Veritas Jointer Blade Sharpener

[Rick Gibson]

Bought this thing from Lee Valley a couple years ago and wasn't real happy with it. Tried sharpening carbide jointer blades with sandpaper, just doesn't work sandpaper will not touch the carbide. Sent the carbide blades out to be sharpened and the sharpening guide sat on the shelf. Had two sets of HSS blades that if I sent them out they would cost nearly as much as buying new blades and decided to try it again. This time I stuck the sandpaper to the tablesaw instead of the glass I used last time and started with 80 grit. Worked my way up to 1500 grit in an hour and a half and have a bunch of bare spots on my forearms and numerous nicks in my fingers. Those blades are sharp and flatter than the carbide ones I paid to have sharpened. With those two sets of blades today it has paid for itself $60 well spent.

[Walt Caza]

Good day Rick,
Great work on revisiting the jointer blade sharpener. It is a good feeling
to get something working, that was not working for you before.

I have had the Veritas jointer blade honing guide on my 'maybe' radar for
some time. My concern was possible flex in the less-than-robust looking
arm. You do not mention that as a problem.

The LV catalog lists a clamp capacity of up to 8 inches. It would be
helpful to know what size jointer blades you had good luck sharpening?

We live in a curious time, when the cost of buying a replacement item,
often rivals or exceeds the cost of servicing an old one.
You made a grand effort and sacrificed the body to get the HSS up to
snuff ... it must have been satisfying !

My other concern with honing jointer blades myself, was keeping a
matched set. The jointer needs to be precise, and I feared throwing off
the balance and/or cutting arc.

Would you be kind enough to share which adhesive you used to
secure the sandpaper to ts ?
And how did you get the sandpaper back off afterwards ?

Thanks,
Walt
:)

[Rick Gibson]

Walt

The sharpener appears to be cast aluminum - I'm assuming aluminum as it is not magnetic, it's solid and there is no flex at all.

I was using it on 6 inch blades and the blade support is 7" long so you would have 1/2" sticking out on each side with 8" blades but not a lot of pressure is used to press down on the sandpaper so that should be no problem.

As far a cutting arc changing, on my jointer each blade height is set individually a real PIA but if one blade is slightly wider that would be made up in the adjustment. A micrometer could be used to ensure you take the same amount off each blade which would look after the balance problem as well. I didn't worry to much about that as it is a small arc and there isn't going to be that much difference - time and testing will tell there. If it does turn out to be a problem I will put them back on and balance them.

Normally you would not start out with a grit as coarse as I did but one set was pretty messed up from a previous attempt at this using a home made jig that did flex. The second set I started at 180 grit and only honed the micro bevel to sharpen this would help keep a matched set. You could always use a micrometer to make sure.

Most of the sandpaper was adhesive backed and the finer grits 600 - 1500 I used a 3M spray adhesive (light tack) Cleaned off the table afterwards with turpentine and rewaxed it. Both sandpapers just peeled off the table.

[Will Blick]

I was considering this LV jig for 12" jointer / planer blades. since the jointer blades are pretty robust, I would assume, having the 2" overhang on each side would not be an issue...what is your thoughts? TYIA

[Rick Gibson]

There would actually 2 1/2" on each side. With a light touch it might work. My biggest concern would be applying more pressure at one end than the other and taking a whole lot more off that end.

[David Romano]

I have an 8" jointer and can't imagine not having the LV sharpener. It does take some work though, and the sandpaper wears fast (3M scary sharp type). There are some design flaws to it, but I'm still glad I have it. In a few minutes, I can shave the hair off my arm.

I mount the PSA backed sandpaper on granite surface plates and use it for sharpening my other blades as well using the LV MkII guide. Another nice product from LV. I wouldn't recommend sharpening 12 blades with the jointer sharpener. The 2 1/2 inches overhanging is significant as well as would be the hassle in using such a large sheet of sandpaper (13" at least) and mounting it to a surface that is flat enough (better then .001")

My next set of planer blades will be from Infinity. I'd get them or Forrest to sharpen them.

David

[Michael Schwartz]

There has got to be some way of using it with diamond abrasives for carbide blades

[Will Blick]

Michael, that was my thought also.... i.e. using diamond paste. However, this requires a very flat surface as David points out. Easy for chisels widths of <2", but not so easy with a 12" blade. When I use diamond paste, I often toss the paste after it and the surface is used a bit, or it looses its effectiveness. I use hardboard, its cheap, pretty flat, yet soft enough to absorb some of the grit. But not sure it will remain flat enough at this size.

[Will Blick]

Oh, what about two of those jigs side by side?