Jointer and planer Knives

[Mike Cutler]

What is the correct angle for sharpening the knives on a jointer and a planer? Is there just one angle to the bevel or are there two? It would appear to be time to sharpen the knives on both, I'm begininning to get a slight "washboard" affect from both. TIA

[Mark Singer]

Mike,
Planer knives are tricky to sharpen because they are long... I have the Tormek and sharpen my 15" blades there with a lot on care. Jointer are easier.
Many planers have disposable blades like the 12" delta. Before I had the Tormek, i made a jig from 3/4 Baltic birch with a sawcut at the approximate angle. Wedge the blade in the curf...insert a adjustment screw on the opposing side of the jig. This enables you to cange the angle. A toilet bolt w/nuts works well. Start at the existing bevel angle and adjust upward a couple of turns. This places a secondary bevel on the blade. With 400 grit or finer paper spray mounted to float glass or granite, pull the jig towards you applying med pressure. Make sure the whole blade is in contact w the abrasive. If there are no nicks about 10 strokes per blade should work. Number the blades before you remove them. Re-install them in the same locations. The apex of the blade in a jointer is exactly the height of the outfeed table...all the way across and the same for all3 blades. If you lay the body of a square on the outfeed table and turn the shaft by hand it should just move slightly. Make sure the screws are tight before starting. Lee Valley has a similar jig you can buy...at least look at it to get the basic geometry.
Mark

[Alan Turner]

I have mine ground at 35 degrees, with a very slight back bevel. While I love to sharpen my plane irons and chisels, joiner and planer knives are beyond my tooling.
Alan

[Mike Cutler]

Mark and Alan. Thanks for the info. My intent is to use a Bridgeport and a better grade of tool steel and to make new blades. I'll be sure to check out the fixture Mark mentioned at Lee Valley. Sometimes I think my next "wood working machine" ought to be a milling machine as much as I use the one at work. From what I read about Mark we shared alot of the same spaces in the 70's I learned to dive off Laguna Beach and later did assays and data collection on the kelp beds and sea lion populations. I was there last Feb, showing my wife my old haunts. After being gone for over twenty years and the place really changed. The kelp beds and tide pools looked great, and from appearances it looks like someone finally got control of the starfish and sea urchin populations. I was bummed that Victor Hugo's was no longer there, but the town looked great. The only part of So. Cal. I really miss is Crescent Beach and Emerald Bay, and the La Jolla break.

[Mark Singer]

Mike,
Here is the link: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...urrency=2&SID=

Alan is right this is difficult and I am refering to a "honing" if there are nicks you must send it out...and some companies are not good at all!
Mark