I accidentally hit a brad nail with my #5 plane, which put a nasty nick in the blade. It's such a bummer because I was really getting those beautiful thin shavings you often see in woodworking videos. To fix it, I'll need to move the edge back at least a millimeter to fully remove the nick. I have a coarse diamond plate handy, but I'm considering using a drill press sharpening jig instead since it might be quicker and easier. Do you all think that's the best approach?
3 Answers
You could definitely use sandpaper to fix the nick! Start with some 60 grit to clean the bevel, then move up to 120 grit, and finally finish it on finer stones or higher grit paper. Just make sure you have a flat surface to work on. You can find really fine sandpaper, like 600 to 15k grit, on Amazon. However, 1200 grit is usually good enough for a sharp edge!
Wait, a millimeter? How do you usually sharpen your blades? Honestly, your coarse diamond stone should be sufficient for this job. Stick to it for a nice edge!
Using a bench grinder can work, but you have to be careful. It’s easy to mess up the bevel angle or grind unevenly. Plus, overheating the blade is a common issue. Does anyone have tips on how to maintain the right angle and avoid overheating during grinding?