: Hi George;

: I agree wholeheartedly, but I might not place the plane so far up the list! I
: even used my Record low angle block plane to shape my recent wooden
: recorder (1-1/8" dia.), because it was so controllable. Fast, smooth,
: efficient material removal is what a plane is all about, and just a little
: practice can generate some great results. Are you guys sharpening your
: plane irons enough? [VBG]

: Wish I had more woodworking time lately, Spidey

Ah yes, a classic example of tool infatuation

You love a tool and you use it for everything you can think of, even for things it was not intended for.

I know it well. I’ve done this myself.

When I learned gas welding I bought jeweler’s torches and welded tiny little figures out of drips of steel. At the other extreme I welded a pair of life sized human figures that took me months (fortunately in the winter) pushing liquid drips of steel around. Everyone thought I was nuts. Now I can look back and agree, but at the time I thought gas welding was the IT!

If you want to master a tool this is the way to do it. But just be aware of what you’re doing building a boat or mastering a tool. You need not inflict your path on an unknowing novice.

You say, "use a block plane for this", and when it doesn’t work you say, "Oh, it’s not the fault of the technique, it’s just that you don’t know what SHARP is. Go back and learn to sharpen your plane."

This is exactly why this is the wrong tool for the novice to use in this application.

When you have had experience with a vast number of tools you will be able to choose the tool for each task that wastes no effort.

Do you know what a block plane’s intended use is?

Trimming endgrain.

Rob