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Thread: Need Advise, Flattening a Plane Iron or Chisel Back

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
    Posts
    8,973
    I flattened the back on a lightly rusty 3/4" 720 yesterday, and I didn't have to go back coarser than the 1,000 stone.

    I was really surprised, because this was a chisel that had been in my BIL's Father's toolbox for probably 45 years since the last use. His Father was a school teacher. and died sometime in the '70s. I was helping BIL do something at his house, with none of my tools there, and asked him if he had a chisel. He went into the garage, and came back with this dull chisel, minus a handle. I told him the chisel shouldn't be hit with a hammer. He went and looked for handle, but there wasn't one. I told him it was a good quality chisel, and not to beat it up.

    He tried to pay me for doing the modification on a kitchen cabinet, but I wouldn't take anything. A few days later the chisel showed up in the mail.

    I decided I'd fix it up and send it back to him for Christmas. I polished the socket, and front (yeah, I know, but for him it will be better this way). This is where I was surprised when I went to flatten the back, and found it better than the majority of new chisels these days. The back and little sides were flattened, bevel reground, back polished, and honed to whatever the finest Diamond Lappng film is. You can see yourself in the lowest inch of the back, and the microbevel. I had some NOS 720 handles, and found one to fit. A LV magnetic guard is on it.

    I think he'll appreciate it. He does some woodworking, but mostly all machine.

    Anyway, I doubt this chisel ever had any fettling done to it, but the back was as flat as a boutique one now.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    2,534
    In my experience the edge is never truly sharp until after the final lapping process. In my case that done using green honing compound over an mdf surface. But here's the difference between my technique and what others may experience. Instead of pulling the bevels cutting edge towards you, push the cutting edge away from you into the layer of honing compound, at angle that will shave the coating of honing compound, but not bite within the surface of the mdf. Repeat this until you can feel the very lightest evidence of a wire edge across the full width of the blade. The honing compound is then replenished on the mdf. The blade is then flipped over and the back is then lapped until a polished surface is visible across the full width of cutting edge. Give it a try. You should see a noticeable difference in the sharpness of the cutting edge.

    Have a look at the quality of this chamfered edge. Even with the benefits of a high 55* bed, and a blade that finely set, a very sharp cutting edge is still a necessary ingredient.

    Stewie.

    Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 12-18-2014 at 10:44 PM.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Burlington, Vermont
    Posts
    2,443
    I've mentioned it here before, but if you're careful, I like a method Garret Hack recommended in his book; take a dremel or a drill and fit a small grindstone in it, and use that to make a bit of a hollow in the back of the blade. Going back and forth between the grinder and the lapping, it really speeds things up. Stay away from the cutting edge, and you're fine. It really helps on convex backs, as it can help you avoid the rocking that results in endless polishing and no results.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Edmond, Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,749
    Folks, thank you for the great advise. As of last Thursday, I have been cleared of the 20 lbs. weight restriction, but also have been advised that I still need to be careful and use good judgment. (This last instruction has never been a strong point in my case.)

    I have done a little bit on the current plane I am working on over the last couple of days, but basically only light work. Hopefully it will be pretty much restored in the next couple of weeks.

    One of the battles will be the work on the iron. Hope to pick up a smaller granite block in the next few days.

    Again, thanks for the advise.

    Stew

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