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I had mentioned during the OLF Roundtable that I like the little Ibex plane. This is the flat sole with a 10 mm blade. I use it for many things. It's great for carving braces. I might use a chisel to start, but then I switch to the ibex and it is fast and even. It's perfect when you are tuning the top and taking a little off here and there. I also will use it to bring down things like purfling around the rosette and other places. I even use it when I'm carving necks. It's one of my favorite tools.

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I bought a couple of Chinese knock offs from eBay a couple of years ago. They are not nearly refined as the Ibex planes, but work surprisingly well. The larger one has a 15mm wide blade and the smaller on has a 7mm wide blade. Ebay lists a number of different sizes and sets, and I may eventually pick up a few more.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/395091436531?i ... 8D8G5AYKKZ

That's a great little plane Steve. I have that one which I use for bracing like you as well as trimming down wooden binding on fretboards etc. I have three of the convex ones including the large, 90mm one for archtop carving. High quality tools. The prices have more than doubled since I bought them way back when though.

I love the Ibex planes too.

I think they are the safest and easiest plane to use inside the body if you want to reduce braces or any interior planing.

In use they function like an extension of your finger so using them blind is controlled and easy. I got a couple in the 90's when I was playing around with fiddles and WISH I'd have gotten more too. Back then I think $35-45.

I'm going to have to try the ebay versions as they should be able to be doctored up a bit. Ibex are ready to go right out of the box.

Here is a tool I picked up back then that may be of interest to the archtop, mando, fiddle guys. Took me forever to find one not knowing what they are called.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-carvers-spoon-plane#product-details

Mine never saw action, the blade needs a lot of work to make it conform to the sole and I haven't gotten around to it. I figured for hollowing, it would save a lot of turning the work around when using a gouge too.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

Same, except it was 2008 when I was playing around with fiddles and bought one I still have the order confirmation email and it was $35. I didn't get much use out of it since I didn't know how to sharpen anything back then, but I think I still know where it is. I'll have to dig it out and finally sharpen it up.

One of these days I need to finish that fiddle...

I have one of those spoon planes too. It never worked well for me. Too lightweight or something. The Veritas pullshave worked well but is a lot more expensive. I found the curved/bent gouges and Ibex planes to be my go to on archtops although when I built a couple of archtop bass guitars with 20" bouts, I made judicious use of a kutzall disc on a grinder. Sure saved on time and effort.

The Woodcraft spoon works quite nicely for roughing out the inside of a top or back. It just has to be modified with a usable handle. I don’t know how the makers of that tool thought that people would hold it.

That looks like a good solution Bob!

I have a good friend whose grandfather owned a pair of those Ibex planes. He would brag on them every time my pal visited his shop in the basement. When he passed last year, Mitch removed the planes from the shop, and made sure they were tucked into the old man's suit pocket before he was buried. I thought it was a perfect idea.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Can anyone point to any resources on sharpening the convex ibex blades?

Thanks,

Chuck

Maybe these are a start -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fAJ6e54vBs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvvcayhXKmI

And I'm pretty sure this could be adapted, especially of you have access to a lathe or similar tem, e.g. a pillar drill..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Veritas-Miniature-Honing-Guide-MK-I/dp/B08FBK76T2

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

WIll check them out. Much appreciated.

In action...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com