# Trouble with hand plane tear out



## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

I just got a low angle jack (first hand plane) and I'm having trouble with some pretty bad tear out in some straight grain walnut. I'm sharp, taking a very light cut, have the mouth closed up to about a 32nd. I'm getting beautiful shavings. I've tried going both ways on the board thinking I was going against the grain. I've tried some googling about figuring out which way the grain is going but I'm just spinning my wheels. Any advice or links about technique, grain, just whatever would be helpful and welcome.


----------



## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

How deep of a cut are you trying to take?

Happen to have any pictures that may help?


----------



## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

I joined some boards to make a panel and just trying some general smoothing and flattening. The mouth of the plane in one of the pics is wide open. I just re sharpened to be sure I was good in that area.


----------



## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

May try to retract the iron until it's no longer cutting, and then slowly lower the iron again until it just starts to take a cut (I usually do a quarter turn on the depth adjuster, and then take a swipe with the plane, and continue until I just start to get a shaving, then advance very little from there, until I get a good thin shaving). After that, close up the mouth so it's just a little in front of the iron (like around 1/64th" or something, not much) assuming it's adjustable.


----------



## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Are you sure you are sharp enough? That is the #1 reason why planes don't work as expected. I'm talking "able to shave the hair cleanly off your arm in one pass with no pulling" sharp.

For grain direction, two ways to find it. Look at the edge of the board, not the face you are actually planing. Should give you some indication. Otherwise, run a hand lightly down the face of the board. It should feel smoother in one direction than the other. Plane that direction.

I generally don't have any problem planing walnut even against the grain, so that takes you back to depth of cut and sharp as the main contributors.


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Sharpen the iron so the effective cutting angle is at
lest 45 degrees. 50 will probably solve most of
your tearout problem with walnut. Problem
areas should be avoided and worked with a scraper.


----------



## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

I resharpened at a steeper angle, closed up the mouth super tight, used the pet a dog technique to find the grain direction. I'm planing like I'm on tv now. Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm really loving the hand tools lately. That perfect snick of a plane is wonderful.


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

great. You're on your way.


----------



## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

Excellent, glad to hear it.


----------



## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Welcome to the slippery slope-the first hand plane is just a gateway drug.


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

When smoothing one of the reasons I prefer a
smooth plane is it's easier to see what's going on
when I hit a place where the grain tears. Other
than that a tuned jack works fine.


----------



## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

I wanted to get a kinda do it all plane for my first. See if I liked it and what not. A nice smoother is next now. I'm really liking the looks of the bronze LN.


----------

