“The larger project” that I made shelf brackets for involves the collection of hollows and rounds molding planes I acquired last fall. This project wants at least a couple of them to be tuned up for peak performance. Now that our winter weather has brought dry air, the planes are much easier to disassemble and adjust. A couple of hammer taps on the trailing end knocks the blades loose easily. In the muggy fall, they needed a lot more beating to get the parts to move. So…. since it’s so easy, let’s clean all of them.
One thing is very obvious. The previous owner had a lot more love for the rounds than the hollows.
A few hours in my favorite non-toxic rust remover, white vinegar, will clean them up nicely. The wooden bodies and wedges are so clean that wiping down with mineral spirits is all they need.
P.S. For anyone considering using vinegar for rust removal, keep it away from your workbench. Vinegar does a good job of “ebonizing” the fir my bench is made of.
