York Pitch vs. scaper plane

[Mike Dembroge]

Do hand planes with the blade set in a "high angle" frog really do a better job on non-straight grain, or would a scraper plane be a better choice? Or, is both the better solution?

I've been working with wavy-grained woods a lot lately and am tired of fighting tear-out. I have very nice LN planes and they're very sharp, but I still get tear-out when climbing into the grain. Since the grain is so wavey, I have not choice. I have scrapers and use them, but to level off a board with them makes my hands hurt just thinking about it.

Thanks for any help,

Mike Dembroge

[George]

My low-angle smoother is the one that seems to do best on the squirrelly stuff. Throat setting seems to do what the high angle does. One thing to remember is that you can attack from almost any angle when things get weird, so slip and slide around that peck-out area and see if you can't get a cut, even if it means short strokes.

Try the back-bevel method listed at

which allows you to use the precise and easily adjustable plane you own rather than the fussy scraping planes. I have one, but it never was my favorite.

[Mike Dembroge]

Thanks George. I will fuss with the throat settings to see if that helps.

Mike

[CW]

There are those that will go to any lengths to use a plane. They will tell you that, given the right plane and proper use, anything can be planed. Likely true but the time to find out something isn't working ISN'T when you rip a chunk out of that tabletop you put so much work and/or money into. Get a #80 cabinet scraper and go at it.