Reply To: Re-finishing Plane Handles & Knobs

Many thanks Ken and Jon 🙂

In answer to your question, I’d opt for the woodfiller approach, but would lightly wax the iron nub and 3/4 fill the receiver hole with filler before offering the handle up to it’s fitted position and tightening down for 24hrs.  The resulting fit should prove positive. 😉

A tight fit between nub and handle base isn’t really a necessity and I’d expect the handle has shrank a little over time and led to the handle feeling a little loose during use.  To correct this problem I’d shorten the threaded bolt by 1/8″ maximum and this typically resolves tightening issues.

Another cause could be where the handle has distorted slightly.  This normally leads to a gap at the leading underside of the handle’s foot and the means of correcting this problem is by either removing a small quantity of material from the heel, or by adding a soft leather washer to the handle base which compresses when the handle is tightened into place. 🙂