I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing, 
then rub the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of sheepskin.
In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the 
informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench 
with a large cloth wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping 
the plane across it before using. But he doesn't explain his preference. 
Does anyone have any comments or preferences in this regard? Please explain.

Don

Don Schwartz wrote:
>
> I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing, then rub
the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of sheepskin.
> In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the informed'
use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with a large cloth
wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane across it before
using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone have any comments or
preferences in this regard? Please explain.

I always understood him to mean that "the informed" lubricate planes, and "the
uninformed" don't. I didn't
think he meant the choice of lubricant.

Although (now you point it out) it's not fully clear.

Many teachers omit explanations of their recommendations for brevity and/or
simplicity.

Which greatly annoys the more analytical amongst us :-)

  BugBear

Oil "wick" eh?  Never had a name for it, but it's an old trick.  I first
saw it used by an old Viet-Namese cabinet maker.  It's nothing complex 
at
all, just some cloth tightly rolled up so that you have a cylinder about 
an inch
in diameter and about three inches long, tied up with a bit of string
so that it doesn't get loose or flex.  Anybody else here familiar with
the "Tibetan almond stick"?  It's like one of these.  In fact, one of
these might work well.

I noticed that the old cooper in El Tonelero used one on the bottom of
his plane -- remember that video that was posted here a few months back?
He used "manteca," essentially lard on his.  The Viet-Namese cabinet 
maker
used pretty much whatever oil was at hand.  Mineral oil works fine.  I
found this system very useful for wooden planes, especially when doing a
lot of planing on resinous woods like sugar pine. It eliminated any drag
on the planes.

Linseed oil doesn't seem to be the best choice to me since it oxidizes
and will become hard, which will make your wick hard in time.

For metal bodied planes I'd use wax.  Another old trick is bee's wax.
Used to be you'd find a chunk of bee's wax in most carpenters' tool
boxes.  This was mostly used on their saw blades, and it really helps
the saw slide through the wood.

I keep both an oil stick and a chunk of bee's wax in the small tool
box I use at Sutter's Fort.  Done that for about 30 years now.

Back when I was working with the Phoenix Planing Mill, we would
use a big chunk of paraffin wax on the cast iron tops of the
table saws and shapers to keep wood sliding freely. I imagine
that a cloth stick and a bit of Johnson's paste wax might work
for metal planes.

Mike in Sacto

I use a bit of paraffin wax when I use lubrication on the plane sole.   
Using Kingshott's idea, I had a bit of cherry that I used to make a holder for 
a  slab of paraffin so that I can just drag the plane from heel to toe 
across the  wax as necessary.  I've never used the sheepskin step.  I do not  
lubricate the plane sole when doing final smoothing so there is nothing that  
might interfere with the finish application.
 
Cheers,
John
 
John M. Johnston
There is a fine line between hobby and mental  illness. Dave Barry.

Tallow. I have a small can on my bench and use on plane soles and saw
blades. Marvelous stuff. One of my internet woodworking acquaintances who
is a sheep farmer. Sent me a small can.. A little goes a very long way.

Ron

On Wednesday, April 16, 2014, Don Schwartz  wrote:

>
> I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing, then
> rub the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of sheepskin.
> In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the
> informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with
> a large cloth wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane
> across it before using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone
> have any comments or preferences in this regard? Please explain.
>
> Don
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/archive/">http://swingleydev.com/archive/
>
> OldTools@r...
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>

In "Sharpening", he says "Very few craftsmen put paraffin wax on the sole of
their plane; the informed use an oil wick."
That's what prompted my question.

don



----- Original Message -----
From: "paul womack" 
To: "Don Schwartz" , oldtools@r...
Sent: Thursday, 17 April, 2014 2:01:51 AM
Subject: Re: [OldTools] wax or oil

Don Schwartz wrote:
>
> I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing, then rub
the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of sheepskin.
> In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the informed'
use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with a large cloth
wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane across it before
using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone have any comments or
preferences in this regard? Please explain.

I always understood him to mean that "the informed" lubricate planes, and "the
uninformed" don't. I didn't
think he meant the choice of lubricant.

Although (now you point it out) it's not fully clear.

Many teachers omit explanations of their recommendations for brevity and/or
simplicity.

Which greatly annoys the more analytical amongst us :-)

  BugBear

I use the method Paul Sellers prescribes.  An old t-shirt cut and rolled
tightly into an old shallow bean can.
I pour mineral oil over it and leave it resting on my bench.


On Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 8:54 AM, dks  wrote:

>
> In "Sharpening", he says "Very few craftsmen put paraffin wax on the sole
> of their plane; the informed use an oil wick."
> That's what prompted my question.
>
> don
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "paul womack" 
> To: "Don Schwartz" , oldtools@r...
> Sent: Thursday, 17 April, 2014 2:01:51 AM
> Subject: Re: [OldTools] wax or oil
>
> Don Schwartz wrote:
> >
> > I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing,
> then rub the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of sheepskin.
> > In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the
> informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with
> a large cloth wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane
> across it before using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone
> have any comments or preferences in this regard? Please explain.
>
> I always understood him to mean that "the informed" lubricate planes, and
> "the uninformed" don't. I didn't
> think he meant the choice of lubricant.
>
> Although (now you point it out) it's not fully clear.
>
> Many teachers omit explanations of their recommendations for brevity
> and/or simplicity.
>
> Which greatly annoys the more analytical amongst us :-)
>
>   BugBear
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/archive/">http://swingleydev.com/archive/
>
> OldTools@r...
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>

Ron, Does the tallow smell? What is it's consistency like, heavy grease? Does it
get sloppy in warm weather? Inquiring Galoots want to know.
 
Marty Reser


________________________________

I have good results with a candle. 

Sent from the top of the mountain

> On Apr 17, 2014, at 6:54 AM, dks  wrote:
> 
> 
> In "Sharpening", he says "Very few craftsmen put paraffin wax on the sole of
their plane; the informed use an oil wick."
> That's what prompted my question.
> 
> don
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "paul womack" 
> To: "Don Schwartz" , oldtools@r...
> Sent: Thursday, 17 April, 2014 2:01:51 AM
> Subject: Re: [OldTools] wax or oil
> 
> Don Schwartz wrote:
>> 
>> I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing, then rub
the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of sheepskin.
>> In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the
informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with a
large cloth wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane across
it before using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone have any
comments or preferences in this regard? Please explain.
> 
> I always understood him to mean that "the informed" lubricate planes, and "the
uninformed" don't. I didn't
> think he meant the choice of lubricant.
> 
> Although (now you point it out) it's not fully clear.
> 
> Many teachers omit explanations of their recommendations for brevity and/or
simplicity.
> 
> Which greatly annoys the more analytical amongst us :-)
> 
>  BugBear
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
> 
> To change your subscription options:
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
> 
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
> 
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/archive/">http://swingleydev.com/archive/
> 
> OldTools@r...
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

On Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 12:59 PM, Martin Reser wrote:

> Ron, Does the tallow smell? What is it's consistency like, heavy grease?
> Does it get sloppy in warm weather? Inquiring Galoots want to know.
>

 I also use tallow so I figure I can field this.  The tallow does have a
subtle smell but not one that is objectionable.  Kind of like how you can
smell linseed oil but it is not bad.  Nothing like cooking hide glue.  I
like the smell and so does my cat.

The consistency is sort of a thick paste or thick greece.  Not runny at all
and it will form stiff peaks.  My basement only gets into the mid 70s in
the summer so I have no idea what it does at higher temperatures.  Even if
it did turn oily it would just make applying it no different than any oil
lube.

Something to note that I have yet to experience is the dark black marks on
many older wooden planes, especially british origin, are from tallow that
has darkened over the ages.  I believe I learned this on an episode of
Woodwright's Shop so I figure St. Roy knows his historical stuff so it is
probably true.  I love the look but unfortunately my planes have not picked
it up at all.

Bob

Snip
From: Spike Cornelius




I have good results with a candle. 
Unsnip


Snip 
>> In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the
informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with a
large cloth wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane across
it before using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone have any
comments or preferences in this regard? Please explain.
> 
>  BugBear
Unsnip

I don’t recall where the idea came from but I started putting bees wax in
emptied out stick deodorant applicators. I was prompted into using the
applicators because my little piece of bees wax kept getting buried in the tool
box.
http://youtu.be/dGMW4M59MRY
It’s a pretty simple process and it keeps the wax clean, available and easier to
find in the clutter on the bench.
Don't even say your bench isn’t cluttered we’ve all been there.

Hate to argue with Kingshott, but I'm a wax guy.
Oil is just as good, maybe better. But an open damp container of any 
kind of oil?
In my shop?
Its either going to get knocked onto the floor all the time,
  or "skin over" with a heavy crust of regular gray household dust.

  A little piece of paraffin I can lose easy enough, so I just break up 
a standard slab and spread it around in the places I am likely to look, 
whenever I can't find any.
   I keep a couple of backup boxes from yard sales, on the shelf.

  Candles would be just as good, but they don't store so compactly as a 
box of paraffin.

Candles I usually just drop into an old steel coffee can to melt for 
sealing fresh wood I am going to try and cure. Either that or waxing 
concrete molds.
    yours Scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.n
et/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcr
est.net/kitty/hpages/index.html

OK, I’ll be the one to say it - it also keeps your beeswax smelling like an
Irish Spring

Ed Minch


On Apr 17, 2014, at 2:43 PM, David Nighswander  wrote:

> 
> I don’t recall where the idea came from but I started putting bees wax in
emptied out stick deodorant applicators. I was prompted into using the
applicators because my little piece of bees wax kept getting buried in the tool
box.
> http://youtu.be/dGMW4M59MRY
> It’s a pretty simple process and it keeps the wax clean, available and easier
to find in the clutter on the bench.
> Don't even say your bench isn’t cluttered we’ve all been
there.----------------------------------------------------------------------

I wouldn't like mineral oil because it never dries, and it might 
interfere with gluing. I wouldn't like linseed for the reasons that 
Scott mentions, also because it does dry, and builds up in thickness 
with multiple applications. So that leaves me with wax.

I prefer paraffin over bees wax because it's cheaper, doesn't accumulate 
dust etc, and because I always find beeswax kinda sticky. Who needs 
sticky on the bottom of a plane or a sawplate? Maybe I just got the 
wrong kind of beeswax? Anyway, I put a slab of paraffin in a leather 
pocket rescued from a discarded purse, which it fits nicely, and leave 
it sitting on top of the sheepskin sdcrap which is on my bench stool, 
where I rarely sit in any case.

Sure would be nice to know what Kingshott was thinking...
FWIW
Don

On 4/17/2014 12:59 PM, scott grandstaff wrote:
> Hate to argue with Kingshott, but I'm a wax guy.
> Oil is just as good, maybe better. But an open damp container of any 
> kind of oil?
> In my shop?
> Its either going to get knocked onto the floor all the time,
>  or "skin over" with a heavy crust of regular gray household dust.
>
>  A little piece of paraffin I can lose easy enough, so I just break up 
> a standard slab and spread it around in the places I am likely to 
> look, whenever I can't find any.
>   I keep a couple of backup boxes from yard sales, on the shelf.
>
>  Candles would be just as good, but they don't store so compactly as a 
> box of paraffin.
>
> Candles I usually just drop into an old steel coffee can to melt for 
> sealing fresh wood I am going to try and cure. Either that or waxing 
> concrete molds.
>    yours Scott
>

Bob, Ron, I wonder if the black look is a result of soot. The heating was coal,
wood, or peat. The lighting was oil, gas, or candles and I would guess that soot
was everywhere, sticking to the tallow and slowly being absorbed into the wood.
I have a number of wooden planes that look almost as if they were scorched in
places but it is usually only on one side or top as if they were lined up on a
shelf and the "scorched" looking parts were exposed to dust or soot falling on
them. Fun to speculate about why things look like they look.
 How does one go about getting a suitable amount of tallow?
 
Regards,
Marty


________________________________
 From: Bob Miller 
To: Martin Reser  
Cc: "oldtools@r..."  
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2014 12:50 PM
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Re: wax or oil
 


On Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 12:59 PM, Martin Reser  wrote:

Ron, Does the tallow smell? What is it's consistency like, heavy grease? Does it
get sloppy in warm weather? Inquiring Galoots want to know.
>

 I also use tallow so I figure I can field this.  The tallow does have a subtle
smell but not one that is objectionable.  Kind of like how you can smell linseed
oil but it is not bad.  Nothing like cooking hide glue.  I like the smell and so
does my cat.

The consistency is sort of a thick paste or thick greece.  Not runny at all and
it will form stiff peaks.  My basement only gets into the mid 70s in the summer
so I have no idea what it does at higher temperatures.  Even if it did turn oily
it would just make applying it no different than any oil lube.

Something to note that I have yet to experience is the dark black marks on many
older wooden planes, especially british origin, are from tallow that has
darkened over the ages.  I believe I learned this on an episode of Woodwright's
Shop so I figure St. Roy knows his historical stuff so it is probably true.  I
love the look but unfortunately my planes have not picked it up at all.

Bob

Found a bar of beeswax at an estate sale.  Melted some of it in a coffee can 
in a pan of boiling water.  Then diluted it with turpentine to the 
consistency of Crisco. Put the resulting glob  in a jar with a lid.
Use it a lot for sliding applications and as finish on things like fences. 
The turp evaporates, leaving a nice soft finish.   It is SAFE.  To bad I 
didn't think of the chapstick thing.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Don Schwartz
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2014 3:32 PM
To: oldtools@r...
Subject: Re: [OldTools] wax or oil

I wouldn't like mineral oil because it never dries, and it might
interfere with gluing. I wouldn't like linseed for the reasons that

LOL.  Beer will turn them black, too.  Some years back there was an
archeological dig behind an Elizabethan building.  Well, not long
before the dig, a series of black rings was found on the tops of
one of the rafter beams in the building.  Perplexing.

During the dig, a number of ceramic beer mugs were found.  Somebody
thought to measure them against the rings on top of the beams.  A
perfect match.

Carpenters will be carpenters...

Mike in Sacto

> Bob, Ron, I wonder if the black look is a result of soot.

On Apr 17, 2014, at 3:32 PM, Don Schwartz  wrote:

> I prefer paraffin over bees wax because it's cheaper, doesn't accumulate dust
etc, and because I always find beeswax kinda sticky. Who needs sticky on the
bottom of a plane or a sawplate? Maybe I just got the wrong kind of beeswax?

Well, yeah... You probably got beeswax from killer bees. Very sticky business.
Maybe placid bees make better wax?  :>)

My poor attempt at some humor.

On 4/17/2014 7:05 AM, Michael Blair wrote:
> Anybody else here familiar with
> the "Tibetan almond stick"?  It's like one of these.  In fact, one of
> these might work well. 


Well the active ingredient in the  Tibet stick is  mineral oil
https://
www.duluthtrading.com/media/images/pdf/92317_msds.pdf
So it'd work a trice  if one is used to using mineral oil.

Beer. A cheap, but high-carb meal. oh well, Hurrah!

don

On 4/17/2014 5:08 PM, Michael Blair wrote:
> LOL.  Beer will turn them black, too.  Some years back there was an
> archeological dig behind an Elizabethan building.  Well, not long
> before the dig, a series of black rings was found on the tops of
> one of the rafter beams in the building.  Perplexing.
>
> During the dig, a number of ceramic beer mugs were found. Somebody
> thought to measure them against the rings on top of the beams.  A
> perfect match.
>
> Carpenters will be carpenters...
>
> Mike in Sacto
>
>> Bob, Ron, I wonder if the black look is a result of soot.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/archive/">http://swingleydev.com/archive/
>
> OldTools@r...
> http://rucku
s.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

On 4/16/2014 11:42 PM, Don Schwartz wrote:
>
 > I always apply a bit of paraffin wax to a plane sole before planing,
 > then rub the plane back & forth a couple of times on a piece of
 > sheepskin. In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot
 > inisists "the informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he
 > keeps on his bench with a large cloth wick in it, which he charges
 > with linseed, swiping the plane across it before using. But he
 > doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone have any comments or
 > preferences in this regard? Please explain.

Those wicks are interesting, and I made one years ago and tried
using it.  It was not good.  Oh, don't get me wrong, it lubed the plane
soles wonderfully, and really allows one to keep right on working
without a break in the rhythm.   But *this* one doesn't plane all day
every day, so that kind of rhythm hurts.  I find it far better to stop
(the key word here is "stop") and pick up the misshapen hunk of
paraffin wax off the bench and rub it over the plane sole.  This
provides a welcome break, however short, from the arduous job
of planing.

And that's one opinion from one sedentary desk jockey who
dabbles in handtoolery.

Darrell

-- 
Darrell LaRue
Oakville ON
Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User

On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 2:27 PM, Darrell & Kathy wrote:

>  But *this* one doesn't plane all day
> every day, so that kind of rhythm hurts.  I find it far better to stop
> (the key word here is "stop") and pick up the misshapen hunk of
> paraffin wax off the bench and rub it over the plane sole.  This
> provides a welcome break, however short, from the arduous job
> of planing.
>
> And that's one opinion from one sedentary desk jockey who
> dabbles in handtoolery.
>


As one who practices this same technique:  I find that stopping because
"the plane is getting harder to push, it must need waxing"  much easier to
justify than "I am tired, think I will wax the sole while I rest"

Kirk in HMB, who really needs to rest right now.  I keep several chunks
about, so I can find one near the planing bench, the sharpening bench, the
bandsaw..........

On Wed, Apr 16, 2014 at 10:42 PM, Don Schwartz  wrote:

> In his sharpening book and planing video, Jim Kingshot inisists "the
> informed' use an oil wick, a shallow wooden box he keeps on his bench with
> a large cloth wick in it, which he charges with linseed, swiping the plane
> across it before using. But he doesn't explain his preference. Does anyone
> have any comments or preferences in this regard?
>

This week I received Kingshott's Bench Plane video.  I watched some it over
my lunch hour today.  I really love his presentation.  My son and I have
had many laughs about the "dirty little corner" he keeps referring to in
the mortise and tenon video.  (Thanks Galootaclaus, yet another slope.)

In the Bench Plane video he talks about wax vs. oil.  The oil wick he has
looks like tightly wound cloth in a close fitting wooden container.  The
wick does not sit in oil.  He charges the top of the wick with just a
little oil and then goes to work.  At one point in the video he uses a
wooden try plane and hits the wick about every 8-10 strokes.  Then he
switches to a metal jointer and did many, many more strokes than that and
never hit the wick.  That seems backwards to me,  but he might have been
just demonstrating how to use the wick.

The main advantage he sees to the wick is that it is much faster to apply
the oil.  He just drags the plane backward over the wick.  With paraffin
you have to stop, find the paraffin, and rub it on the plane sole.

I have not tried the wick, but I might.  I have used Johnson's Paste Wax
and paraffin.  My experience says the paste wax is a better lubricant and
lasts longer than paraffin.  However, the paraffin is faster to apply
because I don't have to open a can, wipe on, wipe off, etc.  Also, if the
paraffin is drooping, I know I have to make sure and drink a lot of water.

Mark

> In the Bench Plane video he talks about wax vs. oil.  The oil wick he 
> has
> looks like tightly wound cloth in a close fitting wooden container.  
> The
> wick does not sit in oil.  He charges the top of the wick with just a
> little oil and then goes to work.

Tightly wound cloth is what I was introduced to, and no, it does not sit
in oil.  It doesn't even have to be charged with oil every time in my
experience.  I found I could work at planing for a whole day and only
need to recharge it once or maybe twice.

Mike in Sacto

lubed the plane soles wonderfully, and really allows one to keep right 
on working
without a break in the rhythm.   But *this* one doesn't plane all day
every day, so that kind of rhythm hurts.  I find it far better to stop
  and pick up the misshapen hunk of paraffin wax off the bench and rub 
it over the plane sole.  This
provides a welcome break, however short, from the arduous job of 
planing.

I find the *every-dozen-strokes-stop-to-sharpen* pattern works while 
cutting the long grass with the American Pattern Scythe. Just when 
you're lungs are starting to burn and your arms and back start getting 
wobbly, its time to stop for 70 or 80 seconds, sharpen the scythe with 
the stone and catch a breath.  Very helpful, those little breaks make 
the whole back lawn a doable project in less than an hour.


Michael - Always looking for ways to frighten the neighbors.