I've been using bevel-up Veritas planes, and I sometimes find that if an edge isn't feeling quite right, I'll lap the backs on a piece of glass with 3000 grit sandpaper and some polishing compound. It does give the blade a sharper feel. But I've heard this isn't the best practice, and I'm curious about how often this should really be done. Is it normal to lap the backs regularly, or just once in a while? Thanks for any insights!
3 Answers
From my experience, lapping might be unnecessary if you’re doing regular honing. If you don’t create a back bevel, the back surface should remain decent for quite some time. But if you’re seeing wear, it might help to do light laps now and again just to keep it clean. Just be careful; glass isn’t the perfect surface for lapping; a truly flat stone is better.
Yup! A good flat surface really makes a difference in achieving a consistent edge.
I think lapping at 3000 grit isn't bad, but you might be overdoing it since Veritas planes typically come flat from the factory. I usually just flatten the area near the edge and call it good. I find my planes perform well without making it a lengthy process. If it feels sharp afterwards, then what you’re doing works, but it may not be necessary every time.
I’ve been using a light lap just to keep the edge in check, but you could be right—maybe I’m making it more complicated than it needs to be.
Same here! I usually touch up just the edge on my stones and skip the back lapping, but I never noticed any downturn in performance.
When it comes to bevel-up planes, the wear pattern is quite different. With them, the backs can get scratched up more easily compared to bevel-down types due to how they interact with the wood. You’re right in that lapping can help maintain a sharp edge, but if you’re not damaging the back, you generally shouldn’t need to do it often. Instead, focus on honing the bevel edge regularly to keep things sharp. I’d say a light lap now and then is okay, but you shouldn’t need to do it continuously unless you're getting noticeable wear.
That makes sense! I’ve noticed with the nasty Australian hardwoods I’m using, every little bit helps. I guess just keeping an eye on it is key!
Exactly! Once you get it flat, it should stay that way unless something really rough happens.
I’ve tried the glass method, and it does work for a quick fix, but I’d agree—having a flat stone is probably best.