Urko wooden handplane with Sheoak sole?

demographic

Member
Joined
May 9, 2015
Messages
794
20230611-194314.jpg

20230611-194325.jpg

20230611-194342.jpg

I bought this a few weeks ago, just a small thing but I'm unsure of the type of wood the sole is made from.
I've seen some similar wood described as Sheoak?
The main body looks to be Beech and their website describes the sole as "AZOGUE" and I've tried running that through a translator and it comes up with Quicksilver.
The pictures were taken before I cleaned it up and now its taking pretty decent shavings.
I have a few other European wooden planes and several of those have Lignum Vitae soles but can anyone shed a bit of light on what this wood really is?

The website isn't much use as it shows all the sizes being the same from the jointer to the small smoother.
 
I believe they meant Azobe. Almost 5 times harder than oak. It certainly looks like it too.
 
That certainly does look like West Australian Sheoak on the sole. The top looks like beech.

I think that "URKO" is the name of a former owner.

Regards from Perth

Derek
 
Naah, Urko is a tool manufacturer from Northern Spain, not too far from Bilbao if the Google map on their website is right.

Their website shows something pretty similar which I reckon is their Mod-5m although I'm not sure the sole is made of the same stuff as mine is.
https://www.urko.com/en/catalogs/woodworking-hand-tools/510-mod-5-m-2

The shape seems about the same and the wedge sure looks right.
Thee size details are pretty random though.

I've never seen West Australian Sheoak but I assume it's a good deal harder than the beech that makes the rest of the plane?

 
Sheoak darkens  as it ages. I have some boxes and table tops that look identical to the wood in the plane.

Here is a plough plane I built, with a photo taken shortly after construction. It have not darkened yet ...

112.jpg


110.jpg


It is a very hard, dense wood.

Regards from Perth

Derek
 
Birdhunter said:
I turned a large owl from Sheoak. Turned beautifully. Really hard wood.

I got all excited thinking "an owl, how freakin cool!", but then realised it was probably a typo and you meant bowl!
 
[big grin] This reminded me of a video posted on a Dutch woodworkingforum, by a guy who did just that. (Turn an owl, he used cherry).

 
Back
Top