Thank goodnes for my online subscription at FWW - Sharpening article

[Bobby Slack]

I left my sharpening angle template made by the specifications according to Daneb's article at FWW and thanks to my online subscription I was able to re-print ... re-produce and make more sawdust.

Next step is to assemble it and sharpen my planes.

Many put a camber on their planes and that is perfectly OK. I am not confident enough today to do this so I will stick to square edges, one day I will be as good as Shanon and decide that.

Probably my decision will be after my hand plane class in January '11

[Kari Hultman]

Bobby, here is one way to put a camber on a plane iron. You'll need to hone it on stones afterward, but this will easily give you the initial arc. You can adjust the shape of the arc—subtle or extreme—with this jig: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/video_tricks_in_action_plane_blade_cambering_jig/

[Dan S]

depending on what you are doing, you don't always need a camber, or if you do need one, it's only a really small amount.

check out these two blog posts by Chris Schwarz.

1. http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Why+I+File+The+Corners+Of+My+Irons.aspx

2. http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Camber+With+A+Honing+Guide.aspx

[Bobby Slack]

Kari; That is a great article, I should say that I also read (subscribe) Popular Woodworking. FWW has a huge archive online though. I saw the article on using a machine grind approach. Today my only machine sharpening system is the work sharp and I use it primarily for chisels. My planes are all done by hand using shapton stones.

If I would create a camber it would be following another video I saw from The Schwarzzzzz (I own his DVD on hand planes).

Also my other concern comes from watching the youtube video from Daneb where he has concerns of overheating the iron. Since I don't consider myself an expert on this issue, my preference is to err to the side of avoiding problems.

If I would invest on a Tormac, probably I would use the system on your video.

Bobby, here is one way to put a camber on a plane iron. You'll need to hone it on stones afterward, but this will easily give you the initial arc. You can adjust the shape of the arc—subtle or extreme—with this jig: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/video_tricks_in_action_plane_blade_cambering_jig/

[wilburpan]

One other thing to consider is that camber on a blade does not always have to be a perfect circular arc. For my smoothing planes, the blade is pretty much flat, except for some camber that I put on the outside 1/4" or so. For a jack plane, it's about an 8" radius, but I didn't sweat getting it perfect, since that plane is for hogging off wood in a less than precise manner, and will be cleaned up with other planes.

[Bobby Slack]

Wilbur. I am not denying the positive effects of a camber. At the same time, I am not going there ... yet. Never say never right? I am using and re-sharpening my tools as they came for now and I will make the adjustment when I feel comfortable with the decision. Probably, I will go very very very very gradual on it and use the manual method. I said probably but ... I am taking my time to take this step.

One other thing to consider is that camber on a blade does not always have to be a perfect circular arc. For my smoothing planes, the blade is pretty much flat, except for some camber that I put on the outside 1/4" or so. For a jack plane, it's about an 8" radius, but I didn't sweat getting it perfect, since that plane is for hogging off wood in a less than precise manner, and will be cleaned up with other planes.

[wilburpan]

Many put a camber on their planes and that is perfectly OK. I am not confident enough today to do this so I will stick to square edges, one day I will be as good as Shanon and decide that.

All I'm saying is that a camber doesn't have to be "perfect" for it to work well, so if you're worried about your confidence level, you don't have to be. FWIW, I think that it's far easier to put a useable camber on a plane blade than to make it perfectly square. If you can get a perfectly square edge on your blade, you have more skills than you need to put a camber on the plane blade.

[Onboard]

Wilbur. I am not denying the positive effects of a camber. At the same time, I am not going there ... yet. Never say never right? I am using and re-sharpening my tools as they came for now and I will make the adjustment when I feel comfortable with the decision. Probably, I will go very very very very gradual on it and use the manual method. I said probably but ... I am taking my time to take this step.

Bobby, If you want to eliminate track marks on your boards caused by the corners of your plane iron, then rounding over the corner of the blade should be sufficient. Dan’s first link has a Schwarz demo/article on that. Some woodworkers are against rounding the corners of a plane iron. If you want a camber and you have a Veritas Mk.II Honing Guide, then you might want to look at this item. Here’s a camber calculator if you’re interested. It’s part of a good article on cambering.

[Bobby Slack]

Hey man, you hit it. For the moment, I am interested in loosing the track marks, this is something I was looking for a solution in February / March. Thank yooooooouuuuu. Where have you been all this time???

Camber ... I will wait for this. Like I said. I will err on the side of being careful. Specially because I use my Nbr 8 mostly for jointing edges for glue ups.

Bobby, If you want to eliminate track marks on your boards caused by the corners of your plane iron, then rounding over the corner of the blade should be sufficient. Dan’s first link has a Schwarz demo/article on that. Some woodworkers are against rounding the corners of a plane iron. If you want a camber and you have a Veritas Mk.II Honing Guide, then you might want to look at this item. Here’s a camber calculator if you’re interested. It’s part of a good article on cambering.

[Onboard]

Hey man, you hit it. For the moment, I am interested in loosing the track marks, this is something I was looking for a solution in February / March. Thank yooooooouuuuu. Where have you been all this time???

Camber ... I will wait for this. Like I said. I will err on the side of being careful. Specially because I use my Nbr 8 mostly for jointing edges for glue ups.

You're welcome. The Veritas Camber Roller Assembly for the Mk.II Honing Guide looks like cambering on training wheels.

[Bobby Slack]

I invested in the Lie-Nielsen basic sharpening kit which has a honing guide and comes with this honing guide http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1310

For the moment I will stick with this, all extra money will be invested on a router plane, dovetail saw and a jack plane for now ... and an ariou rasp.

I am absolutely sure that Lee-Valley's products are top quality, I made a decision of partnering up with Lie-Nielsen for now, the service was top notch. I do own a few Lee Valley planes (Side Rabbet plane and a set of small detail rabbet planes).

The reason of sticking with one manufacturer is so they can never say that the reason that the plane or router or whatever does not work is because I am mixing and matching.

Anyway, I made this explanation longer than it had to be. Sorry. I will round the edges next. Thanks.

You're welcome. The Veritas Camber Roller Assembly for the Mk.II Honing Guide looks like cambering on training wheels.

[Onboard]

I invested in the Lie-Nielsen basic sharpening kit which has a honing guide and comes with this honing guide http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1310

For the moment I will stick with this, all extra money will be invested on a router plane, dovetail saw and a jack plane for now ... and an ariou rasp.

I am absolutely sure that Lee-Valley's products are top quality, I made a decision of partnering up with Lie-Nielsen for now, the service was top notch. I do own a few Lee Valley planes (Side Rabbet plane and a set of small detail rabbet planes).

The reason of sticking with one manufacturer is so they can never say that the reason that the plane or router or whatever does not work is because I am mixing and matching.

Anyway, I made this explanation longer than it had to be. Sorry. I will round the edges next. Thanks.

When you decide to do cambering (if ever) is of course your decision. However, I thought I’d mention I found a “cambering on training wheels” from Lie Nielson as well. They don’t say cambering but the description sounds the same.

[Bobby Slack]

This is the one I have. Probably cleaning the edges will be first and is one thing that I was not considering, then on the cambering I will probably will do 1/4 of what people normally do so I slowly experiment with this approach.

There is only one way to find out how this method works right?

When you decide to do cambering (if ever) is of course your decision. However, I thought I’d mention I found a “cambering on training wheels” from Lie Nielson as well. They don’t say cambering but the description sounds the same.