How to Sharpen Jointer Knives in-Place

Learn how to sharpen your jointer knives in-place using a diamond plate. Visit FineWoodworking.com for more woodworking technique videos.

[@mikeryan3949]

This worked extremely well, thank you!

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Great tip. I can't understand why anyone would give this a thumbs down?

[@TaylerMade]

because they don't understand what he was saying.

[@backtobasics6348]

Great idea, I tried this and it worked great , tape worked very well, plus I found out I had a slight bow in my blades. Thanks for the idea.

[@sal1964]

Great idea it worked great thanks

[@justingilbert4778]

My recently purchased c.40-year-old Hitachi has locking pins on both the planner's the jointer's sides to do the trick. However, I would not have notice them had I not watched this video. Thanks.

[@brentnicol6391]

Now this is something I must try. To sit for hours on end and set up new blades is a pain. Thank you for sharing this.

[@rickmccaskill7888]

What is the measurement of the jig? Thank you.

[@thomasgibbons353]

Huum, this is a great article.

[@SuperBardley]

1) While I like this approach for quick touch ups, I have been using a magnetic jointer knife setting jig that is so fast and easy that I have no hesitation to fiddle w/ my knives. In the end, it's so quick and easy to just remove the knives and sharpen them on a much more effective and efficient bench system that I find this approach's benefits are a bit thin. 2) Knives for 6" jointers can be had online for $25/set, which pretty much works out to the cost of screwing up a stick or two of good wood, so I just order a 2nd set of knives for limited down-time whilst the other set gets sharpened (by me or a shop). 3) Truth in advertising is that I have the Makita platter style honing wheel, which pretty much guarantees fast, easy, perfect edges -- sorry Tormek users. Platter style keeps a wide, flat contact patch for the knives, so no hollow grinds or concentrated patches of material removal.

[@jimbeaver27]

I have the Makita sharpener too, my jointer blades have a micro bevel, can you tell me what angles you used for the micro bevel and the large bevel? Did you sharpen the micro bevel last?

[@SuperBardley]

Jim Davis Obviously, you have to use an angle gauge off the platter. The exact angle isn't critical, but blade-to-blade consistency is. Just like any sharpening exercise, start with the root angle, follow with the micro bevel, & finish by lapping the back.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@slaverock68]

I think I'm going to give this a try. I have the same chisel sharpener. My only question is accuracy to getting the precise cutting edge angle. How critical is that? It didn't seem clear in the video. And with 600 and 1200 grit how severe of wear can you repair. I'm just a shop hack, not a pro.

[@alexanderkrob6137]

_Now_ you show me this... after I removed my knives for sharpening!? ;-) Setting them up again is a PITA!

[@FineWoodworking]

+Alexander Krob It's been up for three years! More like "Now you found this!". Next time ask us first!

[@chummel123]

love it!

[@ColinPittendrigh]

Clever

[@antmallett6065]

As a matter of interest, Rockwell - Delta, back in the sixties, recommended this practice. With the jointer running. No jigs, just a stone moved across the spinning knives. That's apparently how it was done, back in the good old days. I'll assume their knives weren't HSS.

[@mikebetts2046]

I tried it once. Had to use epoxy to repair my stone after it got whacked. I put some effort into making sure the outfeed table went downward very slowly as contact with stone was made. But something still went wrong. Never felt like trying it again. Maybe someday I'll rethink that process and give it another whirl.

[@vileguile4]

Maybe im dense but wouldn't that remove the edge completely?

[@jessestrum]

what a carry on

[@tkarlmann]

What do you do with the inevitable burr on the flat side of the blade?

[@UsernameFECKLE]

+tkarlmann It should break off without incident on your first pass, I would think.

[@stevenbryant1954]

I thought this video was great. Right up to 2:26. I surprised you did't cut your fingers!!

[@ajames1585]

This guy should not be doing How to videos. I cringed when I watched him rub a finger along the blade

[@ShefferJoe]

Hahaha. I winced as he did it as well. Wow.

[@Jasoninee]

His fingers were moving in a direction that falls over the edge also. As long as you do that you're fine

[@fredrik.larsen]

What is this jointer named? Is it 220 1 phase or 3 phase. I'd love to buy it and ship it to Europe.

[@AnonYmous-qg4ph]

It's a Grizzly jointer. 110 or 220 volt. This one is wired 110 volt

[@grahamwelshpool3132]

Where will all the grit go? Use magnetic vernier clamps to hold the blades when fitting. I Faster than this method.

[@dejanvukelic1585]

Kitu samo tako mozes da naostris i nista drugo

[@frankwiddifield7520]

Setting knives is not that difficult with a dial indicator. Big problem with sharpening them in place, your boards will begin to bow. I keep my blade .001 inch above the out feed table. If I were to sharpen them in place, they would end up below the table. It's not worth it people, take the time to learn how to set knives properly

[@Musicpins]

can you please explain, do you use a dial indicator specificly made for planers?

[@frankwiddifield7520]

@Martin Brixen no, I use one with a magnetic base that sits on outfeed table. If you Google it you'll find videos of others setting them with dial indicators

[@Jazzwayze]

I think he moved only the in-feed table, which is adjustable anyhow, to control the thickness of cut.

[@thecheeta]

Watch again... he moved the outfeed.

[@WV591]

Moving the outfeed table is almost as bad as removing knives and in some cases worse. most if not all have shims and are set at factory and moving them can really mess things up. :-)

[@jimbeaver27]

not on a real jointer

[@2cowboys]

This person has never used a jointer evidently!

[@GuitarWithJamie]

You’re supposed to know how to setup the outfeed table. Look into it.

[@Villywoodworking]

thanks

[@Noble909]

The better way: hand planes.

[@GuitarWithJamie]

Noble909 Not if production is a concern

[@acerjuglans383]

How is that better? Lol

[@TaylerMade]

i see a comment at the bottom from wv591. please ignore this idiot as he has no idea what he is talking about. the reason the outfeed is adjustable is because if it wasn't you would just have to throw your jointer away as you would never get a straight board off it. you also wouldn't be able to do spring joints on it either.

[@woodsprout]

There are many kinds of jointers that are constructed differently. He's probably talking about a jointer that has a fixed or semi-permanent out-feed table. I know that the Shopsmith jointer for example has zero out-feed adjustment.

[@SuperBardley]

Tayler Made As woodsprout notes, there is a whole style of jointer called the "aircraft carrier" style, which work fine in the sense that one adjusts the knives to the out feed table until the knives are worn beyond that range of adjustment. You're right in that adjusting for snipe and spring joints is more difficult, but often, simpler is better; in this case, for the occasional user it's just less expertise to gain.

[@TaylerMade]

SuperBardley if you can't make simple adjustments on your jointer there is no point having one as you will never make it give you a true straight edge.