Making Japanese Finger Planes

Course description

Japanese woodworkers have developed techniques for quickly making small planes to shape and smooth complex surfaces. These techniques also allow the woodworker to cut and grind blades to custom sizes and shapes from the highest quality blade steel available, on demand, with simple tools usually found in the shop. These small planes are a furniture maker’s delight. Also instrument makers, woodcarvers, sculptors and most woodworkers will find these invaluable. In this two day class you will make a Japanese style finger plane, learning the special techniques used make them. You will go home with a usable plane! Along the way you will learn how to select wood for the dai (or block), how to layout and cut the dai, select blade angles, prepare the special blade stock that is commonly used in these planes; and learn the difference between fitting a finished blade and one cut from this blade stock. Additionally we will show you how to layout and cut a dai for a compass plane, a hollow or round plane, and a spoon bottom plane, and shape the blade. As time allows you can start work on laying out another chibbi-kanna. The tutor for this class, Scott Wynn, has been using Japanese planes since 1974. He was taught the technique of making Japanese planes and chibbi-kanna in 1983 by an apprentice of Master Japanese woodworker Kenkichi Kuroda son of National Treasure Tatsuaki Kuroda.