Sharpening - Am I Doing It Right?

[Adam Stevens2]

G'day Y'all. I'd like to figure out if I am doing this sharpening caper right. I have a new plane iron from LV - I got the back pretty close to a mirror finish (seems intermittently cloudy) and started working on the front this evening. I have several waterstones (250/1000/4000/6000). I wasn't sure if I was supposed to just sharpen the micro bevel or hone the whole bevel, so I started at 25 degrees and basically started making a new bevel - presumably the angle of the bevel from the factory and what I was trying to establish was slightly different. So I ended up working on that for about an hour, essentially regrinding the bevel the hard way. I'm not even finished at this point but I needed a rest from it.

Am I doing something wrong there? It doesn't seem like it should be this much work. If it's not obvious, I'm pretty new to woodworking.

Any assistance or advice would be appreciated!

[David Weaver]

Microbevel. The bevel side of a new iron should take about a minute or two.

You should end up around 30 degrees for the final microbevel, perhaps a degree or two more if resistance to chipout is important to you.

[Adam Stevens2]

Does it matter terribly much what the state of the 25 degree bevel is? Right now I basically have three bevels - the 25 degree one I've been working, the ~25 degree one that was established already and hasn't been fully removed, and the microbevel that was already established and just needs to be honed, as you say.

[David Weaver]

no, only the final one matters for now.

[paul cottingham]

LV plane blades dont need much work out of the box. I check, but rarely touch the back, and put a microbevel on the blade then call it a day. Takes about 1 minute.

[Adam Stevens2]

Thanks folks. I'll definitely make it easier on myself next time around.

[paul cottingham]

You are really just polishing a microbevel into the blade. Have fun.

[Jim Koepke]

Adam,

Welcome to the Creek.

With my new plane purchases I always test the blade before taking it to the stones. The blades from LN & LV come fairly sharp with only need of a little honing. If one likes micro bevels then that is likely all that is needed.

Rob Lee recently commented on why the new LV blades come with a grey look to the backs. My recollection is it has to do with the random directionality of the scratch pattern made by their equipment.

jtk

[Graham Haydon]

Hi Adam, the advice here is sound. In addition there are good demos on YT. I think watching someone do it is also a great help.

[Jim Matthews]

Hi Adam, the advice here is sound. In addition there are good demos on YT. I think watching someone do it is also a great help.

+1 on this.

There's no substitute for experience.
The only way to gain experience is through repetition.

In a demo I watched of Lie Nielsen products, they used the Shapton waterstones and a roller guide.
All honing was done pulling the blade toward the user.

This practice keeps an unsteady hand from gouging softer stones with the blade edges.


Considerable downward force was applied.

In some circles, it's called "grinding" - and that's an appropriate name for at least the first step.

Follow Graham's lead on this, get someone nearby to show you how to raise a burr so that you can feel your progress.

It is possible to have a highly polished bevel that doesn't meet the back and
make a pretty blade that won't cut.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F7q5WGb4ZA