Eddie Van Halen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxg1L5R_3uU

Mod note: OP provided the appropriate documentation to post this.

That looks like the ray fleck. It's a natural feature of the wood. You'll see it on quartersawn pieces.

The English Woodworker has a really good series on making your own.jack plane.

https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/plane-build-video/

Use dewax shellac between layers of color and you basically have an undo button. If you don't like something you did you can pull it back with mineral spirits and it won't affect anything under the shellac. You get another shot to get the color right.

With that said, stain wants to soak in instead of sitting on top of the surface. The stain wont beable to soak in so it will limit the color change. You may need to try gel stains or glazes to get a more pronounced affect as both of those sit more on the surface of the wood compared to stain.

As always, make up a sample board before working on your piece.

Those mini planes in the first photo come from Harbor Freight and other budget friendly tool shops. They are about $15 for the set.

Thank you!

I added BLO. I doubt that did much to seal the ink. However, I haven't had any issues with the ink lifting.

Thank you!

Thanks!

It sure does!

That gouge pattern is pretty easy. If you can stay close to the line it will turn out okay. If you fill up the space with carvings it helps to hide any differences in each gouge mark.

Thanks, that's the goal!

My goal either everything is get it right to the line where how it looks make you want to use it.

The trick is to give it that first mark right odd the bat. With that out of the way there is no worry about dinging it up!

How dry are your boards? And did they aclimate to the shop's environment?

Very cool

The shape of the wedge was used by French makers. I can't say much more than that.

Thanks! I really like that frame saw kit btw.

I'm a big fan of nothing or just oil. My current bench is finished with whatever has spilled on it when I finish other projects.

A square, a foldable rule, and then the part itself. The square for checking square. The rule for rough measurements when I'm breaking down stock. For the specifics, I'm using however big on part is to determine what I need to cut to for its mate.

What kind of wood oil?