Hey folks! I've been sharpening my chisels and planes freehand for quite a while now, using a double-sided diamond stone (400/1000), a King 6000 grit waterstone, and an old strop. I usually get great results, but recently I've hit a wall. Even though my plane iron can slice paper cleanly, it just won't cut wood unless I set it incredibly deep. I've tried the same iron in two different planes, so it's definitely not the plane itself. What's puzzling me is how I can sharpen the blade one day and get awesome results, but then the next day, it doesn't work. My guess is that I might be rounding the bevel while stropping, but I've been doing it this way for years without a hitch. Today, I even sharpened the iron six times without success, which is super frustrating! Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks!
7 Answers
Just a reminder: wood is tougher than paper when it comes to cutting. If the plane edge isn't biting, that typically points to the bevel angle being too steep.
You might want to consider using a sharpening jig. After a lot of hand sharpening, resetting those angles can make a difference. Once you’re back on track, you can try freehanding it again.
It sounds like your bevel angle might have gotten too steep, which can cause the blade not to cutting properly. When this happens, the bevel can hit the wood before the edge does. I’d recommend grinding the blade back to around 25 degrees to give it more clearance and then honing it by hand like usual. This trick worked for me when I faced similar issues!
Wow, I hadn't thought about that! I'll definitely give it a try. Thanks so much!
Yeah, this could be the root of the problem. I had the same issue when I first started out, and switching to a jig for a bit really helped me reset my angles.
Is it just one blade, or are multiple blades giving you trouble? Sometimes if you sharpen past the steel laminate, you can run into problems.
I think modern blades are made of high carbon throughout, so I don't think that's the issue.
I’m pretty good at freehand sharpening too, but when my bevel gets messed up, I have to use a honing guide to start fresh—maybe that's what you need too.
I don’t have a solution, but I totally relate to your frustration. I just spent ages flattening and re-grinding the bevels on all my tools, and it was no fun at all. Hang in there!
You can't really round over a bevel on a strop; all you’re polishing at that stage. If you think you’re changing the shape, it might not be that.
Great idea! I'm going to try regrinding the bevel tomorrow and see how it goes.