Tool Talk #3 Japanese Hand Planes 

The "tool talk" I have been waiting for! Thank you Mr. Carpenter.

just finished watching that Japan documentary video all of that stuff is mind-blowing not sure about the editing but the woodwork itself is mind-blowing. and those micro planes are ridiculously small but all serve a different purpose thats awesome too

Thanks for dropping some knowledge, Samurai!

Thanks for the tip, using paper on the bed of the Dai. Can't believe I could not think of that.

Thanks, great talk. Would love to hear more about woodworking tools.

Excellent tutorial series. Great stuff.

Awesome! Thank you. Do a video on making a block for a Japanese plane!

Fascinating and informative, brilliant.

Thanks, you talked me out of getting one, but I am happy that you are enjoying yours.

Thanks for sharing this! You have a wonderful tool collection.

Very informative youtube channel! I'm learning a lot from you and others in my research and learning about Japanese carpentry. I have one thing that I found you got incorrect and it bears mentioning: You are supposed to use a wooden mallet to adjust planes. It's one of the few things that the Japanese carpenters use a wooden mallet for, but it's very important - a metal hammer will most likely dent up the dai or put dings in the blade, reducing the longevity of the tool.

I just bought the lie-nielsen rabbet block plane..... right from them directly here in Maine!!! I thought of your video here when I bought it.. thank you

thank you for so much knowledge, great video

I recommend checking out Paul Sellers here on youtube.

Nice video, I love my jack rabbet, I use two blades one dead straight and one with rounded off corners

I know this was an introduction, so for those interested, here's some more information: The relief parts will differ depending on the purpose. He talks about this around the @3:14 mark. E.g. a Japanese jointer plane will have contact points at the back to create a reference "flat" surface. If you're in the Bay Area - there's a great shop called Hida that sells these. Just like the Samurai says, they're expensive. If you also travel to Japan - there's a general goods store called "Tokyu Hands". Each shop carries the general collection of Japanese household goods (think Target stores), but each store also has a "featured" section. The one in Shibuya carries lumber and a bunch of Japanese woodworking tools. These were much more affordable and have been very serviceable. Thanks for the info Samurai! It's incredibly hard to find instructive information on Japanese woodworking and their tools!

Those thin shaving competitions are craaaazy. Thanks for sharing on the Japanese stuff though....cry interesting.

brilliant video, was thinking about a pull plane. now I'm a little more informed. thanks.

Thanks for sharing!

Enjoyed that, thanks man.

Your tools are so classy. I just have a hodgepodge of cheap shit I could afford, but that's better than nothing at all.

man those are some awesome planes!! would love to get my hands on those and use them ! much love! DiResta Out

Thanks for another great video. Not having any knowledge nor experience with Japanese planes, I always thought these hand planes had a stick through them, used as a pull handle? It made me curious to see them inaction, how to grab them and how to position your body. And also how to set them up. Perhaps you can be persuaded to spend some time and show us?

It would be awesome if you took time setting up a Japanese plane out of the box as there isn't much I've found online. Keep up the good work

really enjoying this series, jesse; thanks much. i've had my eye on that rabbeting block plane for some time. hope to pick it up this year. would LOVE to get into the japanese planes too, but you confirmed what i was a little afraid of.. the amount of work necessary in upkeep/tuning/etc over western/northamerican planes. anyway, thanks again for all the info.

"I don't think my skills are there..." please, we've seen your amazing work!

Thank you. My husband is going to buy me a plane for my birthday and of course i wanted a japanese one. But i can see that have to rethink that. Ill do some research because in australia our wood is harder.

I was wondering what books do you recommend or point me to the right way so i can learn how to sharpen the blades ? thank you

thanks bro... i needed this coz i hand plained a door and it didnt turn out so straight

pleasse traducción en español Te escribo desde Colombia me encanta tus vídeos eres un maestro

deveria ter falado do sistema de travamento das laminas das plainas japonesas..é uma coisa que ainda nao dominei.sempre se deslocam depois que aperto

Hi i was wondering which size Japanese plane would you say would be a good one to start learn with in the way of getting to know how to sharpen and to take care to the sole of the plane body. Thanks Justin

would you recommend japanese/taiwanese planes from lee valley for a beginner?

Have you repaired a Japanese chisel or iron that has been honed up to the dished out area of the tool? If so could you please show us how?

If you like japanese wood planes but only for softwoods then see the bevel up, high angle wood planes by Gordon in Australia, I saw one cut red-gum end grain you could see through...

what do you look for when searching for japanese planes on ebay? are there any "cheap" plane blades that you should stay away from or are they all good?

Hey, suggestion....... instead of using tape to correct wear over time or the overtuning it, cut an appropriate thickness of a shaving with your Kanna and glue it in place of the tape. Basically you are adding wood back to your pride and joy.

"if you're not subscribed, get your head checked" i died. 😝

Recommend a good one for a beginner?

do you use sometimes some wax on the sole of the kanna´s ?

What's your opinion on what is the best spokeshave?

wow thx man!

@thesamuraicarpenter I know you're fresh to the metric system so I thought I'd help you out a little. It is far more useful to refer to measurements in mm (millimetres) for accuracy up until you reach maybe 10 meters or more, unless you're dealing with clients, they get cm from schooling days. 1cm is such a rough measurement, it's just as easy to throw out 10mill. great to see the conversion though! here on NZ we use both. Fundamentally metric with a bit of rough imperial conversion where required.

Been looking for a nice Japanese plane to buy but haven't found one yet. The ones I find on eBay are usually horrible. Gotta keep looking I guess!

what japanese style pull saw would you recommend that would be good from quick cuts in framing to finishwork in one saw/

How do you sharpen your hand saws

With tiny brass planes used in violin making they tend to cramp your hand so I soldered a piece of copper pipe around the sides with a copper bend to fit in my palm. That worked perfectly . The appearance had to take second place . One bit of this video jars a little. North American Planes ----Basically European or British is the right name to give them . North Americans use European planes .What do South Americans use ?

I am new to woodworking and would like to get into Japanese hand planes. Is there a specific one you recommend for beginners?

I know the Samorai really likes his Kanna.. I wish he would make a Krenov style plane, like they do at Inside Passage school. I guarantee his opinion and preference could easily change. They are easy to make, dint take a ton of time. Using Hock blades.

I have heard this myth a couple a times on RU-vid that the harder a steel is it won't take as keen an edge as a softer steel. I've been a professional knife sharpener for years and that is absolutely not true. in fact, typically the harder a steel, on the Rockwell scale, the keener and edge can get because it's hard enough to hold an extremely thin apex; you just have to know how to do it. typically with harder steels you can't use ceramics, Arkansas, or composites you have to use diamond because of the different carbides that form when hardening and tempering.

Now that we've seen your plane blades, can we see the fancy ones?

How do you know what a good brand is? I bought two but I no idea what wether they're are good quality. Everything of course is in Japanese, so I don't know if they're good. Also, how do I know what the purpose of the plane? In other words what's the equivalent of a number 4 or a number 8?

When you are leveling the plane block, what do you use it against to make it level? Like flat stone or what? Where can I get it?

North american style planes? Is there such thing? Bailey style planes.

Hi, am building up a collection of Japanese tools which are slowly replacing my western ones ( just chisels and saws, so far) could you recommend a reasonably priced but good quality maker of Japanese planes? I don't want crappy, Western-made knock-offs, only genuine Japanese tools will do. Thanks very much, watching your videos has been a significant factor in my desire to learn more about and adopt Japanese woodworking techniques which I find breath-taking-the spiritual side you speak of is very real and I am looking forward to immersing myself in it more as I make my tiny steps of progress in that direction!

Need link for small plane :D Fire it up!

I bought a Japanese hand plane, and what grit should I use to sharpen it? any other tips? good video!

How would the blade from one of these Japanese planes hold up against Balsa wood? Claude

I know you say cheap Japanese planes are no good and I believe you 100%, I agree good tools cost money but a lot of the hand planes i've found are around £30-£40 so are these gonna be no good? Could you recommend a good quality Japanese plane brand for around £100-120, your Japanese saw video was so useful.

That video on Sashimono is how I ended up finding you.

Kushigata/shakuri kanna out the body diy please...

You missed a beautiful opportunity to name this "Plane and simple."

Do traditional Japanese carpenters use winding sticks to flatten boards? What is their equivalent tool for western winding sticks? I tried googling it, no answer so far.

is the chinese one a mujingfang ?

Is there a difference between noerth american and european planes? I just thought there where western style (Europe, North America and so on) planes and japanese style planes...

I maybe wrong, but I was under the Impression that you don't hit the plane blade at all but, like you take it out, by hitting the back, you put it in by hitting the front of the block. Do you have any info on this?

oh you should of said the number 1 thing you like the best is hearing your self talk love you channel any ways how the watching the boys going any ways and you boys will be out of school before you make the bunk beds for them lol

One advantage to Japanese planes compared to metal planes i don’t hear very often is that you can fit a bunch of planes bodies in a box and tote them, they’re lighter, less fragile and stack up well, being rectangular.

Should have stood 6 inches right. Lighting and all. Thanks for a great way to look at things.

You have the skill to make the blocks for the Japanese planes now if you only had a friend that made knives in your area that could make you some plane blades. You could sell them for less than the Japanese version and still make a grip of cash and I could have a Canadian Samurai Plane.

cool chisels

Japanese planes sounds like a "ridiculous" commitment of time just to learn how to use one. And I think all of us or most of us that watch you get the drool factor of a great tool website. I know my tool addiction could be on a "Tool Horder's" reality TV show.

all the chisels and planes out there have me really confused on sharpening and setting them up and using them right any recommendations

they line is nearly perfect😨

i wonder how they made old style primitive tools look classy to the world.

3499th... good for you first second and third guys. Dang!

Well what fun would that be for me??? No I know they're pricey. So when u get another one you should get on it! Take care

I wish Canadian and European craftsman would either refer to measurements in ALL imperial measure or ALL metric system. Drives me nuts when you guys go back and forth....... ;)

Seen a Bamboo keyboard and mouse. Okay "Meestir Awfulsome" lets see you do that.

I think jet planes are cooler than propellor planes.

Tool Talk, everything your dad didnt tell you.

First!

2nd comment

Second. ;)

Mierda, no entiendo nada ...... !!!!!!

Tool porn I love it

I've heard good feedback about the Woodprix plans.

Why does your video say, "Stavros Gakos viewers watch this channel also" he is a plane maker and you are just advertising. So no comparison. Or this is from the RU-vid.

If you take woodwork seriously enough to afford a 400$ plane, chances are you have plenty of ability to make the damn thing yourself...

Japanese planes look like art? they look like a scrap piece of 2x4...

So I can buy a German made Stihl chainsaw with hundreds of moving parts that mows down trees for about the same price as a nice Japanese hand plane with no moving parts? That's not stupid expensive, that's just plain stupid.

I want to know more about chinese, not japanese, woodworking tools

They look like a 2x4 with a blade.. iron planes are more like art..