Hand Tools Archive
Hank Knight
Bill, like others, I rely on tactile signals to decide when I need to touch up an edge. I think there are a number of them that, taken together, tell me that my edge has degraded to the point it needs to be refreshed: the edge doesn't bite into the wood instantly, the shaving is not contiguous across its width -i.e., it comes off the iron in long shreds rather than one continuous shaving, the plane is harder to push, the surface it leaves is not crisp; and there are probably others that I haven't recognized or articulated. All of these are subtle and occur before the edge is terminally toast. They tell me that I need to stop and sharpen. I can feel and observe them while I'm working. I don't need to interrupt the flow and rhythm of my work to disassemble the plane in order to visually inspect the edge to see if it is worn and needs sharpening.
Messages In This Thread
- Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- I find it curious.....
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Testing the edge
- Agree. I look instead of test
- Re: Agree. I look instead of test
- Re: Agree. I look instead of test
- Re: Agree. I look instead of test
- Agree. I look instead of test
- Testing the edge
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Re: I find it curious.....
- Simple experiment
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: Criteria for deciding when to sharpen
- Re: I find it curious.....
- I find it curious.....