Setting up a Japanese kanna - part 4 - preparing the sole

In the previous video the blade and chip breaker were fitted to the kanna dai (plane body). In this final video in this series the work on the dai is completed by chamfering the sharp corners, flattening the sole, and scrapping relief where needed according to intended use. The kanna is now ready to use and first shavings are taken on several different woods.

[@GordonjSmith1]

Do Japanese craftsmen move the blade from one wooden base to another - with each base 'profiled' for a different use? My meaning is that the metal blade is comparatively expensive, and the wooden base wears more quickly. Also, if you keep 'adjusting' the position of the blade, does not the slot in the base become too worn to grip the blade?? Amazing shavings!

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

I can see how that could work, but as far as I know, that is not normal practice. One tends to have a whole bunch of planes set up for different purposes. The dai does wear over time, but not quickly, and then it can be fixed - a thin sheet of paper glued on the bed will tighten up the blade if necessary (I have done this once and it’s an easy fix), and one can set a piece of hard wood into the base to close up the mouth when it becomes too worn. Also worth noting that the bed is cut across the grain so it is a pretty hard surface and not quick to wear. If you think about western style wooden planes, there are still many antique planes around that are perfectly serviceable even after very many years of use (and sadly, now, often many years of neglect).