Back To The Family Handyman
From 
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
About This Project
I own several planes, both power and hand, big and small, but the one I reach for most often is the handy little block plane. Nothing beats it for simplicity and convenience. It’s versatile enough to perform all kinds of cutting and shaping tasks yet small enough to fit in a tool pouch, and it’s perfectly shaped to use with one hand.
Like any other cutting tool, the block plane does have one major shortcoming: It doesn’t work when the blade is dull. That’s why after we show you a few ways to use a block plane, we’re going to show you a foolproof method for getting your plane blade razor-sharp, without spending a fortune on fancy sharpening stones.
Adjust the Blade for Fine Shavings
Always keep a sharp blade in the plane. A sharp blade will cut fine shavings. To allow for
the fact that the blade gets shorter as it’s repeatedly resharpened, most
plane blades can be positioned in any number of slots. Pick the one that places
the bevel of the blade close to the opening in the sole of the plane. Then
reinstall the cap and snug it down onto the blade. Don’t overtighten it
or you won’t be able to lower and raise the blade. Expose more blade to remove more material and less to take finer
shavings.
Nestle the plane in your palm. Start each stroke with more force bearing down on the front of the plane through your index finger, and end each stroke with more force on the back of the plane through your palm. Hold the plane at an angle to the wood so the blade slices off thin, even shavings. Be aware of the grain direction and work with it whenever possible. To plane wavy lines or difficult-to-plane grain, increase the angle of the plane to 45 degrees or more.
Paint and other finishes rapidly dull plane blades. Use a carbide scraper to remove paint or finish before planing.
Keep your plane in a dry area and retract the blade when you’re not using it. Resharpen the blade often to maintain the edge and you’ll always be ready to trim a door, loosen a drawer, or unstick a window at a moment’s notice.
Glass, Sandpaper and a Guide Make for Razor-Sharp
Blades
For
25 years, I’ve been struggling with my trusty old oilstone to achieve the
elusive razor-sharp edge. Now I’ve abandoned that method in favor of one
that’s better and faster. Here’s what you need. Buy two 12-in.
square pieces of 1/4-in. glass at the hardware store (about $10 for both) and
ask to have the edges ground smooth for safety. Then buy an assortment of
sandpaper. For really dull blades that need major grinding, buy 80- and
120-grit aluminum oxide sandpaper. For fine sharpening, buy 220-, 320- and 600-
grit silicon carbide (black) waterproof paper. Buy a couple of sheets of each
grit. To get set up for sharpening, spray a light coating of spray adhesive
(available at hardware stores and home centers) on the backside of a full sheet
of sandpaper, let it dry a few seconds and stick it to the
glass.
Advertisement 
