Kanna technique

**siavoshb** · 3rd April 2014, 04:39 PM

I recently purchased a 65mm Koyama hand plane as my first entry into the world of Japanese hand planes. I've watched/read as much as I could on how to set them up. But I still don't think I have the proper technique.

I've set up the kanna as a smoother, with two touch points: just before the blade cuts and at the heal (the part closest to me when i pull), with clearance int he front (the part furthest away from me when I pull).

Yet when I near the end of my pull stroke, thee kanna can only be touching on one touch-point, as the other is already off the work piece. As a result, the angle of the blade into the wood becomes less supported, and I keep digging into the beam.

I was wondering what I'm doing wrong?

Also for some reason after I plane enough, when I check with a straight edge, it looks like my work piece is becoming concave slightly.

Any tips/diagnoses would be much appreciated. Thank you!

**Gadge** · 4th April 2014, 08:15 AM

Others may have better suggestions but I find it's best to just keep the plane horizontal when it runs off the end of the board. If you really want to be able to go all the way to the edge and make the surface true, you may be better off using three points of contact as per a trueing plane. As for the concave surface, I suggest you make sure you are cutting right from first contact with the edge of the board and keep the leading edge of the dai in contact with the board until you get to the end and then keep horizontal as you run over the end. Practice, practice, practice.

Regards,
Gadge

**Pam** · 4th April 2014, 07:56 PM

For what it's worth, many flatten the soles of their joinery planes; or, a smoother does not a joiner make.

Pam

**siavoshb** · 5th April 2014, 03:08 PM

Thanks folks. I guess for my next plane, I'll shoot for a jointer plane configuration (3 touch points or all flat). This makes me wonder though, what's the purpose of the 2-touch points on a smoother? I've read it's for reducing friction, adding a burnishing effect, minimizing sole conditioning effort ... but intuitively I don't yet fully grasp how impactful these are to the final results? Any tip would be appreciated for a 1st ignorant time kanna user

**Evanism** · 5th April 2014, 04:58 PM

I pull with my front hand and push down with the rear.

A long smooth shoulder driver action helps. For tough jobs I move my whole body in one smooth action with only a half involvement with my arms.

**Gadge** · 7th April 2014, 10:07 AM

Hi Siavoshb,

Anyone please correct me here if I'm wrong but my understanding of the two point contact is to quickly plane uneven surfaces. The 2 points allowing the plane to ride along a slightly undulating surface whereas 3 points will only contact the high points. After the surface is prepared with the 2 points the 3 pointer can true the surface.

Regards,
Garry

**Pam** · 7th April 2014, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Gadge

Anyone please correct me here if I'm wrong but my understanding of the two point contact is to quickly plane uneven surfaces. The 2 points allowing the plane to ride along a slightly undulating surface whereas 3 points will only contact the high points. After the surface is prepared with the 2 points the 3 pointer can true the surface.

Don't know about quickly, but one of the goals of a smoother, western or eastern, is to follow those undulations. This is why smoothers can be so short, like coffin smoothers with flat soles.

Pam

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