: I haven't started the stripping yet. I have two generic, basic,
: planes .. a large one and a small one. I had picked these up a
: few years back at
: a home "box store" for other work. They weren't
: advertised as low-angle planes. The larger one is actually too
: large for the kayak project.
: Should I invest in a specific plane for my kayak work?

: I am doing a B&C kit so the planes will be used for clean up and
: fitting, mostly. Anyway, I need to sharpen the planes and have
: been reading about the
: Scary Sharp method. My question is ... what do folks use for a
: sharpening jig? Is there a specific model folks recommend?

: Thx,
: Rob

The amount of edge trimming you will have to do with B & C strips depends on how the strips are applied. In another thread it is suggested that the sides can be done virtually without trimming from the turn of the bilge to the sheerline. With this method the very first strip only has its lower edge planed square. The bottom panel is then built as a "football" shape and fitted, only the outer edge needs to be trimmed to fit the first bilge trip. The closest I got to that method was a canoe with a plywood bottom panel and it was very easey indeed, although I used square strips not B & C.

I would suggest investing in a low angle block plane, a stone and a few sheets of wet and dry abrasive paper. A sheet of glass is very handy.

A low angle block plane has a blade that is inserted with the bevel on the top surface rather than on the bottom for most planes. It is much less likely to rip up grain or pull splinters than a regular plane, but cuts slower. If used just for WRC strip edges you don't need to spend much money, it's a very light undemanding task, and the smaller the plane the handier it will be for that job. Look for one with an adjustable opening ahead of the blade; the smaller opening that will not clog with swarf the better the cut.

The first time it is sharpened it will probably take a while to get a decent edge; you can work your way through several grades of wet and dry paper laid on the glass or perhaps a kitchen countertop, then finish on either an oil stone or a water stone - the water stone is cleaner to use. Protect it from frost if you leave it soaking.

A sharpening jig helps to get the proper angle, I use 22 deg for my low angle planes. You can go to a lower angle but there is more tendency to chip the blade. Once you have a good flat ground area you can go to the finest stone you have and increase the angle 1 deg to get the finished edge. It doesn't need to get more complicated. For beveling strip edges you don't need to "tune" your plane provided the blade is stable and not rocking.

One more tip: you can put a tiny bevel on the underside of the blade to; this has the effect of reducing the blade angle further. So does having the plane body at an angle to the cut. The lower the effective angle the less force and easier cut. When you're using a low angle plane treat it gently; the blades will chip much easier than a regular plane.