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#4 Plane- Preparing The Cap Iron and Handles

With the rust removed from the cap iron it was time to fine tune it. Following guidance from an article written by David Charlesworth I increased the angle of the cap iron and then polished it to remove any scratches. The concept is to allow the shaving to pass smoothly over the cap iron with no obstruction. I also flattened the underside of the cap iron where it meets the blade. It is critical the joint between blade and cap iron is tight. Any gaps here will allow shavings to get stuck causing the plane to choke.

I also removed the knob and handle. Both of these were is a bad way. The original varnish had flaked of long ago and the wood beneath had become very grubby. Even with a lot of elbow grease they have not come up to a clean pale beech finish although they are now smooth, comfortable and honest in appearance. I sealed them with a coat of boiled linseed oil.

Cap Iron 4
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