jimmykx250 Posted December 26, 2010 Report Share Posted December 26, 2010 A while back I bought a real cheap (10 bucks +/-) jig for shapening chisels and plane blades. Im running into a problem trying to square up an old hand plane blade that im refurbishing. It seems it wont allow me to true or square up the edge and i cant figure out why. I apply more preassure on the corner that im trying to take down but it doesnt seem to work. The blade isnt that bad probably a 1/32" out total. Im wondering if I shouldent go but the veritas 2 pc jig. Is it worth it? And no i dont own a grinder or wet sharpening system yet- but im close to getting the grizzly- I think?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlloydparks Posted December 26, 2010 Report Share Posted December 26, 2010 Is your $10 jig? If it is then you need to tune it up a bit in order for it to work properly. Usually the sides are not coplaner take a mill file and make them so. This wiil often lead to non-square results because it puts your blade in wind. The paint is also an issue, remove it anyway you can from where the blades mate to the jig and clean out the corners using a triangular file (I used a spent saw file). Make sure you wipe the roller down after each session to keep the grit from jamming it. With a little bit of work these jigs can be very simple to use and produce amazing results. Here are two blog posts from Chris that mention this jig - link1 and link2. I also have the Veritas Mk II jig and love it as well. Both serve the function intended the Veritas will just do it out of the box without any tweaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sac Posted December 26, 2010 Report Share Posted December 26, 2010 For what it is worth, I also have the MkII and I love it as well. I takes only a second to mount the iron or chisel in the jig and you are pretty much guaranteed repeatability every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlehikoinen Posted December 27, 2010 Report Share Posted December 27, 2010 Don't forget to check your sharpening surface. Water/oil stones without flattened surfaces will ruin your whole day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykx250 Posted December 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2010 Is your $10 jig? If it is then you need to tune it up a bit in order for it to work properly. Usually the sides are not coplaner take a mill file and make them so. This wiil often lead to non-square results because it puts your blade in wind. The paint is also an issue, remove it anyway you can from where the blades mate to the jig and clean out the corners using a triangular file (I used a spent saw file). Make sure you wipe the roller down after each session to keep the grit from jamming it. With a little bit of work these jigs can be very simple to use and produce amazing results. Here are two blog posts from Chris that mention this jig - link1 and link2. I also have the Veritas Mk II jig and love it as well. Both serve the function intended the Veritas will just do it out of the box without any tweaking. yes thats my jig. Not sure i follow just how you take a file to the inside of this jig and end making sure it's square with the end. I do understand the paint thing and im going to work on that next. What puzzles me is I have two other blades that are square and they sharpen nicely. Do you use the veritas more than the other one? It seems to me the other one would be left behind if i buy the veritas. I would love to eventually be able to sharpen by hand freestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlloydparks Posted December 27, 2010 Report Share Posted December 27, 2010 I still use both jigs. It is much quicker to set up the Eclipse style jig, however, for skewed blades and small blades the Veritas rules. The Eclipse won't sharpen typical block plane blades. The lower registration area is too small and the upper registration area is too large. I probably didn't describe the the filing job very well. Tighten the jig so that both halves of the jig meet. Now feel the two flat surfaces that the blades rest on. You should feel that they don't line up. One is usually higher than the other. This indicates that they aren't co-planer. What you want to do is leaving the jig tightened and use a mill file to clean the paint and make sure the two flat surfaces are in the same plane (basically file the high side until they are flush). If you have used this jig on two blades and gotten square results and you have one blade that fails then I might look at the blade to see if it is twisted or if the sides are not parallel to each other. Both of these could lead to sharpening a skewed blade. You can introduce some skew from your stones being not flat. However, they would have to be really far out to get 1/32" skew. Might want to check it and correct, but I don't think this is your problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesac Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 yes thats my jig. Not sure i follow just how you take a file to the inside of this jig and end making sure it's square with the end. I do understand the paint thing and im going to work on that next. What puzzles me is I have two other blades that are square and they sharpen nicely. Do you use the veritas more than the other one? It seems to me the other one would be left behind if i buy the veritas. I would love to eventually be able to sharpen by hand freestyle. I have one of those, that I usually use on a diamond plate or sandpaper, and it works very well. I have a veritas too, that has the 1-2° microbevel adjust that I haven't used since I can remember. One is really no better than the other. I don't know why you would want to sharpen freehand. There is no glory in it. If you are out of square less than 1/32", you adjuster might take that out for you when the blade is mounted in the plane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwatson Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 easier to use a grinder to square up the edge than using a honing guide the honing guide is used to sharpen and hone the edge and bevel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahnzo Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 I probably didn't describe the the filing job very well. Tighten the jig so that both halves of the jig meet. Now feel the two flat surfaces that the blades rest on. You should feel that they don't line up. One is usually higher than the other. This indicates that they aren't co-planer. What you want to do is leaving the jig tightened and use a mill file to clean the paint and make sure the two flat surfaces are in the same plane (basically file the high side until they are flush). Thanks for this. I've been having this exact problem and been looking for the reason why my plane blade sharpens crooked. This is surely the reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrust Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I would add that when you are done using the jig (the one in the pictures), clean it well and put a spot of oil on the roller bearing. I have the same jig and the first time I used it I forgot to clean it up right away. The bearing froze and it was the devil to get it rolling free again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have the MK11 and love it, I have repeatability that I just couldn't even with a stop jig and the basic sharpening jig. It seems like I get a much sharper edge in a lot less time. Nate 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harderd Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Something else to consider, not all plane irons are straigh on the sides, some (usually older irons) are tapered. If your iron is tapered on the side you may not be getting it square in the jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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