# Microbevel on Hand Plane



## BeefSteakTomato (Jan 16, 2016)

I've come into the possession of a Record No.5 Hand Plane and wanted to sharpen it before I plane some pallet wood.

But when it came to take a look at the iron there appears to be a microbevel. I don't have any experience with the aforementioned.

Taking some macro photos, and drawing some lines tells me that the primary bevel is 19 deg, while the microbevel is 44 deg. (Both angles measured from the flat of the iron!)

Photos
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v0xcldpjfvgeg4l/AAAuG3vxsuUvCKwtk2NhtxQha?dl=0

The plane will be used for general use. What would you recommendations be? Should I regrind to new angle(s), or stick with the current angles...

Many thanks,
Tomato:thumbsup:


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

That's not a micro bevel, you can't see a micro bevel without a microscope. It's a secondary bevel. However, secondary bevels are also very small, you would only see a fine wire at the edge that shines, due to polishing. Hard to know why the former owner sharpened the blade that way. A #5 is a jack plane, it's sharpened to the primary bevel, approximately 25 degrees.

Some will use a secondary bevel on a bench plane when faced with planning figured species that are very hard to surface without tearout, tiger or bird's eye maple for example. Normally, this would be for a smoother, #4 or #4.5. There can also be smoothing planes with a high angle frog. These variations attack the wood more like a scraper than a slicer. Secondary bevels are used on bench chisels, very infrequently on planes. You plane looks like it would make a good paint scraper. I would start with the correct primary bevel and sharpen to that. 

Here is a pic of a secondary bevel on a chisel.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Another thing to remember when planing wood that has a lot of dust on it, like pallets do, that dust will dull an iron really quick, try to get it off before planing.


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Hammer1 said:


> That's not a micro bevel, you can't see a micro bevel without a microscope. It's a secondary bevel. However, secondary bevels are also very small, you would only see a fine wire at the edge that shines, due to polishing. Hard to know why the former owner sharpened the blade that way. A #5 is a jack plane, it's sharpened to the primary bevel, approximately 25 degrees. Some will use a secondary bevel on a bench plane when faced with planning figured species that are very hard to surface without tearout, tiger or bird's eye maple for example. Normally, this would be for a smoother, #4 or #4.5. There can also be smoothing planes with a high angle frog. These variations attack the wood more like a scraper than a slicer. Secondary bevels are used on bench chisels, very infrequently on planes. You plane looks like it would make a good paint scraper. I would start with the correct primary bevel and sharpen to that. Here is a pic of a secondary bevel on a chisel.


I agree with your assessment of a secondary bevel if the plane is bevel up! If bevel down, the only function of a secondary bevel is to speed resharpening.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I was given a Stanley #5 as a retirement gift. Straight out of the box, I measured the total included bevel angle to be 30 degrees. No regrets at leaving that alone.


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

On my bevel down planes, I sharpen to 32 degrees and put a small secondary bevel of 35 degrees. After several resharpenings, the entire bevel becomes 35 degrees, then I resharpen to 32 degrees and start over.


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