double bevel on a low angle block?

[Dave Cullen]

I picked up a nice Stanley 60-1/2 off eBay 'cuz I don't have any low angle planes and I wanted something for end grain. The previous owner had ground a 25 degree bevel, then put a 30 degree micro bevel at the edge. Actually it's more than micro, about 1/16th of an inch.

Is there any rationale for a grind like that, or should I take the iron to my bench grinder and "fix" it?

[Bill Houghton]

Are you finding it not working well? Fix what's broken, once you figure out that it's broken.

[Jim Koepke]

I picked up a nice Stanley 60-1/2 off eBay 'cuz I don't have any low angle planes and I wanted something for end grain. The previous owner had ground a 25 degree bevel, then put a 30 degree micro bevel at the edge. Actually it's more than micro, about 1/16th of an inch.

Is there any rationale for a grind like that, or should I take the iron to my bench grinder and "fix" it?

One thought behind the micro bevel (seondary bevel) is not having to work as much metal as one would with a single bevel. Over time the micro bevel can turn into a single bevel. Then a lot of metal gets removed to make a more acute primary bevel so a secondary bevel can be made to remove less metal.

I like my LA block planes ground at 25º especially for end grain.

jtk

[Robert G Brown]

A standard block plane has a bed angle of 20°. The Stanley 60-1/2 has a bed angle of 12°. A 25° bevel will give these planes a cutting edge of 45° and 37°. With a 30° bevel, your cutting edge is at 42°. Five degrees difference in the bevel makes a noticeable difference in pushing the plane. The Stanley site says "12° low-angle bed ideal for cutting end grain". That is what you got it for. You don't know what use the previous owner put it to. But you do know what you are going to use it for.

[David Weaver]

30 is the final bevel I'd use on that plane. The difference between 25 and 30 on a block plane is little unless you're asking it to do too much.

[bridger berdel]

You can sharpen bevel up planes any way you want to. I have a low angle block that I keep the bevel as low as I can get it to go without the edge just folding over, for end grain work. It needs me to baby the edge, but I have other block planes for heavier use.

[Prashun Patel]

My low angle blocks all have a 30 degree microbevel on them. They're so small, I don't find that the increased cutting angle impedes the ability to push as it does with a larger smoother or jack - even on end grain.