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Thread: sharpening planes

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    i have a couple of Sloan ibex finger planes and after two tops and two backs, they are in need of sharpening. does anyone have any suggestions on books or websites or videos. that might help me.

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    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Chris Pye has a book that covers carving tools and maintenance. An entire chapter on sharpening carving tools. John
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    I always recommend Understanding Wood by R. Bruce Hoadly. There is just too much information about wood and working with wood in that book for anyone who works in wood to do without.

    There are sections on how tool do their jobs and how to sharpen them so that they do their jobs well.

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    Understanding just how the tool works and how to adjust it for different situations is very important for getting the best results from using it. Brian Burns has written a short booklet regardign this, it is available from Luthiers Mercantile Intl. Brian taught classes in tuning up planes, and making wooden planes. I saw him take a shaving off a piece of birds eye maple that you could nearly see through and the "eyes" remained in place. That was a very sharp and well tuned plane.

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    A pretty good general overview is provided by "The Complete Guide to Sharpening" by Leonard Lee (I think it's Taunton Press, the Fine Woodworking people).

    Mark
    J. Mark Lane
    Stanley #10 F5
    Pomeroy #72 F4
    Brian Dean #30 Bowlback

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    Check out Ron Hocks instuctions on sharpening his blades at http://www.hocktools.com/sharpen.htm.

    How dull are the blades as they may only need honing? Honing keeps the edge and if done regularly the blade doesn't need to be sharpened unless it is dropped. Regularly would be maybe only 3 to 4 times on a top and double that on a back depending on what sort of maple it is. Sharpe means when you push the blade edge along your nail if it is sharp the blade will almost be paralell.
    A piece of leather and some honing powder (Flexcut or Starkie are excellent). #Always put the leather on a flat surface and draw the blade with the bevel down evenly towards you. The trick is to us nice even pressure. If you push too hard it rounds the edges. The back should only be drawn gently to removed any burr. If any pressure is used the flatness is gone and an edge that varies in sharpness is a result. Ibex plane blades are supplied with a pretty flat back so little work is required to polish them. Toothed blades require a little bit more handling care as only one side can be sharpened and the tend to tear the leather when honing.

    This procedure also works with all external bevel carving tools.

    If you are keen to learn how to prep planes check out David Charlesworth's books. The other books mentioned are good but can be a bit bewildering as they give far too many choices. Also they are aimed at mostly larger tools that will fit in honing guides.

    Terry Cromer

    The best tools is a sharp ones.

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    Registered User PaulD's Avatar
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    Scary Sharp: http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM

    Paul Doubek
    "... beauty is not found in the excessive but what is lean and spare and subtle" - Terry Tempest Williams

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    The Ibex are a bit odd. Hogging stuff out takes a steeper angle. For very fine, one can set the angle so that the blade can ONLY take off a small slice. Clip the edges, too. I set the angle and the curve on the side of a wheel, very carefully. Leaves a wire edge. I polish the beveled side with 400, 600, 2000 grit W&D paper, then use a power hone (leather disk in the drill press) to polish the bevel. Last step is to VERY lightly and completely flat against the power hone to remove the burr on the back side. This is a very fast process and will get the edge razor sharp with a bit of practice. Then honing will keep the edge going for about 2 violins. Then it is back to the wheel.
    Stephen Perry

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    Registered User Rick Crenshaw's Avatar
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    OK, I build bamboo flyrods and can sharpen block plane blades very well, but I am having trouble using my finger plane. It just doesn't cut well. Do you guys/gals hone a straight edge perpendicular to the length of the blade or are you putting a curved edge (to match the sole of the plane) on your blade? I have used a straight edge and maintained the same bevel angle as came with the plane. It's a 10 mm BTW. I'm down to using sandpaper on this top, but I have work to do on the back and I might be building another mando so I need to get your advice. Curved or straight edge?

    Rick
    Rick in Memphis

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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Curved.
    I actually curve the edge of the blade a little more than the sole is curved to keep the corners from digging in. I have one flat sole finger plane and I but a little crown in the blade for that one.
    If you use planes a lot you know probably know about the decrease in crown of the steel as you progress from scrub plane to finish plane. I set my finger planes up more like the scrub plane. The finish cuts are left to scrapers and sand paper.

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    Registered User Rick Crenshaw's Avatar
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    Thanks, I'll try to match the curve of the sole to the blade.

    Rick
    Rick in Memphis

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