Q:
I am a user/collector of wood-bodied planes. Often the wood is very dry. How do I clean and preserve these wooden bodies so that they remain useful?
John Michael, Hickory Creek, TX
A:
My simple method for cleaning and brightening up wooden planes is a mixture of beeswax (chipped finely or grated on a cheese grater), boiled linseed oil, and turpentine (a mixture the consistency of soft butter) rubbed on with 0000 steel wool and buffed dry. Go lightly, as there is a fine line between preserving the original patina and aggressive overcleaning.
Photo: Charlie Reina
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Stanley Powerlock 16-ft. tape measure
With its smooth lock, tough case, compact size, and excellent accuracy, this Stanley tape is perfect for workshop use.
Lie-Nielsen No. 102 Low Angle Block Plane
With smooth, precise adjustments and wonderful balance, this compact block plane is a joy to use. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, but there’s not a better block plane available for the money.
Starrett 4" Double Square
Head is easy to remove, replace, and lock down; narrowest blade, at 5⁄8 in., made it easier to fit into tight places; hard to read under bright lights.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in