I'm curious about Lee Valley's return policy—specifically, can I return an iron that's been sharpened? I haven't sharpened mine yet, but I'm considering it to see if I can get it working before deciding to send it back. Even though it's a replacement from Stanley/Record, it seems to hit the throat with the factory 30° bevel, but it looks like it might clear with a 25° bevel instead.
2 Answers
I’m not sure how changing the bevel would help with a bevel down plane, to be honest. Typically, you have to open up the mouth a bit for these to work properly. But honestly, just reach out to them directly—they're super helpful!
I think they'll accept returns even if you sharpen the iron. I've dealt with those replacement blades not fitting as well, and it can be so frustrating! It’s odd that they made them thicker than the old ones, which clearly affects fit. But from what I understand, lowering the bevel angle shouldn't change the fit itself; that’s mainly about the blade thickness. Maybe there’s another issue with yours?
In my experience, their replacement blades fit in all my other planes except the one I’m currently working on. It's hitting the top of the bevel before it can fit through the mouth. I think if I adjust the primary angle to 25°, it might clear better since the top bevel would be shallower. Planning to create a wooden prototype before regrinding the actual blade to test it out.
Yeah, for most planes, I would do that, but this one is rare and I’m hesitant to modify it. I’ll give them a call as soon as they're open, but I received it after hours today. Thought I’d check here first while I wait!