Lee Valley blades and the Lee Valley Sharpening jig

[ydb1md]

I need to get a new sharpening jig to take care of sharpening my Lee Valley blades. Do all Lee Valley blades have the 2.5 degree taper on their sides? I'd like to get the Lee Valley sharpening jig but it's inherent difficulty in setting the blade perpendicular to the jig leaves me a little concerned.

I wonder if they could revise the jig by providing some shoulders for a plane blade to reference against -- maybe one shoulder perpendicular and one shoulder offset by 2.5 degrees. The shoulders wouldn't have to be very tall -- maybe a millimeter or two -- with a spacing between them of 2.5 inches so that all plane blades could fit in there. What do you guys think?

 

[Philly]

Hi Y
I've been using this jig, from Axminster.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... 93&recno=1
It will take really wide blades no problem ,I just square it up and away!
Cheers
Philly

 

[Alf]

What do you guys think?

I think you need to keep your powder dry for a couple of months...

Or else explore the joys of honing freehand :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[ydb1md]

So that futuristic looking guide is for real? I seriously thought that it was an April Fool's joke from Rob Lee.

 

[Alf]

Well it's an awfully elaborate April Fools if it is and I, and others, have been royally "done" :-k IIRC Rob had some trouble convincing people the jack plane wasn't a joke too, after the ultra thick blade... No, I think it's the real deal. [-o<

Cheers, Alf

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Alf wrote:

I think it's the real deal.

when asked whether the Lee Valley Sharpening Guide was real or not.

Guys, this is no April Fool's joke. Rob kindly sent me pics about 6 months ago, probably because I had the temerity to post pictures on WC of my modification to his original jig. So it has been in the wings for a long time, and from the design it is apparent that a LOT of thought has gone into it. I think we are going to be treated to something special, which these days is par for the course from LV.

So be patient. I believe that the Guide will be worth the wait.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Alf]

Okay, I know it's the real deal, but considering the depths to which Rob and his little elves will stoop to pull off a joke, I thought I'd hedge my bets... :wink:

So it has been in the wings for a long time

I had cause to look up last year's April Fool's jack plane post on Wood Central, and I see Rob was promising it for Xmas, so yep, it's a long time in the making. Having seen it, I'm not surprised.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

But, will the new jig cater for the tapered sides? It looks like (and Rob described it as) it uses a side (like the eclipse) for one registration face, the cutting edge (sorta like the stanley, but with positive stops) for another - so, if you have an iron with tapered sides, and a potentially not-square existing cutting edge, how will it cope?

 

[Rob Lee]

Hi -

Nope - it's the real jig... taken that long (and 6 figures worth of tooling) to get it where it is... going tomorrow to approve the first few castings - next Friday for the main casting... 98% sure we're a go.... but still nervous!

The new jig will have no problem with our tapered blade (it has a parallel section near the tip. FYI - the blades are tapered that way so they won't hit the plane sidewalls (when you're compensating for an out-of-square blade.. :shock: sort of a catch 22, eh? ).

Cheers -

Rob

 

[Aragorn]

... taken that long (and 6 figures worth of tooling) to get it where it is...

Reckon it'll be any good then! :?:

 

[Chris Knight]

Rob (& Martin)

I definitely want one! Now you just need a few thousand more folk to say the same and your tooling costs will be fully amortized!

 

[Anonymous]

hmm, might consider it...just to add to the collection, you understand - i don't want anyone accusing me of being a tool user!

Oh, hang on...think I got that wrong somehow

 

[Alf]

I definitely want one! Now you just need a few thousand more folk to say the same and your tooling costs will be fully amortized!

I would imagine the back bevel facility will get quite a few honing guide afficiandos putting up their hands too; bearded ones, for instance...

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

If it is a one wheel design and the price is fair, then put me down for one - gotta keep all my Veritas plane irons sharp