David Rose
11-19-2003, 3:21 AM
Just got in a new low angle block plane from Lee Valley as an early BD present! I couldn't stand it. The first thing that had to happen, when I got too tired to work, was make that edge invisible. I looked over the bedding and adjusters and am not even sure it will need fettling!
Of course, it was too late to be doing any more sawing and jointing so I decided to do something less dangerous and flatten the back and sharpen that thing. That was the first mistake. My sharpening station is new and higher than it had been for better visibility for tired eyes. That steel was really looking good about the .5 micron paper. Then some little booger from somewhere caused the blade and honing guide to slip from my fingers. With the new setup I am working on the edge of a cabinet, so it was headed for the floor. The mats don't go back that far so it was headed for CEMENT! Fortunately the blade was undamaged by either my little finger or boot toe! The boot was old and the blade didn't land on the edge on it anyway. By the time I had honed out the very tip of the edge the bleeding had stopped. Don't fret. I didn't get anything red on the plane. Did you know that something that sharp makes a very painless cut? Until the honing oil seeped in I didn't even know I was cut. And the skin lays back down almost invisibly. Scarey sharp is good!
So far all of minor woodworking injuries have been with those cussed Neaderthal tools. :D I suppose it would have been harder to lay the skin back if I had caught the blade of a falling running router, so I can't complain too much. :rolleyes:
I stayed in the shop just long enough to make a couple of swipes on the corner of a piece of handy spf. I couldn't tell it was cutting until I saw the shavings! My vice jaws have never really been edged. They are hard maple. It cut the corners the same way! I couldn't even feel resistance at all. I didn't get a chance to cut anything flat, but I'll bet it will do the job.
David
Of course, it was too late to be doing any more sawing and jointing so I decided to do something less dangerous and flatten the back and sharpen that thing. That was the first mistake. My sharpening station is new and higher than it had been for better visibility for tired eyes. That steel was really looking good about the .5 micron paper. Then some little booger from somewhere caused the blade and honing guide to slip from my fingers. With the new setup I am working on the edge of a cabinet, so it was headed for the floor. The mats don't go back that far so it was headed for CEMENT! Fortunately the blade was undamaged by either my little finger or boot toe! The boot was old and the blade didn't land on the edge on it anyway. By the time I had honed out the very tip of the edge the bleeding had stopped. Don't fret. I didn't get anything red on the plane. Did you know that something that sharp makes a very painless cut? Until the honing oil seeped in I didn't even know I was cut. And the skin lays back down almost invisibly. Scarey sharp is good!
So far all of minor woodworking injuries have been with those cussed Neaderthal tools. :D I suppose it would have been harder to lay the skin back if I had caught the blade of a falling running router, so I can't complain too much. :rolleyes:
I stayed in the shop just long enough to make a couple of swipes on the corner of a piece of handy spf. I couldn't tell it was cutting until I saw the shavings! My vice jaws have never really been edged. They are hard maple. It cut the corners the same way! I couldn't even feel resistance at all. I didn't get a chance to cut anything flat, but I'll bet it will do the job.
David