Japanese plane : chip breaker issues

[transatlantic]

I purchased a japanese plane the other day, and as per many of the tutorials I followed online, I flattened the chip breaker such that it does not rock, and forms good contact with the back of the blade (no gap).

Before I performed this operation, the chip breaker and the blade fitted snuggly, and could be tightened in the plane as expected.

After the operation, the chip breaker is now too loose, and it is very easy for it to slip too far past the pin and protrude more than the blade.

I've obviously removed too much material on the diamond stone, ....but I had to do this to get it flat?

Currently, I can stick a piece of a playing card between the breaker and the blade and all is well, but it's rather annoying on a new plane.

Was this user error? can it be corrected?

 

[Sideways]

If the chip breaker has a straight edge along the front and the two top corners bent back to rest against the upper sides of the blade, just hammer the corners and increase the bend, then ensure the two corners and one line of contact are all in the same plane.

 

[transatlantic]

If the chip breaker has a straight edge along the front and the two top corners bent back to rest against the upper sides of the blade, just hammer the corners and increase the bend, then ensure the two corners and one line of contact are all in the same plane.

I did try to hammer it lightly, but it wasn't making any difference, so I stopped as I was worried it would crack.

This part is a softer metal, right? so I can maybe try hitting it a bit harder?

 

[Sideways]

I have never tried as mine was OK without going so far.
I had to flatten it when new but the two points weren't reduced much at all before I got the edge sorted. They looked like the tip of a 6" nail after it's been blunted with a lump hammer. Quite small contact points, now mirror smooth.
I believe the chip breaker to be relatively soft and I'd take a hammer to mine without hesitation but I have been known to wreck things ...
My logic i that the blade itself is massive, the breaker relatively thin and the pin is fixed, so I assume the breaker is actually slightly sprung when everything is in cutting position.
Also, as the hollow in the main blade wears out, it is not unusual to hammer that too.
https://www.lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/40427
may give you some encouragement
And in this sequence he does what you need ...
https://www.lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/24608

 

[transatlantic]

Worked well!

thanks