# Sharpening a plane iron



## ExcessLockup (Oct 7, 2018)

I recently bought an old Stanley Bailey No. 4 plane for a good price (£5.50) and I've taken all the rust off etc. but now I need to sharpen it.

For Christmas I'm getting a whetstone to sharpen my chisels with, however it is the same width as my plane iron. Can I hold the blade at a slight angle when using the whetstone? Or should I get something else to sharpen it with?

Thanks in advance!


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

I suggest you search the forum using the search box.
johnep


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## gmercer_48083 (Apr 9, 2016)

Look up videos by Paul Sellers on you tube to learn more.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

That will work, you can turn the iron on an angle to sharpen it on a stone that is not quite wide enough. 

I use a jig that I made to sharpen my irons with, works great but I use the wet sand paper instead of stones. I do use a wet stone to finish though.


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## ExcessLockup (Oct 7, 2018)

Thank you all, I've got some sandpaper which I can use to get the iron decently sharp, then I'll finish it with a whetstone


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## Brian T (Nov 3, 2018)

3M makes a long line of fine automotive finishing sandpapers up to 2,500 grit ( I think).
I use 400, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,200 and 1,500 for sharpening the curved edges of my carving tools.


Stuck to a flat surface with masking tape, the sandpapers never develop a hollow like a waterstone can.
Great for draw knife, spoke shaves, chisels and planes ( = straight edges.) And, always wide enough.
No, you never, ever, need to glue them down = myth.



If I used straight edges more, I'd bite the bullet and buy some diamond plates.
They are flat and they will stay flat for far longer than a stone.
Plus, you can use the diamonds to sharpen ceramic kitchen knives.


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## Red5hft (Dec 20, 2018)

*Good Start*

Good advice from others on using sandpaper on a flat surface. Very inexpensive way to start out. I use Norton water stones from 400 grit up to 8000 grit then a leather strop if needed. Water stones are more expensive than sandpaper and require maintenance (which I enjoy) but less expensive than diamond plates. If sharpening is a chore, then diamond plates are the way to go. No maintenance and fast. If you want to sample traditional methods, the Norton 2 sided stones are affordable. To each his/her own. A sharpening jig, some start at $14.00, is very helpful for maintaining a straight bevel at the proper angle. I do not have the skills to freehand my irons. I find the Veritas jig to be excellent in design (you can see it sitting on my 8000 grit stone in my avatar photo.)

Enjoy.


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## ExcessLockup (Oct 7, 2018)

Brian T said:


> 3M makes a long line of fine automotive finishing sandpapers up to 2,500 grit


Roughly how long would a sheet of sandpaper last me? Enough to sharpen a plane iron and some chisels?


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

ExcessLockup said:


> Roughly how long would a sheet of sandpaper last me? Enough to sharpen a plane iron and some chisels?


Probably not, but sandpapers cheap


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## Brian T (Nov 3, 2018)

I'd start by folding then tearing the sheets in half, length-wise.
Then stick them down on a flat surface (laminate flooring, granite countertop cut off, etc..)


If my tool edges are not banged up yet they need to be made "carving sharp", as usual,
I use a series of papers from 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,500 then CrOx/AlOx on a cardboard strop.


My Stanley #5, a couple of spoke shaves and a pair of skews? 

One full sheet of each paper grade should last me with daily use for 2-3 weeks.
Just pull strokes. Just enough to restore the edge. If I recall, that's about $6.00 up here.


For my adzes and crooked knives, I have never kept track of wear and tear. A month?


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

ExcessLockup said:


> I recently bought an old Stanley Bailey No. 4 plane for a good price (£5.50) and I've taken all the rust off etc. but now I need to sharpen it.
> 
> For Christmas I'm getting a whetstone to sharpen my chisels with, however it is the same width as my plane iron. Can I hold the blade at a slight angle when using the whetstone? Or should I get something else to sharpen it with?
> 
> Thanks in advance!


The width of the stone (for the most part) seldom is an issue with sharpening a plane iron. It all depends on the technique one wishes to adopt. Some methods require the stone to be the same width as the edge being sharpened (most of the European/North American methods)...others do not (Asian methods.)

There is not a "right or wrong" if the blade gets razor sharp and isn't worn away too quickly by a given modality.

Here just one of many examples of the ways to flatten and/or bevel an edge:


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## JohnTC (Mar 1, 2018)

ExcessLockup said:


> I recently bought an old Stanley Bailey No. 4 plane for a good price (£5.50) and I've taken all the rust off etc. but now I need to sharpen it.
> 
> For Christmas I'm getting a whetstone to sharpen my chisels with, however it is the same width as my plane iron. Can I hold the blade at a slight angle when using the whetstone? Or should I get something else to sharpen it with?
> 
> Thanks in advance!


Yes, you can hold it at an angle. Even with a diamond plate wider than the iron, I often hold it at an angle.


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## JohnTC (Mar 1, 2018)

ExcessLockup said:


> Roughly how long would a sheet of sandpaper last me? Enough to sharpen a plane iron and some chisels?


Yes, you can get multiple sharpenings from a single sheet of paper unless the damage to the blade is very bad.


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## ExcessLockup (Oct 7, 2018)

Thank you all for the help!


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

I always used wet and dry automotive paper. On a piece of glass or a tile.
johnep


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Basic sharpening methods ...*

Starting with the cheapest:

Wet Dry paper taped on a flat surface like glass or marble.

Traditional wet or "oil stones" 2 sided.
https://www.harborfreight.com/Combination-Sharpening-Stone-62852.html

Low priced "diamond" stones from Harbor Freight:
https://www.harborfreight.com/4-sided-diamond-hone-block-92867.html

Then the entire range of oil and water sharpening stones:
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Oil-Stones-C5.aspx

Diamond stones:
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/...CjPOVLp9p-IccpgSb4ekqHI1FThtdD4BoCwg0QAvD_BwE

All of the above can be used to manually sharpen a plane iron/blade. I've done it with all of the them myself. I actually like the Harbor Freight 4 sided stone because all the grits are easily selected on the same stone. I use mineral spirits or WD40 to flush away the swarf then wipe with a clean paper towel. A good light above the workbench allows you to see the polished and sharpened edge as you go. Marking the edge before hand with a black Sharpie helps you see your progress. 

The next issue is maintaining the proper angle on the blade, from 25 degrees to 30 degrees depending on the plane and material to be worked on. With experience you can hold the angle by hand OR you can use a jig like this:
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/...R6V-8mzJnfXnO5YJYgzBh7ps1Cxbp_fhoCUGwQAvD_BwE

There are mechanical or powered means to sharpen plane blades:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...7aV7RngPIJTswjWMiPPq8BlTfDat46cRoCMLcQAvD_BwE

https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/...54rQmDCwrYP_HkDWRppi5pxTeJv5AnVhoCMVUQAvD_BwE

Myself, I have used a vertical belt sander as a metal grinder for years to put the initial edge and angle on my plane blades, axes, knives and mower blades. The biggest advantage is the variety of grits available and the belts are very easy to change:
Mine is a 6" X 48", a bit larger than this one: 
https://www.amazon.com/POWERTEC-BD6900-Woodworking-Sander-Collection/dp/B0035K0XCC

So, pick the method that best suits your shop and your budget.


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