Courtesy of Paul Hasluck, editor of so many classic books and articles. From, The Handyman's Book 1908:
"Oiling Plane Stocks: Plane stocks are oiled in order to improve them for working and to preserve the wood in perfect condition. A wooden smoothing plane is hardly regarded as complete until it has been saturated with linseed oil, a very common plan being to fill the hole with oil, after stopping it on the face, and leave it till absorbed. Planes that are greasy to handle pleasantly will improve with time. This oiling, however, largely increases the weight of the plane; and a tool that has been soaked too long in the oil so as to be too heavy for convenient use should be placed in a moderately warm oven for a few hours to evaporate some of the oil. The oven must not be hot, or a number of shakes will be produced, and the plane will warp."
From Charles Hayward, The Carpentry Book, 1940 (this copy came from the Naval Training Station, Service School Library, Great Lakes, Illinois):
"It used to be advised that the plane should be thoroughly soaked in linseed oil by closing the mouth with a piece of wood and putty and pouring in oil at the escapement. After several days the oil would be seen to exude at the ends. Some workers still advocate this in a new plane, but most modern opinion is against it, in that it tends to make the plane cast. The alternative suggestion is to give the whole thing a protective coat of french polish. At least one modern maker sends out his planes french-polished."
So what's a woodworker to do? Here we have two authorities on woodworking espousing differing methods of finishing wooden planes. Is this nothing more than a battle between the British and the Colonials? The debate continues...
Till next, Gary
