My general woodworking skills: Modest at best
My plane skills: None

I recently "inherited" a Stanley block plane that I intended to use to
fix a sticky door in my house. I asked how to clean the rust off it on
this forum and got rather more answers than I expected. I can't wait to
see the crop this question reaps.

The cleaning went fine, after which I blundered about trying to sharpen
the iron and adjust the plane at least well enough to shave down the
door. Despite my inexpertise, it went pretty well; the door now opens
and closes nicely.

But in the process, I noticed something interesting. I had set up a
scrap piece of 1x2 oak in a vise to test the plane after each clumsy
tweak. I of course hacked it to bits at first, but after a while I got
things reasonably functional. And the test piece (I was planing the
edge) got smooth; surprisingly so, and a different sort of smooth than I
would expect from sanding. It was glassy, or perhaps waxy, looking
rather than dusty.

I have no illusions that my junior high shop teacher would have
pronounced my scrap piece "SSS" (Straight, Square, Smooth) and I didn't
dare run a try square over it, but the finish was quite surprising. I
looked briefly online, and it seems there are craftsmen who prefer
planing over sanding, at least in some situations.

So I'm wondering if this has any practical use for an occasional weekend
shelf-and-cubbyhole maker like myself. If I were to get a proper plane
for the purpose, could I reasonably expect to, for instance, smooth down
a face frame? Or does it require more learning and practicing (both in
the sharpening and the actual use of the tool) than a guy like me is
likely to have the time or patience for?

Greg Guarino