# Magnetic Holder for Flattening blades



## ddillon (Sep 22, 2016)

I saw somewhere that someone was using magnets glued into a holding stick to be able to help hold plane/chisel blades while going through the flattening process. They also mentioned that on their diamond plates, the blades stuck to the plates for better contact while rubbing. As luck would have it, I happen to have steel diamond plates for sharpening.

Well, I was about to flatten a blade (for the first time on this yard sale blade) and just happened to see a forgotten harbor Freight "Multi-Position Magnetic Base" sitting on the shelf. Bells when off in my head and I thought maybe this will work to hold the blade.

OH-MY-GAWD!!!!! This was amazing. This thing has a lever for adjusting the amount of magnetic pull to the feet on the bottom. It perfectly fit the width of the blades, and could be easily adjusted to hold right across the top edge of the blade.

It was so freaking amazingly easy, and perfect. I unscrewed the pole, so I was only having to hold the base. I could micro adjust the amount of magnetic pull to the diamond plate so I could control just how much force was applied to sanding the blade. And there was zero slippage of the blade between the magnetic base and the blade. My hands/fingers did not get tired pushing down on the blade because all the force was applied by the magnet, I just had to move the base back and forth.

Because of the strong, direct forces applied directly between the blade and diamond plate, the time to flatten the blade was probably 1/5 or 1/10 the time. The little adjuster lets you adjust from 0 to bunches (that would be the scientific term for magnetic suck).

I'll take more pictures later of this set up.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

Nice tip ddillon. I have an indicator base like that. Never considered using it to hold irons to lap the back side.

Welcome to the site!


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