First Bob Nelson asked about where he may have seen a written description of
oiling planes, then Tom Holloway responded:

>  Interesting comment on the weight (see below).  One possible source
> is THE PRACTICAL WOODWORKER, the collection of WW essays edited by the
> inimitable Bernard Jones, originally published in Great Britain sometime in
> the early 20th century, republished over here about 1983 by Ten Speed
> Press.  In opening the chapter on "The Plane," (p. 55) Jones has this to
> say:
>  "A plane should be 'oiled' before using' this makes it heavier,
> lessens the friction, and thus makes the plane work easily.

Which I will give a "Brendler snip".

    Thanks for that reference, Tom.  I have been away from my email a few
days but was able to glimpse the talk on the porch from Egroups.  I was
itching to quote that passage from Jones but was using an account that would
frown upon non-business use.

    But I would like to ask if there may be a difference between US and
British taste in this area?  I was fortunate to meet Tony Seo right in the
middle of the last Donneybrook over oiling planes.  He showed me a woodie
that had a factory done oil soak where the oiling had never dried.  He had
some that were surface oiled, of course.  And he even sold me one that was
never oiled (or used for that matter).  I got a nice tutorial on wood plane
finishing that day.

    Fast forward to a year later when I met Tony Murland to pick up a
harlequin half set of hollows and rounds (at half the price he charges
today).  The variation of finish on these plane is even greater then what
Tony Seo had shown me.  I'm no expert, but I believe some of the Mathieson
planes are french polished.  I love 'em.  I think they look great, feel
great and work great.  They are significantly darker, but like I said they
look great.  So did American manufacturers not go in for French polish?

    By the way, I have no intention of oiling the never oiled plane.  I
agree with those who have stated that a plane that old should stay in
original condition.  But if a plane needs it's oil finish renewed, I say go
for it.

Regards,
Steve - who once saw a couple of panel raising planes in an auction house
that were wrapped in Saran because someone had treated them with an oily
substance that had not dried, and was challenging to remove.