Foreign 102 block plane

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DavidB

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Apologies in advance if this prompts one of those sharpening "debates", but I was wondering if there's a consensus on the honing angle for this block plane I picked up on ebay- just the standard 30 degrees? It's a bevel-up affair with the iron bedded at ~25 degrees.
20140316_022748.jpg

It has "FOREIGN" cast on the body- I'm assuming this is the manufacturer? I've never heard of them so any info on this fella's origins would also be appreciated...

Cheers!
 

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If that's a brand name, I think only a chinese would brand a product "Foreign"...

With such a bedding angle, I don't think you have much choice - i't either 25 (bedding) + 25 (bevel) + 2-3(honing) = 53 degrees cutting angle or up. Not lower (I wouldn't go to a 20 degree bevel on a plane of dubious quality).
On my 13 degree bedding block plane I sharpen at 25 degrees and hone at 30, and have a spare iron ready for honing at a steeper angle if need arises.
 
'Foreign' was often stamped into items manufactured in Axis countries after the war, 'Made in Germany' wasn't much of a selling point at the time.
 
I've read that "Foreign" mean German made. The reason given is that Germany was less than popular after the World Wars.
 
Thanks all for the responses- 25 seems to work fine. Interesting bit of history, although stamping Foreign in lieu of a brand name (rather than just leaving it blank) seems a bit superfluous.
Cheers,
DB
 
GLFaria":xpj83ovu said:
With such a bedding angle, I don't think you have much choice - i't either 25 (bedding) + 25 (bevel) + 2-3(honing) = 53 degrees cutting angle or up. Not lower

Just noticed this ... you could of course go lower by using a back bevel - I used 20 one side, 8 on the other. Whether it is worth the bother is debatable.
 
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