Sharpening plane blade

[screwpainting]

Just bought my first hand planes in a very long time, a Stanley 5 jack and a 4.1/2 smoother, both are in fantastic near unused condition and I'm well pleased for what I paid for them. The 5 is in it's original 'from the factory' condition and has not been used at all by the look of it but the 4 1/2 although in near perfect condition has had a sharpening rape!. The blade has had a rough bevel ground onto the back of the cutting edge and I have had to take of almost a 16th" off the blade to get this off and get the thing something like square/straight. I've got rid of any the slight rusting and cleaned and oiled both of them and they are now waiting to be sharpened properly. So, I have one blade as it left the factory and another ground back to square.

I do have a nice piece of plate glass 15mm thick X 300mm wide by about 700 long and a lot of wet and dry!

But that's about it!.

Keeping them sharp is something I am sure I can manage to master, but the initial setting up? my woodworking confidence is a bit knackered to be honest so I could do with some advice please.

Steve.

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Be Careful ! You are entering a thread of mind numbing replies on how to sharpen a plane blade .Light the blue touch paper and retire to the nearest pub.

 

[NickN]

Having been to his sharpening day course, this is currently what I do, and it gives me good results:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE4yVgdVW7s

(and can also be done perfectly ok using your wet and dry instead of diamond stones)

But there are many, many ways (which is why it's such a controversial subject), no single method can be considered 'right' or 'wrong' as such, you need to try them and see what works best for you, what you are happy doing and get good results from. If your plane planes, and you get a nice finish, job done.

 

[screwpainting]

Thank you.

 

[El Barto]

+1 on the Paul Sellers video.

Try also David Charlesworth's videos.

I'm pretty new to it too and both of them have been very useful. As mentioned above, you're opening a can/barrel of worms. There's a ridiculous amount of information out there.

 

[lurker]

I do have a nice piece of plate glass 15mm thick X 300mm wide by about 700 long and a lot of wet and dry!


You have everything you will ever need, just develop the skills
Might take as long as an hour

 

[Bm101]

If you want to look at diamond stones as a longer term replacement for wet n dry have a thread search on here for the ultex ones from ITS. Custard did an in depth review. If you can hang on they regularly go on sale prices. 4 grades for 40 quid odd. Just check they are flat before you unwrap. If not send then back and it's will replace them.
When starting out (I'm still starting out!) I got caught up in it all. It's mad. Jig. No jig. Waterstones. Wet n dry. Scary sharp. Diamond stones.... pick one. Stick at it. My waterstones live in a box now. I use the ultex stones , personally i find i get the best results that way but it was a long and unnecessarily daft journey to get there. If I have a real rotten blade to restore I use low grit wet and dry soaked in turps white spirit etc. But restoring those blades from that condition... you don't do it many times. Once you have sorted your formally abused irons you're generally just after honing it normally.
Don't spend a fortune and don't panic. Right. Good luck. I'm off before the sharpening gurus turn up.

 

[Bm101]

Alternatively....

 

[Graham Orm]

Not been on for ages. First thing I spot is a sharpening thread. It's over a day old and only a handful of replies. What's going on??!

 

[Bm101]

Christmas. Jacob is helping the Elves out.

 

[lurker]

I am sure Jacob will pop up when someone implies a couple of £100 kit is essential before you can successfully sharpen a blade.

 

[Bm101]

I am sure Jacob will pop up when someone implies a couple of £100 kit is essential before you can successfully sharpen a blade.

And he'd be right.
No disrespect meant to Jacob. Just a bit of a tongue in cheek wink and a nod.

 

[Jacob]

I suggest looking at
these pages
and buying everything.
Make a tool dealer happy for christmas!

Recommended bargains - Tormek Magic rubber mat only £44! The innovative hi tech Lee Nelson honing jig, only £105!

 

[El Barto]

If you want to look at diamond stones as a longer term replacement for wet n dry have a thread search on here for the ultex ones from ITS. Custard did an in depth review. If you can hang on they regularly go on sale prices. 4 grades for 40 quid odd. Just check they are flat before you unwrap. If not send then back and it's will replace them.
When starting out (I'm still starting out!) I got caught up in it all. It's mad. Jig. No jig. Waterstones. Wet n dry. Scary sharp. Diamond stones.... pick one. Stick at it. My waterstones live in a box now. I use the ultex stones , personally i find i get the best results that way but it was a long and unnecessarily daft journey to get there. If I have a real rotten blade to restore I use low grit wet and dry soaked in turps white spirit etc. But restoring those blades from that condition... you don't do it many times. Once you have sorted your formally abused irons you're generally just after honing it normally.
Don't spend a fortune and don't panic. Right. Good luck. I'm off before the sharpening gurus turn up.

Good shout on the Ultex stones. And good shout on CHECKING them... which I didn't :roll:

The 1000/1200 is ok (only ok tho) but the 300/600 has a couple of hollows, little dents really. The stones are all perfectly useable just have to avoid the dodgy areas. You'll see what I mean when you put some WD40 or whatever you want to use on the stone, give it a couple of passes with the iron and see a minute pool/puddle.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

There's only one small thing I would venture to throw into the melting pot and its only because your starting point is a badly mullered blade.

Basically, any of the doing it all with elbow grease by pushing it across something abrasive methods are great and will work. You have control and very little can go wrong as you're driving. The only snag is they can be a tad slow when the blade is in bad nick. That then tends to make them a bit sore fingers and a bit laborious and for that reason it's worth mentioning the employment of the National Grid.....specifically when hooked up to either a grinder or a linisher. Failing having either of those tools, a belt sander held upside down in a vice with 80 or 120 grit loaded. That will solve the problem bits fast.

You can then move on to the finesse work by hand.

Just a thought, I'm only the messenger, no guns please

 

[Jacob]

Or a simple blade holder; piece of 2x1" about 12" to 18" long, round off the edges to make it easier to hold, saw kerf in one end to hold the blade. Means you can hold the blade with both hands and put a lot of energy into it. Also the length makes it easier to eye ball the angle accurately.
The saw kerf just needs to be a good loose fit - putting a bit of pressure on it keeps blade from dropping out.

 

[lurker]

Or a simple blade holder; piece of 2x1" about 12" to 18" long, round off the edges to make it easier to hold, saw kerf in one end to hold the blade. Means you can hold the blade with both hands and put a lot of energy into it. Also the length makes it easier to eye ball the angle accurately.
The saw kerf just needs to be a good loose fit - putting a bit of pressure on it keeps blade from dropping out.

Sounds like a sharpening jig to me Jacob :wink:

 

[Graham Orm]

Or a simple blade holder; piece of 2x1" about 12" to 18" long, round off the edges to make it easier to hold, saw kerf in one end to hold the blade. Means you can hold the blade with both hands and put a lot of energy into it. Also the length makes it easier to eye ball the angle accurately.
The saw kerf just needs to be a good loose fit - putting a bit of pressure on it keeps blade from dropping out.

Sounds like a sharpening jig to me Jacob :wink:

Yep that's a jig, caught red handed Jacob.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Blimey...you guys are worse than he is!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Actually ... I suppose the plane itself is only a jig - who needs the plane when you could with a little practice smooth the wood with just a piece of steel in your hand? You could then call yourself a real craftsman.