Sharpening hand plane iorns

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Sat May 26, 2012 1:44 am

As I have mentioned in other posts I'm gearing up for retirement. One thing I look forward to doing is
collecting and restoring hand planes. I have collected about a dozen so far. all of which are in useable
condition now. I have no problem sharpening an iron to a mirror finish razor sharp edge.
I can crown them as well but what I would like to know is this.
What types of planes require what bevel angle and how much crowning?

holsgo · Post by **holsgo** » Sat May 26, 2012 7:51 am

Here's the skinny. Use a standard 25 degree for most everything. Use a higher angle for scrapers especially if you are going to raise a burr. Crowning is good for all bench planes which will eliminate carving a track, meaning the edge of the plane iron. I sharpen block and bench with 25 degree angles. I'll do 28 if I know I'm working squirrelly grain. Higher angle for burl etc.
For planes it's not just the blade sharpness. The plane should have a flat sole, especially around the mouth, toe and heel. The frog should meet the mouth, the chip breaker should meet the blade with no gap and the blade is set with the plane held upside down.
Don't get caught up sharpening to 2000 grit. I go to a 750 stone and stop. Some guys turn sharpening into a hobby all to itself. Sharpen and get to work planing.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sat May 26, 2012 12:48 pm

Very good recommendations from holsgo.

How much crowning? A good question! As I was taught in High School, only round the corners of the iron. Just a small amount of rounding will do the job to prevent corner gouging. Never did understand the term crowning. This insinuates a convex cutting surface. A flat surfaced iron gives a flat wood surface, not at all wavy.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Sat May 26, 2012 2:33 pm

Scrub planes have a curved cutting edge and are used to flatten rough lumber. Google will give you lots of info on the radius and use.

holsgo · Post by **holsgo** » Sat May 26, 2012 3:16 pm

Pennview mentions scrub planes. He's right and these are almost totally rounded. They plow through material and give off less a shaving than a chip of a long length.
Take the bench or block plane iron and put it in your honing jig. Sharpen into about 350. Hold the blade, still in the jig and only work the corners a touch. It doesn't take much. Try and bring the hard right angle of the blade corner slightly round. Round in the terms of almost invisible to the eye round. Test it on a board straight out of a surface planer if possible. Take a pass with the bench plane. The shaving should almost seem to be the full width of the blade but when you look at the board there won't be a hard track per say.
When you tune planes its called fettling. I've had other words for it over the years. But after cussing a storm, I've managed to get my hands on a ton of these tools over the years. Including a post civil war era Stanley. I forget the date on the adjustment knob but it was around 1880 or so. Unreal to bring that back into service.

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Sun May 27, 2012 1:18 am

Well I would like to thank everyone for the comments and I thought people finding this thread may be interested in these related links.

Patrick's Blood and Gore

Stanley-Bailey Type Study

Brent's Sharpening Pages

Stanley Bed Rock Planes

Jim Davey Planes & Sharpening - Sharpening Notes

How to Crown a Plane Iron - Fine Woodworking Video

Veritas Tools - Plane Blade Profile