: I am in the planning and gearing up stage getting ready to build my first
: kayak. My first attempt is going to be a skin on frame, however I
: definitely want to build a strip boat as well. My question is about wood
: planes. What should I look for in a quality hand plane? I'm open for
: suggestions on good sources and your thoughts on the tools you have used.
: Thanks - Ron

Ron,

I'd start with a block plane. At the low end of the price range, I'd go with a Record or Stanley block plane with an adjustable mouth. The Lee Valley Tools block planes are a step up in quality and the Lie-Nielsen planes are at the top end. Either of the four will see you through the building of a SOF or stripper. You can find info on the above in the Lee Valley Tool catalog and website. When you purchase your plane, at a minimum, get a King brand combination waterstone (Lee Valley item #60M50.04). The blade will need sharpening from the start. If you haven't sharpened a tool before, a trip to the library or bookstore will give you the information you need to learn to sharpen tools. With proper technique, you can sharpen a chisel or plane blade sharp enough to shave hairs using the King combo stone. I go a step farther and use 1500 and 2000 grit wet or dry sandpaper on plate glass to further polish the edge. A blade honing guide is a big help when sharpening (LV item #60M07.01). I also have the LV guide, but I like the previously mentioned one better for plane blades. Some chisels work better in the LV guide though. Let me know if you have any other questions about planes. Soon, I'll be adding info on building tools to my webpage.

Kurt Loup