Warren in Lancaster, PA
I thought I would give some notes about the flat bevel, David. I stopped using a secondary bevel around 1976 and stopped hollow grinding in 1981, so I am having trouble remembering all the reasons. I try for consistency. I try to keep the tool sharp within a very narrow range through gentle use and frequent sharpening. I want the tool to be roughly in the same condition every time I sharpen and have the same feel every time it hits the stone. I don't want to be thinking that it has been three times since I hollow ground or since I made a bevel at another angle, and have to adjust accordingly. I am after intimacy here, and limit the number of tools I use regularly. The work on the coarse stone is not excessive because the tool is not very dull.

David, on January 11 you wrote, I've not seen a lot of plane iron type wear on any of my chisels, it's always deformation/chipping right at the edge that sends me back to the stones. I don't get chipping or deformation on the edges of my chisels, whether made in 1830, 1880, 1930, 1980, or 2008. I have no explanation for this.