Thread: Using a smoothing plane as a scraper

I thought it might be worth recording my experience over the weekend for the benefit of other relative novices like me.

I'm currently making a sideboard, using Jarrah and Tasmanian Oak. The top is made from three pieces of Jarrah, biscuit-jointed and glued together to make a width of roughly 650 mm. The grain is very striking (I should have taken a photo - maybe I will - and post it later). Anyway, some of the grain is really tricky and reverses direction several times.

I was planing the surface, using two different planes: a Stanley #4 and a HNT Gordon smoother - both set very fine to take a really light shaving. Interestingly, I was getting a better result with the Stanley than with the Gordon - which shouldn't be the case since the steeper blade angle of the Gordon is designed for hardwood - but I suspect that the Stanley's blade is a bit sharper. Anyway, I was getting some tearout in the trickier grain areas with both planes. Very frustrating. I didn't want to sand the surface because the finish I was achieving in the areas without tear-out was superb.

Now, I have no experience with scrapers at all but advice from some of the more knowledgeable members of this BB (including Derek Cohen) tells me that it's possible to reverse the blade in the Gordon smoother and use it as a scraper. The theory is that, in its normal position, bevel-down, this plane has a bed angle of 60° and a blade honed at 30°. When you reverse the blade, it presents a face at 90° - a suitable angle for a scraper.

I was a bit apprehensive - as I said - no experience. Anyway - what the hell - I thought I'd give it a go. I'm glad I did. The scraper action just peeled off a tiny shaving without any tear-out at all. I was able, with light passes across the tricky areas, to get a glassy smooth surface.

If you haven't tried this technique, give it a burl - you'll be pleased with the results.

Col