Hey everyone! I'm struggling a bit with sharpening my hand plane blades. I follow Paul Sellers' technique, and when I sharpen my chisels, they come out super sharp (like can-shave-my-arms-sharp). But for some reason, my plane blades just don't feel as sharp as I'd expect. I sharpen them at 25 degrees using my diamond stones, starting from coarse and working up to fine and then extra fine, finishing off with polishing on my leather strop. Is there something I'm missing in this process?
3 Answers
Make sure you're feeling a burr along the entire edge before switching to the next stone. A little trick is to use a Sharpie to mark the edge—this way, you'll know if you're hitting it correctly. And don’t forget to completely remove that burr before you check the sharpness!
You're spot on about the burr, but aim for a very minimal one. The first stone you use is crucial! I recommend short movements instead of long ones. It helps prevent changes in the angle, especially with wider blades. Start with focused strokes, and once you're comfortable, gradually do more pressure—just be cautious!
Check how flat the back of your iron is—it needs to be completely flat for a true sharp edge. If I’m working on a used iron, I spend a lot of time getting a mirror finish on the last half inch. This makes it way easier when it comes to sharpening the bevel. Are you using a honing jig, or are you sharpening freehand?
If I remember right, Paul Sellers is a fan of freehand sharpening!
I totally agree! If it's sharp, the plate or stone should leave a clean surface as you work. Just keep practicing, and don’t worry if it takes a bit. Since the plane iron has a different shape than a chisel, you might not be hitting the edge exactly yet. Finding that burr all across the edge is what you should aim for.