Thread: Best way to make a chip-breaker fit?

I would use a genno on a flat anvil to flatten down the ears / mimi (the top two raised corners), so they sit less proud. This will allow the backing iron to move further down.

You tap down the mimi.

Tappa tappa. Test. Tappa tappa.

Don't take any more out of the body.

Ditto to the above. On some of the cheaper caps that are very thick at the top (like the unmarked ones that come with a non-matching but quality blade), I will tap the ears some and then hone them off the rest of the way.

It's not unheard of to get a dai that has the pin in place such that you can't get your cap iron in. I've had two planes like that (where the cap that came with them literally didn't fit under the pin because the pin was too close for the cap no matter how flat it was).

Tap and test like mentioned above. If you have to force the cap too hard, it will distort the dai somewhat (as in, don't force it too much).

Shazam. Gave the ears a bit of a whack and used the stones to fine tune it further and eventually got a fit. Boy, they are deceptive for such a simple looking tool! Thanks for the help guys.

IMG_5641.jpg

Excellent. Did you scrape the sole before and after the mouth? It will give you a bit more control.

Looking at the shavings, give it tiny little taps on the bum and reduce the blade protrusion...it's quick when you do it a lot

Get a small metal genno, I find it's a tad better, YMMV.

I love my kanna

Ohhhhhh. I was of the impression that to alter the cut depth you would do so by slightly altering how far the chipbreaker edge is from the main blade edge (since it would ever so slightly require more or less room beneath the pin).

Thanks for the tip evanism. Surprising how little a tap you need, and it gives you quite a bit of control. I use a wooden mallet, but I've been wanting a genno, if nothing else because they look cool!

In regards to the sole, I guess this is where they have done a lot of the work for me. I have contact points on the front and back 1cm or so, along the edges of the plane and about half a centimetre on the front side of the mouth (the side being pulled towards you). But it is concave at the rear side of the mouth. Do I need to get a contact point there? Photo attached shows what I saw after penciling the sole and rubbing it back and forth for a few seconds on 400 grit sandpaper, blade inserted.

IMG_5648.jpg

It is my understanding that the hollows should extend all the way to the side edges of the plane. Also the area either side of the mouth is often chiseled a touch out so there is no chance of a high spots.

Thumbsucker is right. Where you have put the hashing pencil marks, that *very slight* depression should extend to the very edge. We are talking about using a scraper here, just to make a bit of fluff.

You ultimately want the high spots to be at the very front, the very back and just in front of the blade. I prefer just behind too (as I'm inept!).

Des King has an absolutely awesome and super detailed description on the entire process in his Kumiko book. I refer to it periodically... I still have questions, even though I've read it 55 times .... there is also this video series: https://www.youtube.com/user/Sumokun/videos called "how to tune up your Kanna". A lot of talk, but good.

You are right with the tapping. You want that blade to be tight in the dai. If it's loose, slip a bit of paper behind. No harm. Get that chip breaker 0.5mm to the blades tip, it makes a huge difference and only project the blade an absolute nano-hair out.... tap tap, test on wood, tap tap... retest It's a constant process as you use it... its not set-and-forget.... as the day changes temperature or your hands heat it up it changes. I find on some days it can be a real demon. Other days its the best tool I own

Have seen some of Sumokun's videos. Very thorough!

I shall get the cabinet scraper out and finish it up Will be interesting over time to compare it to a regular block plane.