Camber or no camber? That is the question

[Randy Klein]

In a previous thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=61517), there was a good discussion on whether to camber an iron on a jointer, when it's used for flattening (and not edge jointing).

I wanted to throw this poll out there to see what the general community thinks.

[Zahid Naqvi]

I camber every plane blade, just a drag across the sharpening surface a couple of times, nothing aggressive. I figure there is no harm in doing it.

[Michael Schwartz]

Some say cambering planes for edge truing gives more control, fine
if you can do this and end up with a flat surface. A gap of .002
is enough to effect the strength of a glue line.

Cambering an Iron does leave a nice surface, but not a flat one

A heavy camber is essential in a scrub plane :rolleyes:

A moderate camber is great to produce a scalloped affect in timbers.


I have found a compramise is to round over plane blades by about a 32nd of an inch, so the edges don't dig in. I do camber some of my smoothers by a few thousanths at the most, but only if the plane isn't capable of smoothing otherwise.

The only planes I camber are my #4 and my #23.

Bottom line, if it works for you camber the iron. Big deal,
as long as you get the results you need. I think this debate
has been going on for 500 years, and plane blades are about
the easiest thing to sharpen.

I need to go sharpen a few gouges :rolleyes: