How to get SILKY SMOOTH SHAVINGS from a PLANE

[@MattEstlea]

**DISCLAIMER** This is a video on how to set up a plane, not how to tune a plane. Check description for more details!

[@edgarshowmewoodenbenchsbla2197]

Matt Estlea - Furniture rockpainting SHOW ME ROCK PINTING

[@MattEstlea]

They have different names depending on the country and manufacturer is what I find. Lie-Nielsen call that part the chipbreaker because it does exactly that. www.axminster.co.uk/lie-nielsen-improved-chipbreakers-ax460239

[@MichaelOlsen-Engineer]

My point in all of this is that your video mixed up several of the terms. You suggested that the Lever Cap was also called the Cap Iron. This is false in all cases of Western planes. Further, not all Western planes use a Lever Cap (There are many fine adjustable Dutch, Nordic, and German planes that use a simple wedge, yet all of these use the Iron & Cap Iron assembly). Thus my intent was simply to clarify and to provide information that would allow you to address to matter factually as a professional so as to maintain the strong credibility and reputation you now enjoy. My most sincere apology if it came across in any other manner. As to the term "Chip Breaker", Axminster uses the term in its slang form because many people remember the secondary function of the part. The actual owners and engineers at Lie-Nielsen still use the proper names when presenting or teaching (I have attended many of their presentations). The slang is a simplified marketing tool. Chip breakers are actually not a requirement as show by the various oriental planes that also produce extremely thin shavings. In there case they also eliminate the Cap Iron and Lever Cap. That said the Iron itself is nearly three (3) times as thick as traditional Western Irons. That dramatically increases time required to shape, grind, hone, and polish the cutting edge. For Western planes, the Cap Iron's main purpose to stiffen the Iron in a spring tension manner (similar to the way leaf springs provide the majority of suspension stiffness in a car). This allows for thinner Iron that are much easier to make and to maintain. It also allows for the use of different metals, alloys etc. who's cost would be prohibitive in a thicker blade. While this stiffening is essential to producing a clean and consistent cut, the chip breaking is simply a "bonus feature" which is just as easily achieved by replacing the hump with a short bevel and allowing the sloping face of the Lever Cap to "pick up the slack". These sort of "trivial errors" have two effects over time when left unaddressed/corrected. Firstly, they cause confusion for the less experienced (I deal with this every day when I teach Traditional Joinery). Secondly, they lower your credibility and reputation as an expert. Given your craftsmanship, personality, easy teaching style, and following, that would indeed be a sad self inflicted injustice. As I have a sincere respect for you as both a fellow craftsman and an educator, I was simply trying to help. Again, my apologies if my words suggested anything else.

[@normansmith2358]

Matt Estlea m

[@skull8093]

Okay but can I tune it to C at 423hz?

[@deanaoxo]

Wow, i'm 65, been struggling with this for some time, am finally getting the sharpening down, and for whatever reason, your way of explaining just works for me. I'm also happy to say i've been to your town and even flown kites there~!~thanks so much.

[@lilcicero77]

dean jordan there are a number of things that he explains better than anyone else, and this is one of them. Very impressive

[@cookinwithdad6]

From a 44 year old dude who is brand new to wood working , I sincerely thank you for your efforts on producing this video. Well done!

[@chewykarma]

Matt took the time to explain the basics that all the experts gloss over. Simple. Concise. Fun to watch. Thanks!

[@jerryspfs]

Glad I found you. I'm a hobby wood worker whose been gradually moving up to furniture making. My daughter gave me a set of planes for Christmas so now I need to figure out how to use them.

[@bscepter]

Best woodworking videos on KZbin, hands down. No bull, just simple (and entertaining) instruction. BTW, Matt, I believe it's pronounced "Lee" Neilsen, with a long "e." Carry on!

[@GNU_Linux_for_good]

05:35 That snapping sound makes me shiver - thank you *Lie-Nielsen*

[@gautambarua8260]

You are an excellent teacher with great in depth knowledge of your craft.

[@danielloidolt1644]

Found a Stanley Plane from my Father in his Workbench, was fascinated by it and now i also know how to set it up properly! Thanks for that Video it was fun to watch, good and sufficient explanation, very sympathetic , makes me want to do more woodwork right now! Keep up the good work !

[@howardgluckman999]

definitely the best didactic videos i have sun on You tube. Excellent explanations that everyone can easily understand. Thanks Matt

[@kylesmith7339]

Best plane setup video I’ve ever seen, and I’ve watched many.

[@johnmackenzie2311]

Thanks for the time you took to make this excellent video. I just sharpened my Lie Nielsen #4 Brass Smoothing Plane and as I was putting it back together I forgot exactly how it all went back together. I'm a beginner and still learning. Your video was the answer. Well shot, well explained and easy to listen to. Thanks, thanks, thanks!

[@kaalbairav8944]

The video is very good.Very simple and fundamental ideas for a beginner.Thanks gentleman

[@jackbloznowski5429]

You did a fantastic job in explaining the setup of a plane. Some of the details are not explained in other KZbin tutorials. Thank You

[@jeffmastin]

Thanks! My blade was upside down. Can you believe it? Works great now. Worked ok before but hard to plane laying on the floor on my back under the table. Thanks for giving the basics-you don't know how much we know

[@groovedwareman]

Mine too! I was wondering why it wouldn't shave and was cussing and swearing at it. Saw your video and noticed I had the blade upside down. Tried swapping it around now shaves perfectly!! Thanks for that.

[@grumblycurmudgeon]

Good gods man! I must have seen 250 "how to sharpen a plane" videos, and you're the VERY FIRST ONE I've EVER seen show how to REASSEMBLE the damn things! I've been working with hand planes for DECADES, but I still watch these for the occasional tip or trick I've never seen before, and, do ya know: the whole "rotate 90 degrees on the chip breaker" never occurred to me. Thank you so much! There's ONE thing I'd call out (well, not "call out" so much as "ask for more detail"), mainly because, again: I've never seen an explanation on it. What does one do if the fit between the chip-breaker and blade is bad? I see this a lot on newer planes ("Buck, I'm looking at you. Stanley, stop trying to hide behind Buck. Why can't you two be more like Lie or Garrett over there?"). I've also seen a plane blade SPLIT LENGTHWISE because there was a pronounced camber on the breaker and when someone tightened down the lock screw, well, it was like a pair of glass running pliers hit the blade. Now, I personally was taught the whole "flatten the BOTTOM ONLY (the part that touches blade) on high-grit on a granite lapping stone or float glass, then square the tip, then add a MINUTE roundover on the TOP intersection only (to minimize drag/snagging on heavily-figured grain)" approach, but in truth? I've never actually known if that was the "correct" approach or if it was just my teacher's way. It seems to work fine, but... he didn't teach me the rotate 90 thing either.

[@apmdavies]

Very good video. I already knew most of these points but it is refreshing to see someone who knows the art of effectively communicating this to others.

[@donlim772]

Watched several videos already. You explained the best.

[@robertdiffin9136]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Old fart total noob here, and now I’m no longer afraid to try using that mysterious tool from my dad’s collection. Can’t wait to make my first “wispy shavings.”

[@juleswebb1885]

Exquisite concise clarity of explanation. Not one 'um' or 'err' to be heard! : )

[@donbush6702]

Hi Matt I don't know if you answer any comments, but I would just like to say that your passion for woodworking definitely shows, and I am appreciating every one. I am recently retired and although never having worked with my hands would dearly love to be able to take on some simple projects. My problem is knowing where to start and what to use. I would love some suggestions. Many thanks for the simple and informative videos you have posted to date.

[@Mike-Holiday]

It’s 2yrs late, though did you find your answers?

[@maradall]

Definitely the best bench plane set-up tutorial for a beginner!

[@MikeSmith-sg9pt]

I have a 60 year old plane from my Grandad that I was totally baffled by and terrified of knackering! I now totally get it and it's so fine! Thanks

[@ScottTurnerformeindustrious]

Such a good job on your tutorial, both instruction and video technique, well done!

[@MattEstlea]

Thank you Scott, very much appreciated!

[@RusselKaplan]

Finally realize that the backlash was throwing my blade off. Great video, excellent instruction. Thanks Matt!

[@jefftothealbright]

Thank you for this, Matt! I’ve been looking for a video exactly like this for months.

[@jefftothealbright]

Yes, I liked, commented, and subscribed. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Drwal_1984]

Freak’n finaly, after 2 day’s of searching I find a vid that’s accualy explaining my issues :) thx, I’m sub’ing and satying.

[@chipscheler2747]

Thanks Matt I knew that the different types of steel had different benefits but this was the first time I've heard them explained. Thanks!

[@DRusso-sy4vj]

Good day! Another super informative video Matt! Outstanding information for the "plane" uninformed! Thanks for the great work! -Diane, Florida, USA

[@MattEstlea]

Haa I like what you did there. Cheers Diane!

[@mrgibbs7710]

This video has made me alot more confident about using block planes, cheers!

[@jimblack2331]

Another great video Matt! Didn't realise that retracting the blade in increments would keep highlighting how square it was! Everyday is a school day!

[@mikehopkins4040]

Good video, clear and concise.

[@morganplatt6762]

Excellent video. Very informative and extremely well produced and presented. As an engineer starting out in wood work, I find your vids very helpful. Just subscribed.

[@TonyV_in_the_OC]

You are lucky. You've found and work in your passion and have a very skilled method of instruction with language your audience understands. Been with you for a while now, been dropping your channel in my comments across YT, I hope that helps with numbers. Excellent again, thank you. Tony "V" in the OC

[@TheTranq]

Never new about the backlash but always felt it... that is great to know. Thank you

[@terrapin52]

Outstanding explanation! This answered a lot of questions I had as I am a novice at planing

[@andrewschannel3635]

This video is so much better than the new 2022 one, less information is more.

[@VIDEOEPPO]

wow!. This is a good video and I appreciate the way you presented it. I make videos too, by learning stuff from other videos. I have done a few projects but squaring the wood is always been difficult for me. I was thinking on watching some videos on hand planes before I bought one. You gave me the confidence right when I need it most. Thank you!

[@daviesad77]

Hello, just started wood work and found your vid very helpful. I have also subscribed and look forward to more of your videos.

[@RetroHoo]

You have a real talent for explaining these things, you manage to strike a nice balance in skill level and tools a starter can realistically own. I started with the ambition to make things out of wood, now I realize that more than anything else I really enjoy the process. It's incredibly satisfying to make things out wood using only handtools. Thanks!

[@throwachair]

brilliant explanation of a vital tool, impressed yet again.

[@TheTranq]

Matt, your videos are so helpful and to the point. Thanks for making these

[@robertlangley258]

I’m a subscriber after watching two of your videos, well done young fellow.

[@DominicPannell]

A beautiful explanation. Thank you, Matt.

[@michaelmiller6519]

Thanks, I needed that. Just starting to work with hand planes.

[@jack002tuber]

I never knew this. So good to know. Thank you

[@rangeofhills]

Wonderful. Thanks Matt.

[@nielsberkers]

Love these video's. I always wanted to learn woodworking and I can create the courser things just fine. But the detailed woodworking always was a problem. Now I finally got my plane sharp and I get smooth shavings. I find it hard to stear though. I can't say it cuts more in the middle thand the sides. Maybe due to my honing guide (veritas precision honing guide) Managed to handplane a straight edge on a board just now for the first time in my live. I love this. Thank you so much

[@tsarbamba642]

amazing video. i kinda had to figure a lot of these things out on my own, now i know what i'm doing isn't completely ridiculous haha

[@ibrayosef]

Very nicely explained. Thanks.

[@AreBaloni]

Really love your videos, Matt! Keep up the good work!

[@sharissejones2874]

Thank you for this video. I have always had a hard time with my planes. You have explained it very well, I will let you know how I did.

[@MrWoody135]

What a great video. Learned loads. Many thanks.

[@ArbyCreations]

Great video as always Matt.

[@amblernectar]

Great video mate

[@henrysiegertsz8204]

Brilliant videos Matt, another thing to do in my shop, when I get home in December!

[@steverochon1620]

I've been enthralled with hand tools for several years now, having moved from an exclusive power tool woodworker to a true hybrid. I admit that I didn't expect to learn a great deal from this video, although the tip about tilting the plane up to meet a level iron makes so much sense that I felt like a friggin' idiot for not figuring that out by now. I watched because a.) it was you doing the video, and b.) I confess to watching 35 minutes of Paul Sellers' videos JUST BECAUSE I LOVE THE SOUND HIS PLANE MAKES AS IT SKATES ACROSS A PIECE OF WOOD!!!! I'm hopeless.....

[@MattEstlea]

I know, it seems so obvious doesn't it?! Chris Schwarz showed me it a few years ago when I went on a course with him. And yes, I live for the whistling sound produced from a plane!

[@jeffreythompson9549]

Susurrus is such a lovely word.............................................

[@brock2306]

Absolutely love your explanation! Very clear. I look forward to tool duel every time! Any ideas for your next project (work of art)? I'm looking forward to it!

[@MattEstlea]

Cheers Brock! Not entirely sure just yet. I really like making boxes and never really had an opportunity to do it properly at Rycotewood. It wont be an ordinary box though!

[@ChrisHornberger]

Do you cover frog placement and adjustment?

[@chipsterb4946]

How to set up a plane... thank you! I just opened a box from Lee Valley with my first real plane inside. Now I know what to do after getting the blade flat and sharp.

[@PahjoDesigns]

Your videos are awesome! Keep up the good work.

[@georgegonzalez-rivas3787]

Good, useful stuff. Well done.

[@HS-yk9he]

Excellent video. Very informative

[@a0flj0]

Paul Sellers has a video on sharpening and setting up a plane. For setup, he advises to take shavings, with the blade retracted as much as possible, see on which side the shavings are thicker, then adjust the left-right lever. I found that procedure to be useful - especially when the plane's sole is iron, it's not easy to tell by eye which side stands out more or less, once you get very close to straight.

[@ajuan2005]

nice video I like this guy full of passions.

[@MrJayprojects]

Best video ever about planes.

[@idfree7467]

You're very talented boy, Appreciated of u👍👍👍

[@smerd1]

Sweet video Matt, when I was an apprentice back in the 80's we were taught to place the plane on a piece of white paper so the cutting iron appeared as a dark shadow protruding from the bottom of the plane body :-)

[@MattEstlea]

I’ve tried that with spokeshaves and it seems to work very well!

[@ianmathieson65]

smerd1 Matt did mention in the video the benefit if resting the plane on a white sheet of paper but chose not to in this instance saying the bench top was a light enough colour already.

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

In the seventies it was face the window and look for the hair. My eyes are now so fucked I couldn't see a hare on the sole.

[@jamesh8710]

insanely helpful, thanks!

[@AndreaArzensek]

Smash that like button people, not the plane to the bench! Nice tips! Love those, very useful!

[@mikehancock9062]

Hello Matt, I stumbled across your channel and really enjoy the quality and content of the videos. I instantly subscribed. I wanted to know if you have a video or plans for making the protrusion guide or stop as you call it? I would like t know how to accurately make one. Keep up the great work and thanks for educating us. Mike

[@MattEstlea]

Cheers Mike! Glad to hear the KZbin algorithm is working in my favour! If you buy the Lie-Nielsen guide, it comes with a booklet that has all of the protrusion distances needed for various angles. If you buy a cheaper honing guide such as this one: www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-rider-honing-guide-340147 The protrusion distances for both 25 and 30 degrees are printed on the side. Otherwise, refer to this article, its pretty comprehensive! www.highlandwoodworking.com/library/lie-nielsen/AngleSettingJig.pdf Hope that helps!

[@Mikhandmaker]

Nice video Matt! What is the name of that screwdriver that you use in the video?

[@MattEstlea]

Here you go! www.axminster.co.uk/plane-screwdriver-210904 It's supplied by Lee Valley if I remember correctly, great bit of kit!

[@Mikhandmaker]

Matt Estlea Thanks, I have already bought it!! :))

[@MattEstlea]

I was going to say 'Happy Screwing' but thought better of it. Enjoy!

[@meanders9221]

Veritas

[@tonyrowan3192]

Matt I think you have found your vocation. Excellent sequence of videos.

[@MattEstlea]

Cheers Tony, really kind of you!

[@thedr00]

I learned a lot watching this, thanks for sharing!

[@mikefrancis6861]

I just literally had that issue of shacings clogging the mouth because my blade and chip breaker are cheap. I have the arched breaker. And it was not flat. I shaved it down to match the blade and smoothed it. Problem fixed.

[@pedrogarciaorejel4657]

Good night, can you tell me what plane you use? I want to buy a wood river plane. What do you think about? Thanks

[@timflanigan8586]

Fantastic information, well done! Kept hearing Gordon Ramsey.... good on ya!

[@MattEstlea]

Oh no... I can't remember if it was you that said I sounded like Gordon Ramsey in a previous video. If not, then you're the second person to say that! Cheers mate!

[@elbenaso]

great vid, buddy

[@SgtBooker44]

Outstanding explanation. New sub.

[@harrymorton6699]

great video!!

[@rokpodlogar6062]

excellent.

[@bperkins]

Thank you for the nice video - I've subscribed to see others. I would have liked to see your thoughts on frog adjustment. Maybe it is in another video someplace. thanks!

[@StuffIMade]

Very well explained! Scares me when you wave the blade around ;)

[@RishabhGKoenigseggRegera]

Brilliant video

[@FabianRomano1]

Thanks for sharing, I'm watching all your videos, super helpful and to the point !. Question: Isn't the center of the board edge "lower" after planing since your blade is cambered ?? If you stacked to boards for planing flat before gluing them together through the planed edge maybe the fit won't be perfect ?? The camber is microns but does it matter ?? (maybe for guitar building it does ?)

[@JasperXoR]

Good pointers, I figured out my planes by trial and error. I know realize that my tension is too tight for adjustments to be made well. Will back off the screw and re clamp together.

[@Lumens1]

Perhaps a video on adjusting the frog?

[@juleswebb1885]

To adjust a frog, first you must tamper with a tadpole : )

[@james-jq8sk]

Not sure if you will ever read this Matt, but is the beautiful cabinet to your left one of your creations?

[@abvoyager333]

Hi Matt, what adjustment would you make to the frog and how would you set it up?

[@dthillafap]

Well done. Nicely edited so all information trimmed to the essential elements. Subscribed.

[@manoharsagunthalla9215]

Thank you very much for the good explanation. This is what expected from the experience person but no body explained like this. Can you tell me which plane to be used for which work because I have been seen many planes i.e. Long one, medium one and short one etc. please explain the correct usages.

[@gaminawulfsdottir3253]

Well-done video.

[@TheLastPharm]

One thing I'm missing is the relationship/ difference between the depth of the blade sticking out and the amount of 'gap' between the blade and the toe of the base. They both have an influence on the depth of cut, do they not?

[@brian1749]

Your videos are amazing! Thank you very much for making them!

[@d3strac00l]

very useful, thanks...

[@mikepetzold6357]

I’m new at using planes and was wonder why i always got shavings stuck between the two plates, brand new Stanley number 4. Now I know

[@bsouza1675]

Matt, in your opinion, who makes the best #4 plane?

[@robpaterson5274]

So what do you use the silky smooth shavings for? Aren't shavings a by product of shaping timber,?

[@GizmoDuck_1860]

Great video, but what am I doing wrong? My blade protrudes well past the plane mouth when I insert the blade and I can't wind it in all the way, even wound hard to port the blade still protrudes and I've run out of thread to turn.

[@nwimpney]

is there a second notch where the adjuster engages the blade? Often there is more than one, so that when you've sharpened away too much of the iron, you can advance to the next notch and keep using it. if you put the blade in at the wrong notch, you might not have enough adjustment to make it work.

[@ecaff9515]

Excellent