I know there are definitely short blades like spokeshaves that come to mind, but I'm curious if there's a specific cutoff length for what qualifies as a 'short blade.' For context, I'm mainly asking because I want to use honing guides for sharpening. Does anyone know if there's a standard measurement—like, is it any blade under a certain number of inches?
2 Answers
If you're using something like an Eclipse jig, you'll find that most spokeshave blades fall short. These short blades might not fit right, making it harder to sharpen effectively. A workaround is to use locking pliers as a makeshift honing guide. Just adjust the blade up or down to hit the right angle. Alternatively, if you're up for it, learning to sharpen freehand can be pretty liberating—it's not nearly as hard as it sounds!
Great question! When it comes to blade length for honing guides, most chisels and plane irons are typically around 2-3 inches wide, and that seems to be the sweet spot. For spokeshaves, the narrower ones can go down to about half an inch, but it’s really the length that determines usability. As a rule, anything under 2 inches might be tricky to clamp properly, especially if you're looking for specific angles like 25 or 30 degrees. A great option is a Veritas MKII guide, which works wonders with short blades like spokeshaves, though the type of guide you use can really affect what you can sharpen easily.