LittleOaks":3spws96c said:
...and I now need to revisit my clean ups and do more!
Not necessarily. Cleaning up a hand plane isn't something to be done by rote checking off a list that someone else drew up. Many people do some unnecessary steps and consider them essential, some take certain steps too far. Flattening the soles is the main culprit here, it's often done when it wasn't needed and it's often over-done when it is.
The first thing you should do with an old plane once you have the iron sharpened is try it out on some wood, not check the sole for flatness by rubbing it over abrasive paper. It might work fine with a sole that isn't perfectly flat. Many planes do.
Proper function aside, as far as looks go you can do as much or as little as you like. Some people like their planes to look nearly like new or even better than new in some cases, others prefer older planes to retain some or all of their original patina so they look their age. Completely up to you how far you take it.
In terms of what can/should be done in restoring or rehabbing old planes there are many threads here and on other forums on the subject you can read over if you're interested. Here's one I started about a year ago:
Re-commissioning old planes, what's worth your time?
And another similar thread from a few months prior:
Tool restoration; how far should we go?
LittleOaks":3spws96c said:
could still do with finding out about setting the plane though if any more suggestions?
If you need all the information from the ground up the very basics are covered in many books for beginners as well as in numerous articles online.
Here's one:
Handplaning 101 It's not the best and it's not the worst but it's a good place to start.
