Learning to use a hand plane

[oldman_pottering]

Have got my plane blade sharp (sharp enough to shave hairs off my arm) by copying Peter Sellers sharpening setup and am managing to get some good shavings off this piece of hardwood (not real long shavings but nice little curls), anyway I can't seem to get a nice smooth finish all over this timber, it seems to have grain orientation running in different lines ( well, that's what it seems to me). I have added pictures hoping that someone can see what's going on before I break out the thicknesser.

I'm not good at reading grain direction to begin with but the more I plane the more I seem to be making a wedge out of this

 

[h3nry]

What is the wood? A lot of tropical woods grow with the grain in opposite directions in alternating parts of the growth cycle ... called interlocking grain. Sometimes it can be really hard to plane without getting tearout.

[oldman_pottering]

On 4/5/2026 at 1:16 PM, h3nry said:

What is the wood? A lot of tropical woods grow with the grain in opposite directions in alternating parts of the growth cycle ... called interlocking grain. Sometimes it can be really hard to plane without getting tearout.

I have no idea sorry, it's just a piece of hardwood that I had lying around, maybe it's best to learn planing on softwood

Thanks for your help, that was interesting about interlocking grain

[fcschoenthal]

On 4/4/2026 at 11:43 PM, oldman_pottering said:

maybe it's best to learn planing on softwood

One trick I use to determine grain direction is to run a cloth back and forth on the surface. You'll feel it sticking more when going against the grain.

It's definitely best to learn on softwood some of the nuances of planing. Just a 2x4 about 2' long is easier to start looking at grain direction first and how it affects the way you plane. Dial your plane until you get long clean shavings in one stroke on the narrow edge. Then you can watch for blade tilt causing one side of the shaving to be thicker than the other. Turn it on the wider side to learn how to take high spots off. Watch some of Rob Cosman's videos on how to watch what your plane is doing and making adjustments. He's really good at explaining it.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

A plane is going to remove high spots. So unless your work piece is dead flat to begin with, you're going to see short shavings at first. As the high spots get removed and your piece gets flatter, your shavings will get longer. 

And, face grain is difficult. What are your results like when you plane edge grain?

 

[Von]

Caveat, I'm learning too. 

On 4/5/2026 at 12:43 AM, oldman_pottering said:

I have no idea sorry, it's just a piece of hardwood that I had lying around, maybe it's best to learn planing on softwood

Thanks for your help, that was interesting about interlocking grain

I find reducing variables in these situations helps and I think trying a nice simple-grained piece of pine (or similar) to get the feel for the plane and make sure it's working well is a great idea. Even with a sharp blade, the plane could have other issues - a cupped sole, your blade could be skewed, or you may be trying to take too big of a bite, etc.

Really complicated grain will give a plane problems with tear out. A sharp blade helps. I also understand lowering the angle of the blade helps and that some folks have low-angled planes around for just such situations (I don't have personal experience with such).

Good luck. I'm really enjoying my journey learning how to plane.

[wtnhighlander]

One way to deal with reversing grain is to skew the plane at about 45* to its direction of travel. This changes the cut to a slicing action, more than a chopping action, and usually helps with tear-out. 

[Tpt life]

Cap iron super close to the cutting edge can also help. 

[pkinneb]

A lot of great advice above to take into account. I typically just slide my fingers along the board and can typically tell the planing direction which is not always evident to my eye. 

[h3nry]

On 4/4/2026 at 8:35 PM, oldman_pottering said:

by copying Peter Sellers.

ok ... I've found your problem ... Dr Strangelove doesn't run a great woodworking channel ... Try Paul Sellers instead 

[gee-dub]

There are some things that I can do, there are some things that I cannot.  I played golf three times a week for a year and only dropped a few strokes from my game . . . obviously not my thing.  I also do OK on heavy equipment but the smaller scale of automobiles escapes me.  When I want to be inspired (or humbled) in the world of hand tools there are many folks to choose from.  doucetteandwolfe are certainly among them.

http://www.doucetteandwolfefurniture.com/Home_Page.html

[oldman_pottering]

On 4/5/2026 at 9:26 PM, fcschoenthal said:

One trick I use to determine grain direction is to run a cloth back and forth on the surface. You'll feel it sticking more when going against the grain.

It's definitely best to learn on softwood some of the nuances of planing. Just a 2x4 about 2' long is easier to start looking at grain direction first and how it affects the way you plane. Dial your plane until you get long clean shavings in one stroke on the narrow edge. Then you can watch for blade tilt causing one side of the shaving to be thicker than the other. Turn it on the wider side to learn how to take high spots off. Watch some of Rob Cosman's videos on how to watch what your plane is doing and making adjustments. He's really good at explaining it.

Thanks, I haven't seen that method before

I have watched many of Rob's videos but I'm still struggling

On 4/5/2026 at 9:29 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

A plane is going to remove high spots. So unless your work piece is dead flat to begin with, you're going to see short shavings at first. As the high spots get removed and your piece gets flatter, your shavings will get longer. 

And, face grain is difficult. What are your results like when you plane edge grain?

 

On this piece of timber the results were pretty much the same when edge planing

On 4/5/2026 at 10:52 PM, Von said:

Caveat, I'm learning too. 

I find reducing variables in these situations helps and I think trying a nice simple-grained piece of pine (or similar) to get the feel for the plane and make sure it's working well is a great idea. Even with a sharp blade, the plane could have other issues - a cupped sole, your blade could be skewed, or you may be trying to take too big of a bite, etc.

Really complicated grain will give a plane problems with tear out. A sharp blade helps. I also understand lowering the angle of the blade helps and that some folks have low-angled planes around for just such situations (I don't have personal experience with such).

Good luck. I'm really enjoying my journey learning how to plane.

thanks mate, I have reduced the amount of cut to the point where the plane doesn't even cut into it, I think this piece is extremely hard

On 4/6/2026 at 12:32 AM, wtnhighlander said:

One way to deal with reversing grain is to skew the plane at about 45* to its direction of travel. This changes the cut to a slicing action, more than a chopping action, and usually helps with tear-out. 

thank you, I did try that technique but with the same poor results

On 4/6/2026 at 1:36 AM, Tpt life said:

Cap iron super close to the cutting edge can also help. 

I have the cap iron or chip breaker set to within 1mm at this stage

On 4/6/2026 at 2:21 AM, pkinneb said:

A lot of great advice above to take into account. I typically just slide my fingers along the board and can typically tell the planing direction which is not always evident to my eye. 

thanks, I'll try that

On 4/6/2026 at 3:40 AM, h3nry said:

ok ... I've found your problem ... Dr Strangelove doesn't run a great woodworking channel ... Try Paul Sellers instead 

heheh, yeah I'm pretty sure it wasn't the Pink Panther I was watching 

On 4/6/2026 at 4:49 AM, gee-dub said:

There are some things that I can do, there are some things that I cannot.  I played golf three times a week for a year and only dropped a few strokes from my game . . . obviously not my thing.  I also do OK on heavy equipment but the smaller scale of automobiles escapes me.  When I want to be inspired (or humbled) in the world of hand tools there are many folks to choose from.  doucetteandwolfe are certainly among them.

http://www.doucetteandwolfefurniture.com/Home_Page.html

mate, I checked that page........impressive to say the least

[Immortan D]

Try applying a light coating of mineral spirits to the wood surface and let it sink for a moment. It helps with end grain and difficult woods sometimes.

[oldman_pottering]

On 4/7/2026 at 4:37 AM, Immortan D said:

Try applying a light coating of mineral spirits to the wood surface and let it sink for a moment. It helps with end grain and difficult woods sometimes.

thanks mate, is mineral spirits turps ?

 

[Mark J]

No, they are different products. Mineral spirits is distilled from petroleum and turpentine is produced from pine resin.

I found this from Fine Wood Working mag:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.finewoodworking.com/2022/07/19/qa-mineral-spirits-vs-paint-thinner-vs-turpentine-vs-naphtha%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOooK6KWcKwwQgUMXky7ejIpEE9SLiA8QisCwkXx1nSUxCIvc0s0j&ved=2ahUKEwjlicPVqOOTAxXaAHkGHUdLCLAQFnoECBwQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw3pizLfodMpBk1OCn6TQlOO

[gee-dub]

What Mark J said 

We have a wide variety of products available.  Each has their own purpose.  I keep a bit of lacquer thinner, mineral spirits, naphtha, DNA, etc. on hand.  They all do different things better than others.  They have a long shelf life and small amounts can be useful over a long period of time.

[Immortan D]

On 4/10/2026 at 1:04 PM, gee-dub said:

  I keep a bit of lacquer thinner, mineral spirits, naphtha, DNA, etc. on hand. 

Maximum permitted quantities (coming soon):

 

[gee-dub]

On 4/10/2026 at 10:42 AM, Immortan D said:

Maximum permitted quantities (coming soon):

 

That ain't right . . . 

[Coop]

Applies to certain states only. 

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 4/10/2026 at 9:41 PM, Coop said:

Applies to certain states only. 

One certain state, particularly.