book that's been transcribed to the internet and has some very good information: https://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/woodworking/Bench-Work-In-Wood/index.html Look at section 66 Planes and Plane-like tools.

Thank you! Some fantastic information there. I really appreciate you putting in the time and saving me a whole load of search time.

I have a deep love and appreciation for Japan and some of their thinking. Just because something is done in one way, doesn’t mean it’s the best way. I’ve only used a Japanese saw once, but the precision of a pull action, is far greater than a push. I’m guessing it’s the same with planes. I’ve asked my salvage guy to let me know if any Japanese planes come into his shop. It’s going to be a long wait. In theory, if I had a blade, I could build one.

I’ll get back to you on your questions - just wanted to drop you a quick note of thanks.

James MacKenzie wrote:fantastic job!  you have a real knack for restoration - cheers!

Thank you! I mostly applying what I’ve learnt doing Badge Bits here.