Making And Mastering Wooden Planes – Revised Edition

by David Finck

First published in 2000, “Making & Mastering Wood Planes” has sold thousands of copies worldwide. Lost Arts Press was determined to prevent the book from going out of print and has reissued it in a handsome hardcover edition.

The book focuses on the laminated handplanes associated with James Krenov, a mentor of the author, David Finck, who graduated from the College of the Redwoods, the woodworking school now known as The Krenov School. But the book explores wooden planes and offers very detailed insights into making and using the planes. But beyond that, the book explores the nature of handwork and craft as well. .

The book can be divided into three areas of interest: making a wooden plane in the Krenov style; setting up and sharpening a plane iron (and other tools that need sharp edges); and how to use a plane to properly mill and shape wood.

Being a classic this book has all the strengths of contact that made it a classic, but also being a reprint without updating, some of the information, like the section on grinding, is clearly obsolete. But most of the information is relevant, and very well written and presented. Even if you are the proud owner of metal planes you will find the planing and scraping techniques that are given throughout the book very helpful. The clarity of the writing really helps learning. In addition, after reading this book you will welcome the challenge of making your own wooden plane and experiencing the joy of using a tool you made.

Includes an introduction written by James Krenov.

Click on the link below for an excerpt from the book.

Printed and bound in the USA. Hardcover. 8-1⁄2″ x 11″. 194 pages. Profusely illustrated in color.

Pages: 194
Binding: HC
Publisher: Lost Art Press