Do you use the ruler trick (for flattening plane blades)?

[mqbernardo]

I mean Mr. David Charlesworth´s plane blade flattening "shortcut".
Just curious.

Best,
Miguel.

- edited for (i hope...) clarity -

 

[Grahamshed]

?

 

[mqbernardo]

ok, so it seems i was a bit hasty. I mean, Mr. david Charlesworth "trick" to flatten only the tip of the back of your plane blades using a thin ruler to lift it slightly of your water (or any other, for that matter) stone. saves a lot of time.
maybe it´s only popular with folks that started to learn sharpening in recent years?

 

[MIGNAL]

Like this, only a blade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k94nsfOE_B0

 

[Jacob]

It's always been done, but without the ruler i.e. putting more pressure towards the edge or even lifting the blade a touch, as necessary.
It's easier without a ruler. A lot of these tricks for beginners actually make things more difficult but I suppose it's the apparent logic which makes them attractive - you know where you are even though it's a bit of a struggle!
Logic says that once started you will need to use progressively thicker rulers, so that's one reason for not starting.

 

[bugbear]

I mean Mr. David Charlesworth´s plane blade flattening "shortcut".
Just curious.

Best,
Miguel.

- edited for (i hope...) clarity -

I normally just flatten "properly"; if you use coarse enough abrasives, it doesn't take long. Once the face is flat, it'll stay that way for the life of the tool - as long as you resist the temptation to lift "just a bit" when working the back of the blade later on...

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

It's not really about flattening it's about putting a slight bevel on the face, which you sometimes need to do to get the burr off, if the blade isn't flat enough, or pitted etc. It's unavoidable really, unless you flatten the whole face every time you sharpen, which no doubt some enthusiasts would recommend highly!

 

[AndyT]

No I don't. I might use a medium oilstone for a bit if it's the first sharpening on a previously neglected tool, otherwise it's just a few swipes across the fine stone after honing the bevel.

But almost all of my plane irons are old Sheffield cast steel, not strange modern stuff, which seems to be harder to sharpen, judging by comments on here.