u/G_Peccary

This seems to be a common problem but I had never come across it so I thought it was worth sharing for those like myself who didn't know.

This is a friendly reminder that the Harbor Freight clamps with silicon pads leech ~~plasticizers~~ an unknown substance into your wood and this can affect your finish!

I was in a pinch and had to get some clamps. Harbor Freight was out of the usual clamps I use so I grabbed these instead.

Acetone and lacquer thinner do not get it out of the wood and do not get it out of the clamp pads. I first noticed the pattern after clamping something for only a couple minutes during a dry clamp.

The above photo was taken after wiping the pads with acetone then clamping the clamp to scrap wood. I let it sit overnight and checked on it this morning and was met with what you see.

The clamping pressure really pushes this stuff into the fibers of the wood. Luckily I was able to plane it out of the wood but this can interfere with your finishes so if you have to use these clamps then you should remove the pads, use tape, or use a block of wood with tape on it.

Better yet, don't buy them.

I recently acquired a wooden Sargent toothing plane but the throat jams after about three passes with the teeth set as finely as possible. The plane is hard to push through wood, and I almost have to keep it slightly levitated and "dip" into the wood to get it to work.

When I received it, the primary bevel was at 25º so I sharpened a secondary bevel at 30º up to an extra extra fine DMT stone.

Today, I decided to square up the bottom (there was only a slight sliver of light leaking in under a rule) but the plane is still hard to push with the teeth barely protruding.

I checked Volume 1 of The Woodworker (Hayward) and there is nothing mentioned about sharpening toothing plane blades so I started searching the internet and there seems to be conflicting information on whether or not to flatten the back.

I have chosen not to as I assumed it would affect the cutting geometry of the teeth but the plane still doesn't work well so I don't know where to go from here.

The throat seems pretty open- I don't think I need to alter that- especially after flattening the bottom.

What's the verdict? Do I flatten the back or leave it as-is? Alter the secondary bevel? Somehow take even finer cuts? Open the throat?

Any help is appreciated.

Just a Friendly Reminder