Steve Knight, Knight Toolworks Toolmaker of the Month, 12/2006
“It’s all about the fluffy shavings”. And they don’t get much
fluffier than those emerging from Portland, OR based Steve Knight’s
stunningly gorgeous planes.
 The hand plane is an ancient tool, and its design has changed little
over time. While Steve has not fundamentally changed the design, he
regularly borrows ideas from different cultures and traditions,
combining the best of them into a new and better plane. Using
Western, Japanese, and Chinese traditions, he can combine features
into a single tool that can be used, enjoyed, and cherished
indefinitely. These planes move easily through wood, feel like an
extension of your hands, and are oftentimes just plain less tiring
than comparable original designs.
All planes feature 1/4" tool steel irons hardened to RC 62 a for a
long-lasting cutting edge. All bench planes work well when pushed or
pulled, so you are free to choose the style with which you are most
comfortable. Some specialty planes work best as a push-type, but I
can make them for a pull stroke or in a Japanese style if that's
what you prefer. Every plane comes fully tuned and ready to use;
only minor adjustments are needed. Soles are hand-lapped to ensure
flatness.
That the planes are works of art goes without question. But these
are not just “pretty planes”! Back in 2000, here’s what Popular
Woodworking review had to say: We had
Knight send us a sample of his work. Most wooden bodied planes that
come through our offices end up as paperweights. However, his 8 1/2"
smoother has earned a place in our shop. It comes out of the box
sharpened and ready to go. Proof of this are some test shavings
taped into the plane's mouth. A nice touch.
The plane body is made from white oak. The adjustable throat
plate and sole are made from ipe (pronounced "e-pay"). The
strike plate is ebony. While the plane's fit and finish doesn't
match those of high-end tools, Knight's philosophy is that he wants
to make a plane that works well and is inexpensive. Sacrifices
are made in production to make an affordable tool, but he hits the
nail right on the head because this plane functions very well.
This plane performs well or better than planes costing much more.
Once you learn how to set the iron, it is a breeze. This tool
is for using, not admiring and it's a tool that you'll want to be
buried with. “Since then, fit and
finish have evolved well into the ranks of high end tools and
reviews since then call out both the beauty and performance of the
tools. Fine Woodworking featured them in a 2003 article by Garrett
Hack, referring to them as “impressively dependable tools”.
 In
addition to wooden planes, Steve also offers a number of specialty
and infill style planes. The dovetail plane shown here uses a simple
fence cut at the same angle as the sole to make the female part of a
dovetail cut, and includes a fence for the male cut. With this
plane, you can cut single-sided or double-sided dovetails.
The infill plane is a precision tool that will plane almost any
wood, grain direction notwithstanding. It will give a depth to the
appearance of wood that few other planes can
achieve... Steve’s infills are no exception but they are
exceptional!
The Knight Toolworks website has a
wealth of information about planes, including a slide show tour of
the making of both wooden and infill planes and a very complete
treatment of the care and maintenance of planes.
 Steve
also distributes selected tools from other high quality toolmakers.
As he says, “I am very picky about the tools I use, and I am even
more careful about what I recommend. I know the people who
make them, so I know the craftsmanship that goes into one. “
Among these are marking knives and awls from Dave Anderson at
Chester Toolworks. Next month, we will be featuring Dave so watch
for that!
Jim Esten
Cedarburg, Wisconsin
December 2006 |
