Lapping The Sole of a Hand Plane

[luvmytoolz]

I have a Stanley Bailey #4 with the corrugated sole that my WWI vet great uncle Arthur purchased new...it dates to 1926-27. He worked as a carpenter for the City of Pittsburgh from the early-1920s to 1960, when he retired. It was mainly a keepsake until about 10 years ago, when I got more serious about working on my hand tool skills. I went through it, flattening the sole, cleaning up the totes, sharpening and tuning it...it still has the original iron. The end result was most satisfying, and it works beautifully and is easily my favorite hand plane.

That's awesome, nothing makes an old tool more special than it being passed down through generations.

I have some tools from my father in law that were passed down from his father that I absolutely treasure and use all the time.