What should I do first?

The plane should be completely disassembled. Clean the adjuster and all machined surfaces (don’t forget the area under the toe piece) with a rag dampened in solvent/degreaser. Old toothbrushes are also handy for this work.

To help protect against rust, apply a silicone-free surface treatment such as Boeshield T-9 or Veritas Tool Wax. Use a light machine oil on the adjuster. The plane can now be reassembled; be sure not to overtighten any screws by torquing them down too hard.

How do I sharpen the blade?

First, polish the back of the blade, working your way up to the finest grit of your sharpening medium. The back has been lapped flat, so you are simply polishing this surface to the same degree that you will be honing the bevel.

The next step is to hone the bevel. We recommend using a honing guide because it quickly provides accurate, repeatable results. The accessory skew registration jig is a great help for correctly installing the blade in the guide. The 25° bevel blade coupled with the 12° bed is ideal for soft- to medium-hard woods. For harder material, you may want to add a micro-bevel for better edge retention.

Once the blade is sharp, it’s time to put your new plane to work.