Reply To: Keeping cutting edge square when freehand sharpening chisels & plane blades.
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I agree with the advice so far about minor out-of-square not being a big problem (otherwise hand sharpening would be an impossible discipline), and correcting by additional pressure on one side during sharpening or using a a jig to re-establish on low grit paper.
For very seriously out-of-square blades it can be difficult to reestablish the squareness as the blade tends to rock onto it’s existing bevel, even when used in a jig, and this tends to perpetuate the error forever. I wasted a lot of time and blade length learning that one time when refurbishing old basket-case planes.
I can already sense the disapproval, but…
In very out-of-square cases it can be easier to draw-file or stone the blade square at 90 degrees (check progress often) and then reestablish the bevel as desired and sharpen (jig or freehand) until the bluntness is gone across the whole width of the bevel. It sounds really brutal and wrong as you are deliberately blunting the blade initially but it works very well. Filing square especially works wonders with softer steel, antique blades (which are also a joy to sharpen freehand btw). If anyone else tries this, maybe don’t use your best file for this, and maybe don’t try this on a modern super-hard steel blade YMMV etc 🙂