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If ahand planeisn’t part of yourtool chest, it should be.
When the plane is pushed forward, the blade cuts off a very thin shaving of the work material.
Longer jack planes provide a smoother surface by bridging the gaps and shaving off the humps.
Vasily Pindyurin/Getty Images
Safety Considerations
A hand plane is razor-sharp.
Never place a hand or any part of your body in front of the plane during use.
Remove the Blade
Remove the blade from the plane by unscrewing it.
Add Sharpening Oil
Squirt a few drops of sharpening oil on the whetstone.
Sharpen One Side
Prop the blade on the whetstone with the angled side down.
The blade should be at a 23- to 25-degree angle.
Slide the blade around in slow circles.
This removes burrs from the blade.
Wipe the oil off of the blade.
Place blankets or towels under the door to avoid marring it.
The sharp end of the blade should extend from the bottom of the plane between 1/64-inch and 1/32-inch.
Consider the Grain
Plane in the direction of the wood’s grain rise.
A rise is where the grain continues off the edge of the work material.
Planing in this direction ensures that the wood will not splinter.
Push the Plane Forward
Set the hand plane on the work material.
You must push the plane with firm, decisive movements to make it cut through the wood.
If not, the plane’s blade may catch in the wood and prevent the plane from moving.
