Bridge City Chopstick Master User manual

English Version

Chopstick Master™
User Manual
For your optimal enjoyment, please read this manual
completely before beginning.
Congratulations on your purchase of the Chopstick Master™!
The Chopstick Master™ is easy to use and allows young and
old alike to make professional-grade, reusable chopsticks
without woodworking experience or ability. A set of chopsticks
typically takes less than ten minutes to produce and making
your own chopsticks is a rewarding and fun experience that is
sure to bring a smile to your face!
I.How the Chopstick Master™ Works
The Chopstick Master™ works by tapering all four sides of the
chopstick blank using a fxed cutting plane (HP-8 block plane
with depth skids). All four sides are tapered to keep the wood
grain running down the centerline of the chopstick blank.
Before beginning, you will need to determine the style
of chopstick you want to make. Generally speaking, the
Chinese prefer chopsticks with a tip diameter of 5 mm. Other
cultures, most notably the Japanese, prefer a tip diameter of
approximately 2 mm. The Chopstick Master™ will allow you
to do either simply by changing the colored adjustable arms:
the red arm is for making chopsticks with 5 mm tips and the
optional green arm will make chopsticks with 2 mm tips.
II.Before Using the Chopstick Master™
A.Setting the Plane Depth Skids
Before starting to make the chopsticks, it is important to
properly set the depth skids. This can be done following
the illustration in Figure 1, using the gauge built into the

Chopstick Master™ body. This is a one-time setting and
should not require subsequent adjustment — unless the
plane is dropped or the depth skids are removed.
With the plane sole sitting on the top rails, loosen the
depth skids with the hex key wrench provided and allow
them to drop until they touch the bottom of the grooves
in the Chopstick Master™ body. Once the skids rest on
the Chopstick Master™ body, tighten all four screws with
the included hex key wrench. When properly adjusted,
the plane sole rests on the rails, and the skids rest on the
bottom of the grooves.
Figure 1

B.Setting the Cutting Depth of the Hand Plane
The small block plane (Fig. 2) included with the Chopstick
Master™ is a precision tool with a sharp iron; when
properly set-up, it will give you silky shavings with minimal
effort.
The cutting blade (the “iron”) is always inserted into the
plane body with the bevel up — this is a bevel-up block
plane. The depth of cut of the iron is adjusted by rotating
the iron depth adjustor at the back of the plane (clockwise
advances the iron, counterclockwise retracts the iron). This
plane also features an adjustable mouth that is adjusted
by loosening the throat plate lock knob, sliding the throat
plate forwards or backwards to the correct position and
then locking in place by retightening the knob.
The following steps should allow you to have the
plane working optimally.
1. Open the mouth as far as it will go and lock it in place.
2. Advance the sharp iron until you can feel it barely
protruding from the bottom of the plane by brushing
lightly with your finger. Gently tighten the iron (lever)
cap to lock it in place. You do not need to tighten the
lever cap knob very much to hold the blade in place.
3. Close the mouth so you can still see light between the
cutting edge of the iron and the throat plate. The iron
edge should be parallel with the throat plate. If it is
not, rotate the iron slightly sideways until it is parallel
with the throat plate. The gap between the iron and
the throat plate should be just large enough for the
shavings to clear.

4. Adjust the iron depth until the shaving is thin and easy.
Once the iron depth has been set, make sure the iron
cap is tight. You may nd that tightening the iron cap
makes the depth of cut too deep. If so, loosen the cap,
slightly retract the iron, and re-tighten the cap.
C.Determining Chopstick Tip Diameter: 5 mm or 2 mm?
For “Chinese-style” chopsticks with 5 mm tips (approx.
3/16”), use the red arm. For “Japanese-style” chopsticks
with 2 mm tips (approx. 5/64”), use the optional green arm.
To switch arms, remove the “L” shaped pivot pin, insert the
arm of your choice and re-insert the pivot pin (Fig. 3).
Figure 2

Figure 3
D.Choosing a Working Location for the Chopstick
Master™
The Chopstick Master™ can be used on workbenches
or sturdy tables but is primarily designed to be used on
counters with the user standing.
Although the Chopstick Master™ makes very little dust, it
does make lots of shavings. These are easy to clean up
with a vacuum, but can also be easily picked up by placing
an old newspaper on the counter prior to beginning; the
shavings can simply be rolled up and disposed of with the
newspaper upon completion. We have found it useful to
have a wastebasket on the oor beside the user to empty
the plane shavings as they build up within the plane body.
The orange bench hook is milled from aluminum and
should not harm the counter edges. If this is a concern
however, run paper under the Chopstick Master™ so it
falls between the counter edge and the hook.
If you desire, the orange bench hook can be removed, and

the Chopstick Master™ body permanently attached to a
working surface or a user-designed hook using 2 athead
screws.
E.Chopstick Blanks
The Chopstick Master™ is designed for a specific sized
chopstick blank: 7 mm square by 270 mm in length. If you
choose to make your own blanks, understand that if your
blanks are less than 7 mm square, your results will yield
chopsticks with an uneven taper. Blanks larger than 7 mm
square will require extra work in planing. Blanks over 270
mm in length will not t in the Chopstick Master™. Blanks
less than 270 mm can cause clamping problems in the
event of reverse grain.
The best chopstick blanks are typically made from a
straight-grained hardwood, though many woods will make
excellent chopsticks. If you are using a wood that is known
to be toxic, you will want to apply a surface finish such
as varnish or lacquer to prevent the wood toxins from
contacting your food or skin.
F.Sharpening the Plane Iron
The plane blade (the “iron”) that comes with the Chopstick
Master™ has been sharpened at the factory; you should be
able to make up to 10 sets of chopsticks before it needs to
be sharpened. Keeping the iron sharp will make the planing
smoother and easier. It is easy to do with the included
honing guide (Fig 4).
1. Loosen the iron cap lock knob on the block plane and

remove the iron by lifting it up off the pin, and back out
of the plane.
2. With the iron bevel facing DOWN, insert the iron into the
honing guide as illustrated in Figure 4. Lightly tighten
the iron locking knob so that you can still move the iron.
3. With both rollers of the honing guide touching a flat
surface (a granite countertop or piece of glass is ideal),
advance or retract the iron so that the cutting edge is
touching the surface. Make sure the right-hand side of
the iron is flush against the side of the honing guide
groove. The iron is now pitched at exactly 30 degrees.
Tighten the iron locking knob so the iron is rmly held in
place.
4. Loosen the locking knob of the orange bench hook
on the Chopstick Master™ and rotate the hook 180
degrees and re-tighten the knob (Fig.5).
5. The 1 micron abrasive strip on the underside of the
Figure 4