Reducing Hand Plane marks

[Todd Burch]

I recently purchased a Tormek sharpening system and I've been sharpening everything in sight. Having sharp planes now, I don't mind using them! :D

Anyway, aside from a plane iron sitting crooked in the frog, what can I do to reduce overlapping plane marks? (For example, #5 Jack) Should I round the outside corners up a little? Is it technique? Scrape them out?

Thanks, Todd

[Alan Turner]

Todd,
There are a number of theories here, and the answer is both a matter of taste, and relates to the purpose for which you are planing. Debate on this issue is sometimes sharp.
On a smoother, for example, I do not bite the corners off, but as I hone I put a very slight curve onto the iron, but only at the 5000 and 8000 levels. Just a couple of extra strokes with pressure on the outside of the iron (I use an eclipse jig, which follows my Tormek), the purpose of which is to draw the outside edges back a couple of thousandths. If your iron is set to cut very fine, then there will be slight, very slight, valleys, but no sharp edges between the strokes.
On other planes I sharpen differently. For example, if I am working with a jointer on edge work, I will hone it straight across, although not all would agree with this approach. I always sharpen and hone my block plane and shoulder planes, and iron miter, dead straight. On a jack plane, which I do not use for any final work, I curve the blade a bit more as that wat it cuts a bit more agressively.
To see the curve, just hold the iron up to the light, with a straight edge held lightly across it, and the curvature is easy to see.
Have fun with your new Tormek. Are Shaptons next for you? BTW, I basically do not use the honing wheel on my Tormek as I find that it rounds over the edge quite a bit, which I do not care for.
Alan

[Mark Singer]

Todd,
When you sharpen with the Tormek....put a touch extra gradually when you hit the edges. This will just insure that they are very slightly back ftom the edge plane. If it is a large top your planning ...plane on a skew to the surface and change direction...the grain of the wood has a lot to do with the result...Keep taking finer shavings until it is almost a scrape cut, but using the plane....at this point I grab for my ECE Primus Reform smoother...it is my favotite for final strokes...because it us wood (Ligum Vitae) it glides and because of the light weight ...you can really feel the wood surface through the plane. The wood will start to take on a sheen if the blade is sharp. A scraper is not usually necessary and it is a finer cut than a 212 or 112 LN scraping plane. On narrow boards it is much easier...like a door rail or style...it is about 2x the plane width and not much shows. Keep in mind that a bit of planning texture is not a bad thing if it is subtle...it is what you are after..otherwise you can just sand. The slight undulations to the touch are what makes hand pland wood special...it is the character from the process it tells about the method just by the feel. It should not have folds or ridges though...

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=32688&category=1,41182,41187&abspage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=

Just in case there is some change in you pocket! ;)

[Donnie Raines]

I incorparate a number of the things the gents above mentioned. I do roll the edges of the iron over with a file. Then I use a diamond stone to smooth out the bevel. then I cut the micro bevel with 4000 water stone. Now I switch to a 8000 stone a apply more tension to the left and right edges of the iron, normaly I take 20 strokes on each side and then just a few with the iron level and equal pressure to blend the "taper" in towards the center. I have no plow marks what so ever using this method.

DonnieR

[Marc Hills]

The latest periodic catalog from Lee Valley (February, I think) came with a really neat technical bulletin insert on planes. It included a really good discussion of plane iron edge profiles that directly addresses Todd's question.

To summarize the information contained therein: What Alan and Mark said.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Todd, I think all the old planes I've bought had a radius on the blade, even the Stanley 112 and 12 scrapers. Some were pronounced and others were very slight. The #7 jointer had a pretty good radius on the blade and I didn't understand how it'd work until I saw an article on squaring an edge of a board with a hand plane.

[Richard Gillespie]

Thanks Guys, once again I've learned something new. I've been rounding over the outside corners of my irons. The rest of the iron I've kept straight.

The gentle radius, when you think about it, makes more sense. Adjusting a straight iron can be problematic.