FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
If you have a question about our tools, email us. We'll answer it for you and might add it to this page so others can learn the answer, too. |
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1. What are Toothed Blades used for?
There are actually two kinds of Toothed irons. The Scraper irons have a 'V'-shaped tooth, the Bench and Block plane irons have a series of small square teeth. In the Scraper they are used to rough up a surface, either as a prep for veneering, and left as is; or to work down an area of difficult grain, after which the regular Scraper blade is used.
In Bench and Block planes, they are used to work areas of difficult grain, by planing diagonally across from one direction, then diagonally from the other direction. After which, the regular Smoothing blade is used. The Toothed blades reduce tearout, and the regular blade can usually finish the job (or you would switch to the Scraper). Both types leave a rough surface.
It's been our experience that Bench and Block plane Toothed irons are relatively uncommon, but are favored by instrument makers. Toothed blades for Scrapers are better known.
Both types are sharpened with a bevel just like any plane iron—just don't hone the top face of the 'V'-type scraper blades, or you will hone off the points that do the work.
They would not always be used, because they are not always necessary—usually a sharp Bench and Block plane or Scraper blade will be all that is necessary, depending on the kind of wood and it's condition.
Ordering Toothed Blades: To purchase a Toothed Blade for a Lie-Nielsen Tool, go to that tool page by selecting it from the links to the left. If a Toothed Blade is available for that tool, you'll be able to order it from that page. To purchase a Tooth Blade for a non-Lie-Nielsen tool (Stanley, Record), go to the Replacement Blades page. Or call us at 1-800-327-2520 to order by phone.
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2. How do I sharpen the Scrub Blade for my Lie-Nielsen No. 40-1/2 Scrub Plane?
Your approach to sharpening the scrub blade will depend on what sharpening tools you have available. To hone it you can use any type of sharpening stone—water stones work great. Place the bevel flat on the stone, and move down the length of the stone rocking from side to side as you go. An easier way is to approach it as you would an axe: clamp the blade upright in a vise and stone the bevel with circular motions of a stone held in your hand (be very careful of you hands—this is dangerous). Fine and coarse will give you a serviceable edge. Then hone the back of the blade by laying it flat on a stone. Do this lightly to remove the burr from the previous step. Some people like to finish with a hard buffing wheel.
The biggest problem will be if you have to remove a lot of material, for example if you have to stone out a chip in the edge. This can be done with a coarse stone and the above method but it will take time. If you want to use power you have several options. An ordinary bench grinder (be careful not to burn the blade), a flat Japanese type grinder (easy to use) or some kind of sanding machine. If you don't have access to a stationary belt sander you can make do with a portable belt sander clamped upside down in a vise, but this is also dangerous.
With any of these machines, keep the bevel flat to the grinding surface, and rock the blade back and forth across the arc with light pressure. With a sander try a 100 or 120 grit. Keep water handy to cool the edge while working.
After grinding, hone as above. All this sounds harder than it is. Keep in mind that the exact radius on a scrub plane is irrevelant—and the arc can have irregularities in it. The tool will still work fine.
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3. Why do you make many of your tools out of Bronze?
Though Iron has been the material of choice for mass-produced tools, we use Manganese Bronze, which is a very hard, strong alloy which wears very well, unlike brass and softer bronzes. We prefer this bronze to iron for small planes because it's heavier, it doesn't rust, won't crack if dropped and has wonderful warmth in the hand. We use iron when the extra weight is not welcome.
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4. How do you make your blades?
It goes without saying that the blade is the most important part of a hand plane. Our blades are thicker, sometimes much thicker, than other manufacturers’ for a solid cut. And they are harder at Rockwell 60-62, to provide a longer lasting blade. Careful heat treatment produces a fine grain structure so that the blade will take a very fine edge. The final step is a full surface grinding of the top, back and cutting edge, giving a smooth flat surface requiring little honing before use.
We have been experimenting with various tool steels and Cryogenics for some time. We have decided to change our steel from W-1 that we had been using to A-2 because our research convinces us that Cryogenically treated A-2 will hold an edge significantly longer if properly done. It can still be sharpened with conventional abrasives, while some other special alloys can’t.
Proper heat treating of this steel involves a 20-hour soak at -320 degrees F and double tempering. Our new A-2 Cryogenically treated blades can be distinguished from our regular blades by the Lie-Nielsen USA logo stamped on the top face.
To learn more about Cryogenics, read "Why you should freeze your tools" from Popular Woodworking Magazine, used by permission. To download this PDF, you’ll need a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®.
(If you don’t already have Adobe®Acrobat® Reader®, you can download it here.)
(Download PDF of article)
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5. Will the fences from your Beading Tool fit my original Stanley No. 66 Beading tool?
Our fences will fit original Stanley No. 66 Beading Tools. The key that fits in the groove on the tool may require a bit of filing on some tools. Cost is $15 per fence (straight or curved) including the thumbscrew and washer.
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6. I want to purchase a plane but don't know where to start, what are your suggestions?
If you live in an area where you can find classes with someone who emphasizes hand tools, you will get the most experience in the shortest time. I hope you can find someone. Second best is lots of reading, including the online newsgroups.
It would also be worth your while to try to find a source of good quality used tools in good condition. That way you can learn alot and not spend as much until you do....
I do think, though, that using poor quality tools is discouraging. The good ones work so much better. With poor quality tools you are fighting the inadequacies of the tool, while you are trying to learn about technique. And a really good tool will be a great pleasure.
The single most useful tool is a low angle block plane. We have several, and any of them would be used every day in the shop. Next, I would consider our Low Angle Jack Plane. It is a very versatile tool, and in many peoples hands it can double as a smoothing plane. I t is also a unique tool with no other equivalent. With those two tools you can do a lot of work. Third, I might like a dedicated Smoothing Plane.
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7. What recommendations do you have for a beginner learning to sharpen blades?
To get the best results from any plane, the blade must be sharp, so you must learn to sharpen them. However, that is not difficult.
At first, you might buy an 800-grit waterstone and start playing around. It is coarse enough to cut aggressively, but fine enough to give a serviceable edge. You can learn alot from using it.
There is also an interesting method involving wet/dry silicon carbide sandpaper, referred to as "ScarySharp" on the internet. This is the URL of the discussion: http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM. It works.
Our tools come ready to use out of the box. Honing is a good idea, and unless you hit a knot or nail, honing is all you will need to do for a while. I hope you will be cutting some chips soon, as the best way to learn technique is to make shavings.
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8. How do you pronounce "Lie-Nielsen"?
Lie-Nielsen, a Norwegian name, is pronounced "Lee-Neelsen.
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9. Do you intentionally make your Shoulder and Rabbet Plane blades slightly wider than normal?
We do make our Shoulder and Rabbet Plane blades a bit wide so that we can be sure that they will be wide enough for other maker's tools. The nominal widths tend to vary, and we did not want to make them too small. It is best to have the rabbet blade .010" to .020" wider than the body anyway, and you should grind excess away to fit your tool correctly.
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10. My Bronze-bodied tool sometimes leaves marks on the wood. What should I do?
Bronze bodied planes will sometimes leave a mark on your work, especially if they have not been used for some time. In our experience, some people find this marking an intractable problem, others aren't bothered. It should only be a concern with a finishing cut on light wood. With tools used for that sort of work, keep the sole well waxed to minimize marking (of course wax may interfere with some finishes). Alternatively, using the tool enough to wear off (polish) the oxidation on the sole should prevent marks when you don't want them.
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11. Can I have another copy of the Instructions, Care and Maintenance sheet that came with my Lie-Nielsen tool?
Please visit our online library of instruction sheets. As we expand our collection, we will continue to update this section of our site.
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12. To what extent are your planes fettled?
I don't think that anyone buying a new plane should have to fettle. That is one reason Lie-Nielsen Toolworks exists, and one reason our tools cost more. On the other hand, the answer to your question depends on your standards. There are some people who will find that our tools need work.
Most people, however, will find them ready to go right out of the box. The blades are sharp—we do recommend that you hone them in the manner you prefer. The soles are flat within .0015" and square to the same degree. All surfaces that your hands come in contact with are eased. Appropriate areas are polished, and the handles are finished with a light coat of varnish.
My primary concern is function—I want the tools to work well and easily. I also want our tools to look good, but I don't care for non-functional decoration. I want them to perform very well. Our planes consistently exceed people's performance expectations, and favorably compare with any on the market.
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13. Do you engrave ordered tools upon request?
We do not do 'formal' engraving, but it is possible for us to write the name on the tool with a Dremel-type tool, freehand. If that would not be acceptable, you may find a local jeweler or sports shop that does engraving.
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14. What's so special about the Ductile Iron used for all your iron body tools?
Ductile Iron, also called Nodular, is a specific formula iron alloy, specially processed to produce castings of great strength, approaching that of structural steel, and ductility or elasticity. For the woodworker this means that the tool will not break if dropped on the cement floor, something that happens all too often.
I had heard good things about Ductile Iron and liked the way it machined, so I decided to see how tough our planes are. I took a machined No. 5 body casting out in the shop and threw it up to the 14-foot ceiling. The casting bounced on the cement floor but was not damaged. I did this many times but only succeeded in dinging it up.
Then I laid it on its side on the floor and went after the unsupported top edge of the side with a 10-pound sledge hammer, putting some effort behind it.
It did bend. A little.
These castings will not break. I guarantee it.
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16. About Lie-Nielsen Toolworks
To read a definitive article on the origin of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, download this article from Furniture and Cabinetmaking.Used by permission. To download this PDF, you’ll need a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®.
(If you don’t already have Adobe®Acrobat® Reader®, you can download it here.)
(Download PDF of article)
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17. What is corrugation?
In some cases, such as with a smoothing plane, a corrugated sole makes planing easier by reducing suction between plane and wood; it also makes planing resinous woods easier. Available for all of our Bench Planes, except the 10 1/4. Cost is $25 per tool.
Corrugations are 1/16" deep, 1/4" apart and 1/4" from the mouth and the ends of the sole.
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