Sharpening frustrations

For lapping a blade flat, I use a mix of a 300 waterstone and 80/120 sandpaper on a granite reference plate.

I’d also suggest you look up the ‘ruler trick’, I believe Charlesworth’s invention and save the work of flattening the whole back.

When I encounter iron as bad as you describe, and it happens quite a bit, I head to the power. I start on the belt sander. I have an old belt sander with a nice flat steel bed.

The last iron I used the side of this, http://lumberjocks.com/topics/44161 I’ve only done this once so far, so its not a recommendation yet, but it seemed to work well.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

Does the hollow extend all the way to the edge of the iron? If not, it doesn’t need to be lapped out. That said, LJ Bandit uses a belt sander very effectively for sharpening tasks and posted about it over the weekend, I recall. Good luck!

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive

Here is a picture after about 45-60 min of flattening on the extra course DMT. I realize I am flattening alot more than necessary (I like shiny metal) but even just working on the 1/2 – 1” behind the edge it is a slow going. I also realize that this A2 steel is much harder and takes longer to wear on, but I feel like the amount of time I’m putting into this is not in line with what I’ve read from others about these blades.

Holy crap, that’s not good at all. I’d be inclined to send it back, Skeemer. That’s not right, and with A2, as you said, it’s a total pain…

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive

If the handtool takes 60 mins then you are doing something wrong. Just kidding. Seriously, if it takes that much time just sit back and understand the issue.

Back to the blade. With that much hollow at the back of the iron is NOT good. I would return it back. Usually
flattening the back of the blade is done once. It is VERY possible to flatten and sharpen on sandpaper. Just use the proper backing.

I’d second Smitty’s comments. Those blades are not cheap. They should be better than that.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

use 80 grit sandpaper it will take cre of that hollow

-- Stevo, work in tha city woodshop in the country

I have a A grade granite plate from my work 42×42 it is flat and slick thats what I use to flaten everything for stones, wood, irons chisels happy new year

-- Stevo, work in tha city woodshop in the country

I never had luck with scary sharp unless I used the film type abrasives…
Either way its only as flat as your surface, some use glass but its a big unknown in the equasion.
Get a small granite plate… works for scary sharp AND making sure your stones are flat (the granite becomes your #1 reference).

Wow – I had heard better of the IBC blades. As a hollow, that is worse than 100-year old Stanleys I have refurbed. Not sure how much the Hock or L-N blades are, but the Veritas ones for Stanley are about the same price, and if they have been dead flat when I buy them from LV.

Why should anyone have to spend all that time and effort on so called premium plane iron? Send that back and get a real iron from from LN or Veritas.

Another vote here for sending it back. For what they’re charging for IBC blades, you shouldn’t have to spend more than 2-3 minutes flattening the back. I’d get a refund and either get a Lee Valley or a Hock. If you go with either of those vendors, you should call and make sure they know you’re going to be using it in an old Stanley plane. The make them in different thicknesses and the thicker irons could be problematic. Good Luck!

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

Send it back along with an email attachment of this LJ thread and kindly
explain the situation.

If you care, go to a blog I have posted today. I use a beltsander to get things flat, and start to establish a decent bevel. Then I head for the stones. One blade today, it was out of flat in three different directions, at once. Almost like a twist to it. Now….

I think I am pretty close….

-- A Planer? I'M the planer, this is what I use