I don't mean this as a put down at all, but I wouldn't wait for a project to start practicing with those draw knives. They are great tools, but you have to master subtle techniques. That same blade can hog out huge wedges of wood or make gossamer shavings, depending on exactly how you approach the wood. I don't use them that often and I always benefit from half a hour of playing around to regain the muscle memory.
I
might take it as a put down if I found that you are a master such as Chris Wong otherwise I take it as advice.
Jack09, What a wonderful Japanese tool -- I notice it's a style that doesn't accept a wooden wedge to fix the iron but rather a precisely fitted pocket. I can see why it probably makes your other spoke shaves continue to rest unused on the shelf.
Ron,
The blade fits into the body with a slight tap on the top and you can adjust the cut pretty finely. When you want to remove the blade put your thumb on the blade and tap the back until it releases.
After years of frustration with some of my wooden Japanese hand planes I got into a conversation with one of the old timers at Japan Woodworker and he told me that on the cap irons on the Japanese hand planes were installed only for export market. After I took off all of the cap irons my hand planes performed perfectly.
Jack
