Popular Woodworking 2006-04 № 154, страница 14
Letters Long History Defends 'Radical' Technique Questioning a Curved Cutting Edge I have been woodworking, designing, teaching, building and writing for more than 30 years, and was dismayed when a fellow professor and amateur woodworker asked me to comment on the article "Learning Curves," by David Charlesworth (August 2005, issue #149). The traditions of using hand tools, especially planes, are alive and in daily use in our shop, and I think we can agree that mastery of these instruments is a prerequisite for one who wishes to use "craftsman" alongside his name. A plane is a challenging device; the last thing those wishing to surmount those challenges needs is an article that defies traditional tenets and justifies itself by creating difficult solutions to straw-dog concepts of its use. The last thing woodworkers who wish to learn the nuances of the plane need is an article in a respected magazine that attempts to rewrite the tried-and-true methods of hand-plane use. A straight cutting edge is the bedrock principle on which virtually all bench planes, minus the scrub plane, is based. Endorsement of a suggestion to the contrary is misguided. To suggest the use of holding jigs to construct a three-tiered micro-bevel and shimming to flatten the back of the iron at a slight angle defies the logic of the tool and discounts the hand-eye skill which when refined, is known as craftsmanship. I will be the first to disclaim that my way of doing things is the right way or the only way. Creativity, after all, is the human force that drives so much of our passion. I will always, however, encourage the dismissal of overly tedious revisionist methods of work, regardless of their origins. The highly efficient and well-practiced method of joining two boards simultaneously is impossible with anything other than a correctly straight plane iron. It is difficult enough for a developing craftsman to control a straight edge without hav ing to worry about either honing or shooting with one which is curved. Non-straight edges belong in the domain of planes whose sole profile demands such a condition. I suggest Popular Woodworking do its readers a favor and refer them to "Planecraft: Hand Planing by Modern Methods," written by C.W. Hampton and E. Clifford, reprinted most recently by Woodcraft in 1972. In it, readers will find comprehensive, authoritative descriptions of the proper methods for the setup and use ofhand planes. The publication in national journals of overly personal methods of work renders too much significance to "boutique methodologies" and does a great disservice to aspiring craftspeople and the perpetuation of honest workmanship. Richard E. Preiss Director of Laboratories UNC Charlotte College of Architecture It is difficult to respond to prejudice of this scale. I have a 1959 copy of "Planecraft" beside me and although it is an excellent book, it offers virtually no practical advice to assist the amateur or beginner with the intricacies of precision hand planing. I would like to quote the sum total of their advice for removing wind from the face of a board and for planing a face edge: "As a board in winding is bound to cause serious trouble in fitting up later on, elimination of the wind cannot be too seriously stressed. "... now proceed to plane the edge. This must not only be straight in length and breadth, and free from winding, but must also be 'square,' i.e. at right angles, to the first or 'face' side. Although this sounds a difficult proposition, its accomplishment is easy, provided the plane is held correctly." My articles, books and DVDs provide detailed, practical advice to readers that will enable them to understand how wind is removed and how a twisted edge can be cor rected, using a curved blade. I have been teaching and writing about this method for nearly 30 years. Hundreds of students have acquired these skills in a short time and have been able to achieve precision results, which had previously eluded them. I cannot imagine why Mr. Preiss would wish to reject a method that has been used by many of the United Kingdom's finest craftsmen for at least 100 years. It was taught at Loughborough College in 1947, where many of the country's best craft teachers were trained, and is included in Robert Wearings excellent book "The Essential Woodworker" (Trafalgar Square Publishing), In addition, "The Practical Woodworker," first published about 70 years ago (Ten Speed Press), states that a trying plane for jointing should be "very slightly round," and as to the act of joining, it notes that the fingertips should run on the face of the board "so as to act as guides and keep the plane iron in the middle, either for the whole length of the board or for a portion only as may be needed." And if further evidence is required, in "Woodwork Joints" (Evans Brothers, 1950), Charles H. Hayward goes into great detail on the technique of using a cambered iron for edge jointing. He explains exactly how to remove an edge in wind and admonishes anyone who would rock or cant a plane to correct an edge. As to my sharpening technique, it is indeed somewhat radical by traditional standards, but it works extremely well and allows beginners to consistently achieve a razor sharp edge within a very short time. The assertion that this "does a disservice to aspiring craftspeople" is quite frankly outrageous. PW — David Charlesworth WRITE TO US Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from readers with comments about the magazine or woodworking in general. We try to respond to all correspondence. Published letters may be edited for length or style. All letters become the property of Popular Woodworking. How to send your letter: • E-mail: popwood@fwpubs.com • Fax: 513-891-7196 • Mail carrier: Letters • Popular Woodworking 4700 E. Galbraith Road Cincinnati, OH 45236 12 Popular Woodworking April 2006 |
