More Thoughts on Thin Shavings
After sharpening a blade a thin shaving offers an indication of how sharp a blade may be. For me it is a starting point of knowing when the blade will again need sharpening. An iron being sharpened for a few final smoothing passes may be given more attention than an iron being used for hogging off some wood on a piece being dimensioned.
Thin shavings are helpful to set the lateral adjustment of the blade. Mostly for me this is done by feeling and comparing the shavings from the left and right hand side of the blade. Crumpling a shaving can give a good indication of its thickness. The difference feels greater the thinner the shaving.
Taking a thin shaving after using a blade for a while will also indicate any nicks that may have developed. If a plane is making ribbons there are either nicks in the blade or there might be cracks in the wood.
Then there are our friends who live off the grid and have outdoor plumbing who find thin shavings much more comfortable. :eek:
jtk