Wonky Plane Blade

[Coyote Jim]

I bought a hand plane off ebay and the blade is very bad. It's good steel but whoever sharpened it did not keep it square, or really that strait for that matter as you can see in this picture.

Looks to me like someone tried to sharpen this thing on a grinder.

I have a decent water stone and a strop and a pretty good knowledge on sharpening but what this blade needs is a bit of re-shaping. Trying to re-shape this blade on my 1000 grit stone is not going to work out so good. I do have a honing guide and sand paper and a flat surface. Is there a better/faster way or do I just need to suck it up and dip into my reserves of elbow grease? Suggestions on what grit to start with?

[wdwerker]

Find someone with a Tormek ?

[RichardA]

Without someone with a Tormek, get those elbows warmed up.   Start with 60, and go through every grit you have up to 600 if you can, don't neglect the back, then hit it with your regular stone, you might want to bring your lunch to the shop.

[Coyote Jim]

For the initial 60 grit could I use a belt sander? Or am I just asking for trouble?

Also, are any of you fine folks located in the Phoenix area and would let some random guy on the internet swing by and use your Tormek?

[Coyote Jim]

Now that I think about it. It may be better to just buy a new blade. Where would I find a decent (middle ground, not top of the line) replacement blade for a Stanley No 7?

If it's not too expensive that may be the rout I go.

[Chestnut]

17 minutes ago, Coyote Jim said:

Now that I think about it. It may be better to just buy a new blade. Where would I find a decent (middle ground, not top of the line) replacement blade for a Stanley No 7?

If it's not too expensive that may be the rout I go.

I don't know what your budget is. Blades for these guys isn't really expensive but you do get what you pay for.

I have a couple PMV-11 blades and love them. http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=70671&cat=1,41182,43698&ap=1
I bought them with a new cap iron as well which isn't necessary but if the cap iron is beat up can make a pretty good difference.

Other options are Hock, I have one in my number 5 and have good luck with it. I bought it with out the chipbreaker and kind of wish i had done both. Some times i get shaving stuck between the breaker and the iron. https://www.woodcraft.com/categories/replacement-plane-blades?brand[]=Hock&width[]=2-3%2F8"

I consider the PMV-11 blades more high end than Hock but the price isn't that different. Otherwise it's the debate between steel types and that is a rabbit hole.

[Tmize]

I've ordered them from woodcraft wood river brand before they are good blades at a lil less cost. They have original thicknesses an the 1/8". I recommend the thicker ones but to each there own. They can be fussy to get back set right with the mouth but worth it. I have a couple hock blades an love them. Haven't tried the pmv-11 yet but the more I read it is better

[Tom King]

Looks like the bevel is way too steep.  It doesn't look like there is a lot of length left below the slot anyway.   There is still some life left in it though,  as it doesn't look like it's pitted very badly at all.  I'd fix that one, and use it to see what it will do.

You can find stock Stanley, and Record irons that will work in it on ebay for around 20 bucks ocassionally, but I just checked, and prices are double that now. Don't buy one with any rust or pitting.  I've never needed a blade other than a stock blade in a bench plane, but I don't work extremely hard, abrasive wood.

I don't believe you can buy a blade that's ready to go to work.   Different uses call for different cambers, so it's always left up to the user to shape one how they need it.

What do you plan to do with the no. 7?  I rarely use mine of a board edge, for jointing, but mostly for final, precise flattening, which I rarely need.  I keep a 1 thousandth thick camber on it, so it's more like a smoother that will only take a long cut when a piece is really flat.  If used, it follows a no. 6 that takes about a 6 thousandths shaving, so it only hits the high spots, but by the time it's taking a full shaving, the piece is flat.  If I want something really flat, it doesn't even see a smoother.

[wtnhighlander]

Those $10 sets of 'diamond plates' and an Eclipse knock-off honing guide will make fast work of reshaping the edge. Then use your good stones to make it sharp.

Quick Tip: those plates are small, so use one face down behind the other to make more working room. Ride the guide wheel on the face-down one, allowing the blade access to the full length of tbe face up one.

[derekcohen]

Use a honing guide and W&D sandpaper. Use 80 grit to grind. 

Otherwise make an adapter for a belt sander ...

That was Mk1 made more than a dozen years ago. The article is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/BeltSanderGrinderMkI.html

Here is Mk2:  http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/BeltSanderBladeGrinderMK II.html

Better, get a bench grinder and learn to hollow grind.

You do not need a new blade. What will you do if the new blade chips? Buy another? 

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Gilgaron]

That blade would be pretty quick to fix with a bench grinder or belt sander, but if you want neither then some coarse sand paper will do well enough.  If it is worse than it looks you could try a file but that'd be overkill, it really isn't too bad apart from being a bit steep.  You don't even need to make that edge perfectly square so long as it is straight, since you can true it up with the lateral adjuster.  (Assuming you're jointing with the 7, otherwise you don't even need it straight, really...)