Reply To: scrub plane cutting iron sharpening
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Ian and Salko –
Thank you for writing in response to my question. All good advice which has helped me along in seeing how others have progressed in sharpening freehand as compared to myself. I think it’s very instructive to do this, to ask and compare how others have fared going freehand.
I actually began freehand sharpening as a first approach when I decided to do my first ever project in wood with joints – Paul’s work bench. In the Working Wood book he stresses giving freehand sharpening a try and if one must, use a guide like the Draper. I followed this advice but after a few sharpenings, planing was rough going, was a bit of work just to take a few clean shavings, felt that iron was not as sharp as it could be. I decided to get the Veritas honing guide, but not the MKII system, the simpler one that sells for under $20.
This has worked great and I’ve come along fine in the workbench build.
Now here’s the interesting part: After creating this thread, reading the replies, and after all this thought about moving to freehand sharpening, I think I will be able to hold the iron just fine at the appropriate angle and at the same time apply the right pressure, “drop the hand”, etc.
I’m chalking it up to just being more familiar with the action of moving the iron across the sharpening stones…I’ve concluded that there is truth in the notion of “getting a feel” for the right action, abrasive process, and what level of sharpness you will want for taking shavings and correct planing. Not so much “muscle memory” as familiarity and practice.
If needed, I could always use the guide again, for the bench planes. For the scrub plane, I have no qualms about the figure of 8 method or Joseph’s side to side method. But I think Paul said it pretty well and succinctly, when he said to “just do it.”