How to Sharpen a Plane

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Keeping the blade of your plane sharp is an essential part of good woodworking. With a sharp blade, you get cleaner cuts and no indentations or pits in the fresh surface. Periodically pull the plane apart and sharpen the blade with a whetstone.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Block plane
Whetstone

How to Sharpen a Plane

Step1

Pull the plane apart whenever the blade seems dull. This is done by loosening the screw on top of the plane or just sliding the pressure plate out of its position, if there is no screw present. Once the plate is loose, the blade should slide out, as well as the pressure plate that rests on top of it.

Step2

Take a whetstone and rub the plane on the angled surface in a circular motion. Keep the stone parallel with the small section of the blade that sits adjacent to the tip, just above the underside. Typically this surface is several inches across and just a half-inch wide. It is imperative that this part of the plane retains its flat nature. Do not bite into the tip with your whetstone, but keep it flat on the small surface at all times.

Step3

Clean the bottom of the plane with the whetstone. This should only take a few strokes and, again, keep your stone flat against the bottom. The idea here is to remove any dirt, grit or metal burrs that may have built up on the underneath side. Do not bite into the cutting edge with your whetstone.

Step4

Put the plane back together and set the depth to its appropriate level. Only on rare occasions do you want to have any substantial depth with this woodworking tool.

Tips & Warnings

If the blade is really chewed up, you might have to take the blade to someone with a grinder.
The angle of the cutting blade should be about 25 degrees.
Be very cautious when planing an old board as there may be hidden metal objects.
Take your time when you rub the edge of the blade against the whetstone. It will take time and a flat circular motion to create a sharp edge. You can also add some light machine oil to the surface of the whetstone.