DIY: Block Plane Sharpening
Some woodworkers prefer sending their plane irons to professionals to be sharpened but many hobbyists prefer to learn how to do it themselves. There are many methods available for plane iron sharpening. They range from complete dedicated sharpening machines to semi-automatic systems to fully manual systems. The simplest and least costly method for the DIY hobbyist is called the "Scary Sharp" method. This method involves the use of abrasive papers that can be bought one sheet at a time at minimal cost. The "Scary Sharp" method delivers results just as good as, if not better than, most other systems.
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Things You'll Need
- ¼ inch plate glass, 19 inches by 14 inches
- 3 sheets sanding paper, 15 micron, 5 micron and 0.5 micron
- Honing oil or baby oil
- Honing guide
- Spray adhesive
- Screwdriver (optional)
Instructions
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1
Set up 3 pieces of sandpaper on a piece of 1/4 inch thick plate glass 19 inches long by 14 inches wide. Use a 15 micron piece of wet/dry paper, 8 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches in size; a 5 micron piece, 5 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches in size and a 0.5 micron piece, 2 3/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches in size.
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2
Lay them out in order of size on the glass and use a light dose of spray adhesive to stick them down.
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3
Turn the adjustment wheel or use a screwdriver to loosen the iron cap. Remove the iron from the plane.
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4
Put the iron in the honing guide or jig, bevel side down, and set it for a 25 degree angle.
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5
Put some oil on the 15 micron piece of sandpaper and rub the iron back and forth on it until a burr is formed on the back of the iron. Turn the iron over and pull it toward you a few times to get rid of the burr.
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6
Move the iron to the 5 micron paper and set the angle of the jig to 28 degrees. Pull the iron toward you for the first few strokes to get rid of any burr left over from the 15 micron paper and then you can push and pull to speed up the sharpening of the secondary bevel. Work the iron on the 5 micron paper until a burr forms at the back edge of the iron then flip the iron over and use the pull stroke to remove the burr from the back of the iron.
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7
Move to the .5 micron paper and set the jig angle to 30 degrees. Pull the iron toward you for the first few strokes to get rid of any burr left over from the 5 micron paper. Work the iron on the .5 micron paper until a burr forms at the back edge of the iron then flip the iron over and use the pull stroke to take the burr off the back.
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8
Replace the iron in the plane and set the protrusion from the sole to the depth of cut that you desire.
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Tips & Warnings
A 15 micron paper translates to a 1200 grit paper, a 5 micron paper translates to a 4500 grit paper and a 0.5 micron paper translates to a 50,000 grit paper.
The iron is sometimes called the blade.
Plane irons are very sharp objects; exercise a great deal of care when using or sharpening them.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit woodworking plane image by Christopher Dodge from Fotolia.com
