scraping insert on order and one heckuva nice guy

Paul Hubbman

Member
Messages
582
Location
St. Louis, MO
So, i decided i'd stop performing radical surgery trying to get my Kunz 112 scraping plane into decent shape (brazing cracks in the castings, flattening a very warped sole - more than a 1/16" variance across the width and length, drilling out and tapping in new screws at the correct locations and angles, etc.) and look for some replacement. I do like the Stanley 112's, but haven't found one i wanted. I also really like the Veritas scraping plane, but then came across a description / review of the Hamler scraping plane insert. It lacks the blade curve adjustment, but will fit in a longer Stanley plane body for better registration. I've got an old #6 with a broken frog and missing lever cap that will get called back into service with the scraping plane insert. I'm all for puting what i already have to use.
So i decided to order one of his scraping inserts instead of buying a new scraping plane.

Well, they aren't sold locally, or in any store for that matter, and there's no order form on his website. You need to email or call him. So, i called him today. I not only ordered my insert (he's making up a new batch in a couple of months), but he also was very generous with advise on scraper sharpening and use. I had some questions, and he really took some time to steer me in a good direction.

We also talked a bit about his next venture (1/3 scale Kentucky long rifles). If you check out his website (www.hamlertools.blogspot.com) his craftsmanship is incredible.

While i'll be looking forward to getting my new scraping insert, it was a real treat to talk with him on the phone for a bit. A very helpful guy.

My wife contends that woodworkers in general are a very pleasant lot. I haven't met one yet that wasn't interested in what you're current project is or willing to chat it up for a while.

Paul Hubbman
 
thanks for shaurun paul on the guy and his tooling ,, as for other woodworkers well your almost right ,,those that look like r2d2's thou are sometimes non compliant:rofl:
 
Absolutely amazing. He is a superb craftsman, no doubt.
But, I was looking for the 1/3 scale Kentucky rifles. No pics.
Does he sell them to 1/3 sized people? ;)

Frank,
He's currently tooling up to produce them in small batches and will be selling kits for them as well. He's both a machinist and a woodworker and will be making all of the components from scratch, including the rifled barrels, the locks, etc. - lock, stock, and barrel. Right now he's got a very valuable (tens of thousands of dollars) vintage Kentucky rifle that he's using as the basis for his 1/3 scale versions. He doesn't have any made yet, though i'm sure he's got some of the parts prototyped.
He and i spoke a bit about this project - my dad built his Kentucky long rifle from scratch when i was a kid. I remember him rifling the barrell and inlaying decorative brass work (formerly the kitchen drain pipes) into the cherry stock. It's a 40 calibre cap lock, and i've fired it many times. Between the small calibre and the mass of the long barrell, there's hardly any kick compared to my 54 cap lock.
I'll be following his progress on the miniature rifles, that's for sure.
paulh
 
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