Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hi Folks,
I'm interested in making a wooden hand plane or two.

Can I start with mild steel flat bar for a blade and treat it?
Cheers - PH

You can try, but I wouldn't recommend it.
There is a reason that aftermarket blades are available.
I suggest looking into those before starting and designing your plane based on a standard size. That way, even if you do try making your own blade, you can replace it with a purpose built one.

I have made a Kana (Japanese plane) at a course run by Japanese Tools Australia and they stressed that everything is about the blade.

Good luck.

Pat,

You could but the alloying elements in Mild steel are not there to hold the edge. (no core strength) SO while you might be able to get some hardness into it by a simple quench... it just won't hold the edge for any length of time in use. And then dependent on the carbon content of the mild steel you might only get to ~45Hrc using a burner and an oil quench.

I would do as Rod suggests and build it around a size blade that is readily available. Else you can try and get an old 2" Steel cutting saw blade (the large industrial type) cut and shape it then quench and temper the cutting edge so you end up with around 60Hrc. Those blades have induction hardened teeth but it transitions back to about 45Hrc for the blade body. I have tried to use them at 45Hrc and quite frankly the outcome was not acceptable until I hardened the cutting edge.

Sorry for all the jargon... nature of the business

Andrew

If you want to design your own blade you'll need to use a better quality carbon steel than mild steel for reasons already mentioned. Bisalloy or gauge plate are 2 that come to mind.

The Chinese are making some better quality planes under various brand names, though I haven't got on very well with them. However I think their blades were quite good steel so you may be able to buy one reasonably cheaply.

I have fitted all my old planes with thicker, better steel bades but it was a fairly expensive exercise here in the UK. Huge improvement in use though.

Dave