My thanks to Tom Holloway for furnishing some nice, definitive
statements from yesteryear on the subject of oiling wooden planes. It
had not occurred to me that increasing the plane's weight was a
consideration, my own endeavours being directed to the thoughts of
holding the plane's body together, getting it to resume its correct
shape before flattening the sole and reducing friction. I am now
emboldened to give some of my planes which proved to be particularly
thirsty additional doses of oil.

Regards from Brisbane,

John Manners

----- Original Message ----- From: "T&J Holloway"  To:
"oldtools"  Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 2:59 AM
Subject: Re: [OldTools] finishes for beech planes

> The inimitable Bernard Jones had this to say on the topic (The
> Practical Woodworker, original c. 2nd decade of the 20th century, this
> from the 10-Speed Press facsimile edition, 1983), p. 55:
>
> "A plane should be 'oiled' before using; this makes it heavier,
> lessens the friction, and thus makes the plane work easily. A
> reasonably heavy plane is better than a light one, as it works more
> solidly and does not require so much pressing down on to the work. If
> the plane, therefore, has not been oiled, or is too light, it should
> be soaked in raw linseed oil or other suitable oil until it is a
> suitable weight. This is usually done by suspending it in an oil tank.
> If this is inconvenient the cutter and wedge are taken out, the bottom
> of the mouth of the plane is stopped with putty, and the mouth filled
> with oil After a few days the oil will have soaked into the plane; add
> more oil until sufficient has been absorbed. Planes are sometimes french-
> polished, but this is not necessary."
>
> The companion volume (The Complete Woodworker, p. 38 of the 10-Speed
> Press facsimile edition) has this to say:
>
> "In the case of new planes it is a good plan to soak them well with
> linseed oil a short time before using, and then, by well rubbing the
> surfaces, a dull finish is obtain, and by following this with an
> occasional rub, the surfaces are kept clean and in good condition.
> Some people oil a new plane by removing the wedge and irons, stopping
> up the mouth on the face with putty, and then filling the mouth with
> linseed oil, leaving it until the oil exudes from the pores and the
> end of the stock; it is allowed to dry, and then polished with
> friction."
>
> Tom Holloway
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