I think I'm TURNING JAPANESE!

[jimi43]

I have always liked tools from the Orient and particularly Japan.

I have a few chisels...a couple of saws and strangely...a few kanna-mi (irons) but no plane.

Well...today all that changed with a parcel from that distant isle....

Just over £20...it was hardly a major risk and there were lots of questions I had that needed answering and the only way to do that was getting a dai (body) with the metal bits!

I chose this one after looking for over two years...I wanted it to be in pretty good condition...though not too old and worn out...and I needed to be able to tune it before it was too buggered up by someone else. Plus this one had the most amazing grain in the Japanese red oak...

The iron was rather nice too...and within minutes I had it close to where I wanted it...

The omote or "face" needed no tapping out and, as can be seen...is flat across the edge and the sides..all near perfect.

It was really tight in the chute and it appears that the plane has never been tuned...a real bonus.

This became very evident as I checked the sole and there was a very pronounced wobble across opposite corners so I will tune this up tomorrow to give the required shape...coplanar sole either side of the mouth and to the rear being the most important element.

Markings on the iron are rather nice...

...and I've sent that image off to a friend for translation.

This proved to be a great distraction from working on the UK Infill Plane...and gives me a break to think on something else.

The edge is good...shaves hair really well as would be expected....

Quite a bit of tuning to be done but that's the fun of the Japanese Hira Kanna....I look forward to getting some nice shavings from this little baby!

More later...after tuning!

Oh...ALFIE wanted to join in....AGAIN!!!

ALFIE the SAMURAI DOG!!

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Cheers

Jimi

 

[Vann]

Where's the ten minute video of you opening that parcel? :mrgreen:

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Cowboy _Builder]

Here's the video .... http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... nP3iOLuErQ

 

[Mr_P]

Cowboy lol

Like me these planes are very big in japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdWZKb659K0

but tonight I'm only 6'2" too hot for socks or heels.

 

[jimi43]

Where's the ten minute video of you opening that parcel? :mrgreen:

Cheers, Vann.

I was actually considering it Vann...for a laugh...and it was exquisitely packaged...wrapped in Japanese newspaper which I think was their equivalent of "The Sun" as it had all sorts of strange adverts for young ladies...but we won't go there this time of night!!!

I should have known posting it this late would bring out all the usual reprobates and videos!! LOL!!! :mrgreen:

Night guys!

Jimi

 

[matthewwh]

You must be keen to get stuck in Jimi, but might it be wise to give the dai a few days to acclimatise after its long journey before flattening it?

 

[jimi43]

You must be keen to get stuck in Jimi, but might it be wise to give the dai a few days to acclimatise after its long journey before flattening it?

Indeed it would and I never thought of that Matthew....cheers mate.

How long do you think would be sufficient?

Jimi

 

[Corneel]

Japanese planes are intriguing, but I am resisting their lure!

I don't know if you allready know all there is to know about them, but a very thourough explanation of tuning Japanes planes is on the carpentry way blog: http://thecarpentryway.blogspot.nl/2011/11/smile-and-wave.html

 

[matthewwh]

I would have thought a week or so would be enough, it's not a huge job with a wooden plane but it would be a shame to have to redo it.

 

[jimi43]

Cheers mate.

Jimi

 

[MIGNAL]

Doubt it will make much of a difference. Humidity changes in Japan just as it changes here. Unless you have a humidity controlled workshop what's the point in waiting? You flatten it in a weeks time, it isn't going to stay at that humidity level! The best you can do is flatten the sole at an 'average' humidity of around 45% RH. That's if you can maintain a humidity level of 45% over a period of 4 or 5 days. Of course that won't be much good when the humidity climbs to 75% or plummets to 25% though - and that type of span certainly occurs in the UK.

 

[swagman]

Wonderful looking Japanese Plane Jimi. Look forward to hearing your review on its performance. I would suggest 5 days is a little short in time for the wood to try and equalize its moisture level to the change in % to the relative humidity.

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2010/09/ ... -movement/

Stewie; =D>

 

[GLFaria]

Japanese planes are intriguing, but I am resisting their lure!

I don't know if you allready know all there is to know about them, but a very thourough explanation of tuning Japanes planes is on the carpentry way blog: http://thecarpentryway.blogspot.nl/2011/11/smile-and-wave.html

Thanks for the link, Corneel, very interesting.

 

[Trafalgar]

The writer in the link above wonders aloud why Japanese planes ("kanna") have not caught on and then makes this statement later in his blog entry:

"I can tell you right now that I have not achieved anything like mastery with a kanna."

What's so difficult?

Planing and truing stock in the Western tradition, in hand tool professional shops through history, have been relegated to apprentices and I believe relatively green ones at that. Fifteen year olds were apparently able to handle it.

I personally find all the frou-frou, fretting, pampering, petting, and most of all the trumped-up mystique of Japanese tools irksome as hell. I really do. Maybe if you start at age 12 by the time you're forty you can be 'at one' with the wood and finally able to plane it effectively without throwing off its balance of yin and yang or some cr*p like that.

 

[jimi43]

The writer in the link above wonders aloud why Japanese planes ("kanna") have not caught on and then makes this statement later in his blog entry:

"I can tell you right now that I have not achieved anything like mastery with a kanna."

What's so difficult?

Planing and truing stock in the Western tradition, in hand tool professional shops through history, have been relegated to apprentices and I believe relatively green ones at that. Fifteen year olds were apparently able to handle it.

I personally find all the frou-frou, fretting, pampering, petting, and most of all the trumped-up mystique of Japanese tools irksome as hell. I really do. Maybe if you start at age 12 by the time you're forty you can be 'at one' with the wood and finally able to plane it effectively without throwing off its balance of yin and yang or some cr*p like that.

That's an opinion which seems to be shared by most Westerners and mostly your side of the Pond and is a very valid one...as it is only an opinion...possibly based on what you're used to.

It's not mine.

I happen to find all of the elements of tradition and tuning fascinating...it's different to what I was brought up thinking so therefore it interests me.

I'd stick to Western tools mate...you'd probably be much happier... :wink:

Jimi

 

[Trafalgar]

The blogger I was referring to is from the U.S., Massachusetts specifically.

There is no shortage of Japanese tool fanatics over here I can assure you.

 

[jimi43]

The blogger I was referring to is from the U.S., Massachusetts specifically.

There is no shortage of Japanese tool fanatics over here I can assure you.

Very refreshing to hear. 8)

Jim

 

[Trafalgar]

The writer in the link above wonders aloud why Japanese planes ("kanna") have not caught on and then makes this statement later in his blog entry:

"I can tell you right now that I have not achieved anything like mastery with a kanna."

What's so difficult?

Planing and truing stock in the Western tradition, in hand tool professional shops through history, have been relegated to apprentices and I believe relatively green ones at that. Fifteen year olds were apparently able to handle it.

I personally find all the frou-frou, fretting, pampering, petting, and most of all the trumped-up mystique of Japanese tools irksome as hell. I really do. Maybe if you start at age 12 by the time you're forty you can be 'at one' with the wood and finally able to plane it effectively without throwing off its balance of yin and yang or some cr*p like that.

That's an opinion which seems to be shared by most Westerners and mostly your side of the Pond and is a very valid one...as it is only an opinion...possibly based on what you're used to.

It's not mine.

I happen to find all of the elements of tradition and tuning fascinating...it's different to what I was brought up thinking so therefore it interests me.

I'd stick to Western tools mate...you'd probably be much happier... :wink:

Jimi

I agree, though I just visited your blog and saw pictures of nothing but Western (mostly British) tools.

Color me confused. :|

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Charles - Jimi is clearly too much of a gentleman to repond to your last post. So I will.

Here is a quote from the beginning of Jimi's opening post in the thread:

"I have always liked tools from the Orient and particularly Japan.

I have a few chisels...a couple of saws and strangely...a few kanna-mi (irons) but no plane.

Well...today all that changed with a parcel from that distant isle...."

It would seem that if there is any confusion on your part, it's because you didn't bother to read the whole thread, just jumped in with your (pardon me for being direct) rather blinkered opinion.

Whilst I fully accept that you have the freedom to express your opinion, it does not necessarily follow that you have to. Sometimes, it pays to accept that others may have different ways of going about their lives and business than yours, and provided they do you no harm and break no laws, why should they be the target of rather snide side-swipes because they don't do things your way? With the greatest respect, may I suggest that if you have nothing constructive to offer, you maintain a dignified silence?

I possess no Japanese tools, but it's always fun and mind-broadening to hear about other ways of working wood. I look forward to reading about Jimi and Alfie getting to grips with this new aquisition.

 

[Trafalgar]

The writer in the link above wonders aloud why Japanese planes ("kanna") have not caught on and then makes this statement later in his blog entry:

"I can tell you right now that I have not achieved anything like mastery with a kanna."

What's so difficult?

Planing and truing stock in the Western tradition, in hand tool professional shops through history, have been relegated to apprentices and I believe relatively green ones at that. Fifteen year olds were apparently able to handle it.

I personally find all the frou-frou, fretting, pampering, petting, and most of all the trumped-up mystique of Japanese tools irksome as hell. I really do. Maybe if you start at age 12 by the time you're forty you can be 'at one' with the wood and finally able to plane it effectively without throwing off its balance of yin and yang or some cr*p like that.

That's an opinion which seems to be shared by most Westerners and mostly your side of the Pond and is a very valid one...as it is only an opinion...possibly based on what you're used to.

It's not mine.

I happen to find all of the elements of tradition and tuning fascinating...it's different to what I was brought up thinking so therefore it interests me.

I'd stick to Western tools mate...you'd probably be much happier... :wink:

Jimi

Jimi, do you anticipate the differences between the initial tuning of a wooden-bodied Japanese plane and keeping it 'tuned' through seasonal changes to be much different than that for a Western wooden plane?