How To Sharpen A Shoulder Plane

[@SeanSchade]

I have no idea how you don’t have more subscribers. You put out some of the best videos on hand tools in my opinion.

[@thejointeffort]

Thanks Sean! I’ve had this channel for a long Time, but I’ve only started adding content in the last few months. I do my best not to get off topic and ramble on unnecessarily. That’s the reason I have trouble watching most educational woodworking videos.

[@shanehertzog5812]

Hi I like the lie Nielsen plane should you buy the bigger shoulder first? The medium size is good to. I like the way you show how to sharpen shoulder plane. Australia.

[@thejointeffort]

Occasionally I find myself wishing for the medium sized shoulder plane and then I have a task that really requires the large one. One day I might buy a medium, but I haven’t found a good enough reason to spend the money on a second plane.

[@donovancampbell7785]

Well done! Thank you.

[@thejointeffort]

Thanks Donovan!

[@DonSmith-z3w]

I purchased the lie Nielsen medium shoulder plane and am about to hone and adjust the blade for the first time. (second time honing any blade) So essentially what you did was honed a 40 degree micro / secondary bevel on the existing 25 degree bevel? I think I missed the grit# you used to flatten the back of the blade. Thanks

[@thejointeffort]

Since it's a Lie-Nielsen blade, you shouldn't have to do any flattening. I check it, but I don't do any flattening unless it needs it. I don't polish the back of the blade when it's new. I just rub it over my finest stone (8000G) a few times before each sharpening. This step is an old habit that I probably need to break. I use the ruler trick to put a micro bevel on the back, so polishing the back isn't necessary. As far as the secondary bevel is concerned... I prefer 40 degrees because it's tougher than a shallower angle. It might take a little more effort to push the plane, but I sharpen less. To recap... If I just unwrapped a new plane: 1- Check the blade to make sure it's flat. Easiest way to do this is to rub it on a freshly flattened 1000 or 4000 grit stone. If the wear pattern from the stone is even, it's flat. 2 - Hone a secondary bevel on the top. Whatever angle you prefer. I like 40 degrees. 3 - Flip the blade and use the ruler trick to remove the burr and add a microlevel on the back. 4 - Get to work!

[@rickbowles6347]

Thanks Mark, a very helpful reference.

[@thejointeffort]

Thanks Rick!

[@TheMrchuck2000]

Not understanding why you're using the "ruler trick" on a bevel-down iron. Wouldn't that back bevel create a gap between the back of the iron (at the edge) and the bed it rests upon? (Hope that makes sense.) Seems this is a case where a back bevel would invite problems with clogging. PS: Thank you for your videos.

[@thejointeffort]

It’s a very small bevel. More importantly it’s at a very shallow angle. As long as the bevel (any size bevel) is less than the bed angle of the plane, there’s no problem. But if the bevel gets too big, it begins to lose support from the body of the plane and that leads to poor performance.

[@TheMrchuck2000]

@@thejointeffort Thank you.

[@andrewlarson5831]

Though it may sound counterintuitive, do not flush the blade with the side of the plane body--it will lead to a tapered cut. I've always followed Chris Gochnour's advice, in which you place a piece of paper (4-5 thousandths of an inch) on either side of blade and then flush the blade so it protrudes a sheet-of-paper's worth beyond the edge of the plane body.

[@thejointeffort]

I’ve been researching this point and hopefully I’ll have a chance to film a deep dive. It seems everyone is right on this one...

[@michaelbrandt2820]

Great video! Hoping to buy my first shoulder plane and was wondering which you would recommend? I see you have the Large Lie-Nielsen, which is what I'm leaning towards since I've not yet been disappointed with any of their tools. But I've read the options from Veritas are worth a look. If I were to buy only one, is the large the one to go with? Thanks!

[@thejointeffort]

Hello Michael! Thank you for your kind words. I don't have any solid experience with the Veritas Shoulder Plane, but there are plenty woodworkers whom I greatly respect who prefer it. The universal suggestion. with that plane is that you should remove the kn one from the front to make it useable. That struck me as odd when n I was buying, so I went with the Lie-Nielsen. I like the esthetics better on the L-N too. Regarding the size, I don't think I could have gotten by without the Large. But I build workbenches for a living, so I'm not the most typical user. I figured I could make it work on smaller joints, but it would be a stretch to make a Medium work on a bench. It can be awkward to work with at times, but you get used to it. Every time I see them at show I have to talk myself out of buying that next size down.

[@TheSMEAC]

Thank you brother, I hope you guys are having a wonderful fall. No King but Christ, Shannon