How to Sharpen a Plane: Beginner’s Razor Edge

Informal, Encouraging

Informal, Encouraging

Okay, so you’re ready to take your woodworking to the next level! The Lie-Nielsen Toolworks company designs planes that are known for their quality, but a dull blade on even the best plane is frustrating. A sharpening stone possesses the abrasive qualities necessary for honing that blade, and experience with the scary sharp method allows you to achieve incredible results. This article will show you how to sharpen a plane, and help you get that blade singing so you can create the smooth, silky surfaces every woodworker dreams of.

Getting Your Plane Razor Sharp: A Beginner’s Guide

So, you’re ready to take your woodworking to the next level and achieve that glass-smooth finish only a truly sharp plane can provide? Awesome! Sharpening a plane iron might seem intimidating at first, but trust me, with a little patience and the right guidance, you can absolutely master it. This guide will break down the process into easy-to-follow steps, ensuring you get a “beginner’s razor edge” in no time.

What You’ll Need: Your Sharpening Toolkit

Before we dive into the actual sharpening, let’s gather our supplies. Think of this as preparing your workshop for a successful project. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Sharpening Stones: This is the heart of the operation. We’ll cover types in detail, but for beginners, a set of three water stones (coarse, medium, and fine) is ideal. Aim for grits around 400, 1000, and 6000.
• Flattening Stone: A crucial tool for keeping your sharpening stones perfectly flat. A diamond flattening stone is a popular and effective choice.
• Water: You’ll need plenty of clean water to lubricate your water stones.
• Honing Guide (Optional but Recommended): This little device helps you maintain a consistent angle when sharpening, making the process much easier, especially for beginners.
• Leather Strop: A leather strop is used to remove the microscopic burr formed during sharpening and further refine the edge.
• Polishing Compound (Optional): Adding polishing compound to your strop can help achieve an even finer edge.
• A Rag: For cleaning up water and any residue.

Understanding the Basics: Why Sharpness Matters

Okay, before we get our hands wet, let’s quickly touch upon why sharpness is so important. A dull plane isn’t just frustrating, it’s also less efficient and can actually damage your wood. A sharp plane, on the other hand, will slice through the wood fibers cleanly, leaving you with a smooth, polished surface and making your woodworking experience much more enjoyable.

Step-by-Step Sharpening: From Dull to Razor Sharp

Here’s the breakdown of the sharpening process. Remember, patience is key. Don’t rush it, and you’ll be rewarded with a perfectly sharpened plane iron.

1. Flattening Your Stones:

   • This is a crucial step often overlooked. A flat stone is essential for creating a flat, sharp edge on your plane iron. Use your flattening stone according to its instructions. Typically, this involves soaking the flattening stone in water and rubbing it across the surface of your sharpening stone until it’s perfectly flat. You can use a pencil grid on the sharpening stone to check flatness.

2. Setting Up Your Honing Guide (If Using):

   • If you’re using a honing guide (and I highly recommend it!), adjust it to the correct angle for your plane iron. Most plane irons have a primary bevel of 25 degrees and a secondary bevel (or micro-bevel) of 30 degrees. Your honing guide should be set up to create this secondary bevel.

3. The Coarse Stone (Grinding):

   • This is where we remove any nicks or damage from the blade. Soak your coarse stone in water for several minutes. Secure your plane iron in the honing guide (if using). Place the iron on the stone and apply consistent pressure. Move the iron back and forth, ensuring you cover the entire surface of the stone. Continue until you’ve removed any visible damage and created a consistent bevel.

4. The Medium Stone (Refining):

   • Now we move onto the medium stone to refine the edge. Soak the stone in water. Repeat the process from step 3, using lighter pressure. Focus on removing the scratches left by the coarse stone.

5. The Fine Stone (Polishing):

   • This is where the magic happens! Soak the fine stone. Use even lighter pressure than before. This step polishes the edge to a razor sharpness.

6. Removing the Burr:

   • As you sharpen, you’ll likely develop a small burr on the back of the blade. This is a thin, wire-like edge. To remove it, lay the *back* of the plane iron flat on your finest stone. Gently rub the back across the stone a few times. This will knock off the burr.

7. Stropping:

   • This is the final step to achieving that razor edge. Apply a small amount of polishing compound (if using) to your leather strop. Drag the *back* of the blade across the strop several times, followed by the *bevel* side. This will further polish the edge and remove any remaining burr.

Choosing the Right Sharpening Stones: A Quick Guide

With so many options, how do you choose the right sharpening stones? Here’s a quick breakdown:

Stone Type	Pros	Cons	Best For
Water Stones	Sharpen quickly, relatively inexpensive, provide a very fine edge	Require frequent flattening, can be messy	Beginners, those seeking a very sharp edge, hand tool enthusiasts
Oil Stones	Durable, don’t require flattening as often as water stones	Sharpen slower than water stones, oil can be messy	Those who prefer a traditional method, less frequent maintenance
Diamond Stones	Very aggressive, stay flat for a long time, good for flattening other stones	Can be expensive, some can be too aggressive for delicate work	Coarse work, flattening other stones, those needing a very aggressive stone
Ceramic Stones	Very hard and durable, stay flat for a long time, produce a very fine edge, can be used dry or with water	Can be expensive, can load up easily with metal (requires cleaning)	Honing, polishing, those seeking a very durable stone

For beginners, water stones are generally recommended because they offer a good balance of performance, cost, and ease of use. A grit progression of 400, 1000, and 6000 is a great starting point.

Checking for Sharpness: The Paper Test

How do you know if you’ve achieved a razor edge? The paper test is a simple and effective method. Hold a piece of paper vertically and carefully try to slice through it with your plane iron. A properly sharpened plane iron should slice through the paper cleanly and effortlessly. If it tears or catches, you need to continue sharpening.

So there you have it! Sharpening a plane doesn’t have to be intimidating. With a little practice and these straightforward steps, you’ll be putting a razor-sharp edge on your blades in no time. Get out there and give it a try – you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to your woodworking.