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What to do with a plane knob that is starting to crack

1K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  donwilwol 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
90% done with my restoration of a Stanley 6C and all that is left is a little lapping of the sides and then a final scrub down of the bed. However, when I started lapping the sole I noticed that there were tiny cracks (slivers really) on the bottom of the knob. The finish on the rosewood knob and tote was in such good shape that other than a little cleaning and a coat of wax I never noticed the micro fractures at the bottom.

I went ahead and lapped the soles because the slivers were too small for me to get any adhesive into. Now the cracks really aren't that much bigger but if I tighten the knob screw too hard or push too hard down I can feel it give a bit.

Is it better to just use the plane normally and wait for the cracks to get big enough to get some glue in there or is there some surgical technique involving needles and scalpels that I haven't come across yet?

Thanks
 
#6 ·
I d get some thin CA glue and rub it in

- Don W
What do you mean buy rub it in? Apply it on the tiny cracks and just spread it all around? Will this force me to strip and refinish?

I was hoping to keep the original finish because it is in such good shape. On the other old planes with rosewood knobs and totes I've had to strip the finish and I haven't been successful getting the look of the old finish back. Once that old finish comes off the red in the rosewood turns super dark. Shellac turns it extremely dark, beeswax or paste wax gives a little red but dulls quickly.
 
#7 ·
I hand rub it in. Wear gloves if you want.

Yes, you'll need to refinish. The original finish was lacquer. If you go back with lacquer you'll not need to remove all the original. I have no idea why, but I've found Rust-Oleum spray to work best.

If it's rosewood you can also just sand to a high grit (I go to 2000) and wax. It's hard to detect the difference.
 
#8 ·
I hand rub it in. Wear gloves if you want.

Yes, you ll need to refinish. The original finish was lacquer. If you go back with lacquer you ll not need to remove all the original. I have no idea why, but I ve found Rust-Oleum spray to work best.

If it s rosewood you can also just sand to a high grit (I go to 2000) and wax. It s hard to detect the difference.

- Don W
Lacquer was the finish I was going to try on my next restore. I thnk I've got some of the Rust-Oleum specialty lacquer lying around somewhere.

What kind of wax do you use? I've got some Johnsons paste wax, some beeswax made by some monks in England, and some of the old Goddard's cabinet makers wax (see photos).

Food Tableware Ingredient Cuisine Wood


The beeswax and Goddard's are probably 20 or 25 years old. Maybe older. The Goddard's, as you can see, is rock hard and the beeswax is somewhere in between rock hard and paste wax. I've used the beeswax but I need to soften the GOddard's up just nopt sure what solvent they used.

I've had trouble getting a good shine that lasts with the waxes but I haven't sanded passed 320 before I applied it. That will probably make a big difference.
 

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#9 ·
I just use Johnson's paste wax. I also use tru-oil a lot, but being an oil it will darken it. I'm ok with that. A hand rubbed Tru oil finish can be brought to the shine of your liking. It's just a lot more work.

Wax for satin, lacquer for shine, and Tru oil for a high end gun stock type finish.
 
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