Sharping a fillister blade

[Seth Terndrup]

I measured the existing bevel angle and it is 23 degrees. Someone commented that it should be 35. Can anyone confirm or suggest otherwise?

[steven c newman]

I don't have that particular plane in the shop....I would sharpen yours to match existing...then see how it works for you. Being bevel down, a steeper angle just gives more "meat" to the edge....but you run the risk of the bevel rubbing on the work, instead of just the edge.

[Derek Cohen]

23 degrees is far too low. Somewhere between 30 -35 degrees, depending on the wood, is appropriate. The lower end if the wood is softer and less abrasive.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Warren Mickley]

I have used 30 degrees for rabbets and fillisters for more than 40 years. I use the same angle for bench planes.

[Stewie Simpson]

Seth; the following shows the typical bevel angles used on a 45* bevel down plane iron.




Your moving fillister plane is more than likely bedded at a higher 50*. That higher bed angle allows you the option of increasing the secondary bevel angle from 30* to 35*, and still maintain a 15* clearance angle.

50* - 35* = 15* clearance angle.

[Seth Terndrup]

Thanks guys I will take it up to 30-35. Sorry for all the reposts. I thought it wasn’t working and finally realized they were on another page doh!

[Jim Koepke]

For some reason literature from Stanley (and likely others) suggested 25º for sharpening a plane iron. As Steven said many folks like to sharpen at 30-35º for a bit more material behind the edge in hopes it will not need a resharpening as soon.

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

Wasn’t that, grind at 25, hone at 30 degrees?

[Jim Koepke]

Wasn’t that, grind at 25, hone at 30 degrees?

It all depends on your sharpening set up. My 'grinder' is a Veritas Mk 11 Power Sharpening System which is a flat disk sharpening system that doesn't create a hollow grind.

One feature of this is the difference in thickness of the abrasive sheets of coarse material is thicker than the finer abrasive sheets. This causes a secondary bevel if one doesn't take measures to defeat the feature.

My blades are sharpened without the intent of creating secondary bevels.

What works for me in my shop may not be what works for another person in their shop with their species of wood or methods of work.

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

I mean the recommendation from Stanley. I thought I read that in a Stanley brochure, but can’t look it up now because my laptop is dead an on the phone its pretty cumbersome.

[Jim Koepke]

I mean the recommendation from Stanley. I thought I read that in a Stanley brochure, but can’t look it up now because my laptop is dead an on the phone its pretty cumbersome.

It depends on when the recommendation was published. My 1953 Stanley catalog says the bevel should be approximately twice as long as the thickness of the blade to achieve a bevel of 25-30º. The bevel checker listed for sale, at 15¢, is set for 25º. There is no mention of a secondary bevel. A more recent publication does mention grinding at 25º and honing at 30º. Some blades actually have an indicator stamped in suggesting the blade be honed at 25º.

It isn't super critical. With soft woods 25º works fine for me.

It is easier to start at 25º and add a secondary bevel if so desired than it is to start at 35º and try and get a lesser angle if one desires.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I find that a diamond hone helps flatten plane iron backs.

[Stewie Simpson]

Seth; when you get that iron sharpened up I'd recommend you also check the fit of the wedge within its abutment.

Chalk is applied to the top surface of the wedge, the wedge is then lightly tapped into position, then removed, and the top abutment wall inspected for signs of chalk transfer marks. Ideally, those transfer marks should show down the full length of abutment wall. Where that's not the case, those early high marks are lightly worked back with planemaker floats, and the process repeated until that goal is achieved.





The following example shows poor contact occurring between the top surface of the wedge and the upper abutment wall.



After working away those high spots along the abutment wall, the top of the wedge is now showing uniform contact.

[Richard Hutchings]

Why the floats? Couldn't this be accomplished just as well with a paring chisel?

[Jeff Heath]

Why the floats? Couldn't this be accomplished just as well with a paring chisel?

Any number of tools could be used, but floats excel at this task, which is why planemakers use them for these tasks. A properly sharpened float is an excellent tool for flattening surfaces like plane beds and cheeks, and it takes some effort to "dig" in and take too much, as a float, with it's length and multiple cutting teeth, acts more like a file for wood, with a long surface like a jointer, preventing it from gouging in unless you're very careless.