Sharpening plane blade

[Jacob]

Feel free to call a home made blade holder a jig, if it excites you!
You can do the same thing but with a bolt through instead of a saw kerf, for plane blades with a slot.
The saw kerf variation is good for little blades like spokeshaves, which are otherwise difficult to hold

Maybe I'll work up MkII versions with brass knobs and see if any suckers will buy them.

 

[screwpainting]

Thanks for all that guys, I have ordered a Faithfull honing guide just to get the knackered blade back to an accurate angle and this
http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p~11 ... 0wod3_YL2w
cheap faithfull diamond stone to **** about with and perhaps use to flatten out the two old wet/oil stones I lost and then re-discovered whilst looking for (and not finding) something else.
So I now have wet and dry paper,a diamond stone, two wet and dry stones and a honing guide.
I also have a load of old chisles that need complete rehab (render and set removal etc) so I'm in for a good old sharpening fest this week.

But, should I get both of these?
Recommended bargains - Tormek Magic rubber mat only £44! The innovative hi tech Lee Nelson honing jig, only £105! perhaps two of each...
Nah, I think I like the 'Jig' idea best, plus more bespoke.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for all that guys, I have ordered a Faithfull honing guide just to get the knackered blade back to an accurate angle and this
http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p~11 ... 0wod3_YL2w
cheap faithfull diamond stone to **** about with and perhaps use to flatten out the two old wet/oil stones I lost and then re-discovered whilst looking for (and not finding) something else.
So I now have wet and dry paper,a diamond stone, two wet and dry stones and a honing guide.
I also have a load of old chisles that need complete rehab (render and set removal etc) so I'm in for a good old sharpening fest this week.

But, should I get both of these?
Recommended bargains - Tormek Magic rubber mat only £44! The innovative hi tech Lee Nelson honing jig, only £105! perhaps two of each...
Nah, I think I like the 'Jig' idea best, plus more bespoke.

Flattening old oil stones is a thankless task and pointless.
Jigs only work on flat surfaces. If you are going for jigs and flat media stick to the flat - wet n dry or diamond plates.
Oil stones are best kept for freehand. The only treatment they need is occasional freshening up of the surface - I use white spririt and a 3m diapad for this as it's slightly bendy and follows the dips.

You can move from jig sharpening to freehand but it's not easy to go the other way - your freehand edges all need straightening to get them sharp with a jig. Not to mention the simple fact that a dead straight plane blade edge is PITA to use - plane blades should all be cambered to various extents, depending on use.

 

[Graham Orm]

Blimey...you guys are worse than he is!

Got to pounce when he weakens Bob ;-)

 

[Graham Orm]

Actually ... I suppose the plane itself is only a jig - who needs the plane when you could with a little practice smooth the wood with just a piece of steel in your hand? You could then call yourself a real craftsman.

I've often said that Phil. It's a jig for a wide chisel to enable a controlled cut.

 

[lurker]

Feel free to call a home made blade holder a jig, if it excites you!
You can do the same thing but with a bolt through instead of a saw kerf, for plane blades with a slot.
The saw kerf variation is good for little blades like spokeshaves, which are otherwise difficult to hold

Maybe I'll work up MkII versions with brass knobs and see if any suckers will buy them.

You purposely misunderstand.
We call it a jig to wind you up