Is this blank worth using?

[brushyspoons]

I'm still a novice builder so this may be a "me" problem more than it is a wood problem, but while attempting to square up a blank for my second longrifle I've been having a much harder time with hand planing than I did with my first blank. I've sharpened and resharpened my plane irons because as soon as they touch the wood, they start to chatter and tear instead of slicing off nice and clean ribbons. I've planed some of the scraps from my first blank and they cut fine on those pieces, so I'm not sure if I was working with soft maple on my first rifle or if I simply need to do a better job sharpening my irons. This blank and the one for my first rifle are the same grade maple (CM2).
Additionally, I've noticed what appear to be two knots running perpendicular across the wrist area:

Here is a zoomed out picture to give a better perspective on their location:

And here is the other side of the stock with some of that ugly tear out I mentioned:

Any advice is appreciated

 

[Robby]

Try running your plane skewed to the grain so the iron bridges the structure. I sometimes use scrapers made from chisels bought at flea markets, bent to whatever shape needed. and razor sharp, again usually skewed to bridge the grain.
Looks like some nice curl there, I'd stay with it.
Robby

 

[Ames]

How much wood are you trying to remove?
Somedays I've had wood tear out problems with curly maple and reversed the feed direction into a 12" planer. Seems to work.
On real stubborn grain I use a 22" drum sander. Not tears at all.

 

[Sean E Bug]

check grain direction and skew the plane. I would also recommend retracting the iron fully and then adjust it a little deeper until it starts to cut shavings. might simply be taking too big of a bite.

 

[brushyspoons]

Try running your plane skewed to the grain so the iron bridges the structure. I sometimes use scrapers made from chisels bought at flea markets, bent to whatever shape needed. and razor sharp, again usually skewed to bridge the grain.
Looks like some nice curl there, I'd stay with it.
Robby

With what little time I have left this morning I tried running my block plane skewed across the grain and that seems to help alleviate the chatter, I'll try doing the same with my jack plane this evening

How much wood are you trying to remove?
Somedays I've had wood tear out problems with curly maple and reversed the feed direction into a 12" planer. Seems to work.
On real stubborn grain I use a 22" drum sander. Not tears at all.

That is a good question. On the lock side, about 20" from the nose of the stock it takes a 1/4" dive away from the plane of the rest of the stock, on the other side there's about a 3/16" concave bow from tip to butt. If I can get the lock panels and surrounding area square I'll be happy.

check grain direction and skew the plane. I would also recommend retracting the iron fully and then adjust it a little deeper until it starts to cut shavings. might simply be taking too big of a bite.

I start by skating the plane sole across the wood with no blade contact, then slowly extend the iron with each pass until it makes contact, then start working with that depth. Even with that tiny sliver extending past the sole I would still get chatter and tearout, but hopefully skewing the iron will help avoid that.

Are what appear to be knots going through the wrist nothing to be concerned about?

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have had good luck on figured wood using a "sure form" hand plane it is really just a "cheese grater" style tool. It takes off very light cuts and they are spred out rather than one long shaving. Also a good metal file will work to smooth the wood you will need a file card to keep it clean, Working with figured wood is a slow process so don't be in a hurry. But then if we were in a hurrry we would not be building muzzle loaders.

 

[rich pierce]

It’s a good blank.

 

[rchas]

The knots look so small that they shouldn't be a problem in terms of strength--they will cause some odd grain that will be tough to work with. As other posters have said, work slowly and with very sharp tools.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

With what little time I have left this morning I tried running my block plane skewed across the grain and that seems to help alleviate the chatter, I'll try doing the same with my jack plane this evening

Planing curly maple is tricky as the wood is hard and the grain snarly. A big part of your problem is you are using the wrong plane. Too small and no way to hold with two hands. The plane in your hands has to be the boss of the wood!
From the net:
Jack Plane

Before power planers, a jack plane smoothed and squared rough lumber. Good for truing long boards and removing warp or twist. At 12 to 17 inches, it's more versatile than the larger jointer plane.

Smooth Plane

Designed to flatten and smooth the face of a board, this 9- to 10-inch-long plane is ideal for leveling off high spots and for general planing. The best all-around bench plane if you have only one.
Larry

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Quit planning it. There is no reason to. All of the wood on the outside is going to be gone when you're done. Those knots don't make any differnce either.

 

[64Springer]

Building from a blank.

Knot for the timid.

 

[brushyspoons]

Building from a blank.

Knot for the timid.

I just have to accept I was spoiled by my first blank, it was easy to square up with consistent grain direction and no knots.

 

[64Springer]

I just have to accept I was spoiled by my first blank, it was easy to square up with consistent grain direction and no knots.

Laughing with you.

Knot at you.

 

[brushyspoons]

I had been sharpening my Stanley No. 5's iron by hand, I went back to using a honing guide and set the chip breaker a hair's width away from the blade edge. What a night and day difference, now it's time to start laying out the rifle. Thank you all for the gentle slaps to the back of my head, it's great to have a place where newbies like me can ask dumb questions.