Care and Maintenance
The body of our bevel-up planes is ductile cast iron and comes treated with rust preventative. Remove this using a rag dampened with mineral spirits. Clean all machined surfaces, including the area under the nose and the toe itself.
We recommend that you initially, then periodically, apply a light coat of paste wax to seal out moisture and prevent rusting; this also has the added bonus of acting as a lubricant for smoother planing. Wipe off any wood dust from the surfaces that you will be waxing, apply a light wax coating, let dry, then buff with a clean soft cloth. At the same time, the solvents in the wax will remove any harmful oils left from your fingers that can lead to corrosion. This is especially important with planes that are gripped on the machined surfaces, such as when using this plane for shooting.
Keep in mind that paste wax contains silicone that, if transferred to your workpiece, could cause finishing problems such as "fish eyes". To avoid this problem, use silicone-free products, such as Waxilit® sliding agent and glue release, or a tool surface sealant. Either is an excellent alternative to regular paste wax. However, before treating a plane with a sealant, wipe off any fingerprints with a cloth dampened with a small amount of light machine oil. Remove any residual oil; then apply the sealant to the plane's sole and cheeks.
If storage conditions are damp or humid, the plane should, in addition to the treatment outlined above, be wrapped in a cloth or stored in a plane sack. This precaution will also guard against dings and scratches.
Every so often, take the plane apart to clean and lubricate it where necessary. Remove the lever cap, blade, adjustment mechanism and toe from the body. Clean all parts with a cloth dampened with a dab of light machine oil. The blade bed and machined contact surfaces between the body and toe, as well as the adjustment components (pivot, threaded shaft and traveller), will benefit from a light coat of oil to keep them working freely. For corroded plane bodies, we recommend you first remove the rust with a fine rust eraser, then treat as described above.
The bright finish on the brass components can be maintained as above. If a patina finish is preferred, simply leave the brass components unprotected until the desired level of oxidation has occurred, then apply a sealant. If you want to make them bright and shiny again, you can revitalize the surface with a brass polish.
The rosewood knob and handle have a lacquer finish and should require nothing more than a wipe with a clean cloth from time to time.
