Greetings...
I have been using a #3 Clifton smoother for the past few years, and it
has been one of the best planes I have owned, but recently the edge of
the iron seems to be crumbling, almost right after honing, the first few
passes leaves a wonderful glossy surface to the timber, then the edge
seems to fail, it feels like tiny chips are coming from the
edge...leaving a surface that looks and feels ragged, with lines left
after each pass, I thought it may be grit or dirt left in the ends of the
lumber, but my shopmade smoother ( with 1/4" thick Knight Toolworks iron
) leaves no such marks on the same wood, with no chunks missing from the
edge...so I am wondering if I have a defective iron, or maybe someone
else is having the same trouble...
thanks for your time...
DCH
> Greetings...
>
> I have been using a #3 Clifton smoother for the past few years, and it
> has been one of the best planes I have owned, but recently the edge of
> the iron seems to be crumbling, almost right after honing, the first few
> passes leaves a wonderful glossy surface to the timber, then the edge
> seems to fail, it feels like tiny chips are coming from the
> edge...leaving a surface that looks and feels ragged, with lines left
> after each pass, I thought it may be grit or dirt left in the ends of the
> lumber, but my shopmade smoother ( with 1/4" thick Knight Toolworks iron
> ) leaves no such marks on the same wood, with no chunks missing from the
> edge...so I am wondering if I have a defective iron, or maybe someone
> else is having the same trouble...
>
> thanks for your time...
>
> DCH
Might be past the area of the blade that was hardened? If so you might need
a new one. If that is true, then they are made to do that, for marketing. I'd
replace it with a new A2 blade from Spehar Toolworks, Canadian and great
price. It is what I should have done instead of Hock HCS blades at higher cost.
--
Alex
cravdraa_at-yahoo_dot-com
not my site: http://www.e-sword.net/