Hi Folks,

I’ve been working with a local hardwood (Victorian Ash or Tasmanian Oak) which is planing beautifully on the faces and edges using an old Stanley No4. However, whenever I try planing the end grain, the plane just skips over it with the fine settings that worked so well on the face and edges. If I coarsen the blade setting, by the time it actually does stop skipping over the wood, it digs in terribly because the blade is extended so far, particularly if the growth rings are pronounced.

I’ve taken to trying to pare the end grain with a chisel to try and get anything remotely clean. While that works and gives me a nice smooth cut (at least for small sections), it has its own variations and set of problems that make me want to get the planing mastered.

I’d love to be able to get a nice clear planed end like Paul demonstrates so often, but I’m wondering if this type of timber is not suited for a standard plane (there must be a reason besides marketing for low angle block planes) or if I just don’t have the blade sharpened correctly for this type of wood. I’m using a Veritas honing guide at 30deg as I still botch the sharpening if I do it free hand.

I’m sure that there are other timbers out there that are as hard or harder than this one that people have successfully worked, so if anyone has any suggestions for dealing with this type of timber, I’d appreciate it.

Regards,

Laci