Washita Oilstones
Washita oilstones are used by woodworkers around the world and they all come from a small area east of Hot
sharpening
bench planes - laminated vs steel blades
If you pick up a wooden bench plane from the the last century (there are lots of them about still!
Bench planes - blade steel choices
Makers of edge tools, including plane blades, need to be concerned about several different properties of steel.
Steel Properties
Toughness:
bench planes - thick or thin irons?
From the time Leonard Bailey introduced metal plane in the 1860s until quite recently they were supplied with thin irons.
bench planes - tapered or parallel blades?
Although this article is about blades used in wooden planes there is an interesting parallel between the blade choices available
bench planes - honing
Once you’ve ground the blade to to about the right angle then you need to hone it in order
bench planes - sharpening angles
Once you have established the rough shape of the bevel the next step, referred to as honing or whetting, involves
Bench planes - grinding
Traditional Methods
The traditional method for grinding a bevel on edge tools uses a mechanical grinder. This is the method
bench planes - flattening plane irons
Sharpening! A quick trawl of the internet reveals a bewildering array of opinions on this topic, and if you look
bench planes - flattening the sole
If you buy a new plane from Lie Neilsen, Veritas or some other high-end maker then you can rest assured