Read the End Grain to Determine Planing Direction

Edge Grain Isn't Always Correct

I have had many boards where reading the edge grain told me to plane one way and the tear out told me I should plane the other way.  I've also run into many figured or even quarter sawn boards where the edge grain didn't give me any clues how to plane it.  But taking a look at the end grain and discovering which way the fibers lean allows me to skew the plane and resolve the planing direction.  In fact I have even been able to plane in both directions and allow the skew angle to give me a clean surface.