chisel & plane iron angles

[Head clansman]

hi all

just pondering after reading a few of the old post here is there any literature / books /mags etc written by manufacturers of tools old and new, tools like chisels & planes of all makes and sizes stating what there grinding and sharpening angles are, might be of interest to a lot of people here.

[paulchapman]

Hi HC,

I have a copy of 'Planecraft' (1959 edition) written by C W Hampton & E Clifford who made Record tools. This covers all aspects of planing.

They recommend grinding plane irons at 25 degrees and honing at 30 degrees but also argue that many craftsmen grind and hone at 25 degrees and that this will often give a better result except on the hardest woods. Interestingly, I was speaking to Mike Hudson of Clifton and he grinds and hones his plane blades at 25 degrees.

They also speak about the use of block planes when planing laminates like Formica and other plastics. While this can be done with a normally honed blade, if doing a lot it is better to use a high angle grind and hone of about 80-85 degrees. I've always used a block plane to trim plastics and found that this high angle works very well and the edge lasts significantly longer.

The other exception is plough and combination plane blades where the recommendation is to keep to 35 degrees for grinding and honing. This is particularly important for beading and other shaped cutters because if you lose the shape of the blade edge it would be quite difficult to re-create.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Paul

PS One I forgot to mention was scraper planes. Record recommend 45 degrees for their #80 style scraper (which is a fairly standard recommendation among manufacturers). I've used that and it works well.

[colincott]

paulchapman said:

I have a copy of 'Planecraft' (1959 edition) written by C W Hampton & E Clifford who made Record tools. This covers all aspects of planing.

If you want to get a copy.

Try Ebay as I have seen a few on there

[Head clansman]

hi guys

thanks for your replies that covers one manufactures of planes anyway , nice to get a book name though for record , I am hoping someone will be able to come up with something that has been printed in some form or the other which covers all manufacturer's of chisels and planes with all grinding and sharpening angles although i would think there much of a muchness but it would be nice to see if different manufactures did specify differing angle over the years .

also be nice to see when different manufacturers changed styles of chisel and plane shapes over the years giving dates and why they changed. sort of build a data base on all cutting tools used in the trade over the years. some one must have this information stored away somewhere. anyone know??

[jfc]

Alf knows

[Head clansman]

hi jfc

seeing it you that replied , dare i ask where Alf got all this info from ?

[jfc]

I'm sure Alf will be along soon . Just dont mention the word collector

[paulchapman]

There's a lot of information on Alf's website, including manufacturers' manuals, but much of it relates to combination-type planes www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/combinationplanes.html

Cheers

Paul

[paulchapman]

Thinking about this a bit more, Martin, I wouldn't be surprised if what you are looking for doesn't exist. While there have been differences in things like the bed angle of plane blades (eg York pitch; low angle in the case of some block planes and in some bevel-up bench planes), most of what I've read over the years tends to suggest that blade grinding and honing angles supplied and recommended by manufacturers tends not to vary much from the norm of 25 degrees and 30 degrees. Individual users will, of course, often vary this for the particular work they have in hand but manufacturers would, I should think, tend to supply their planes and chisels so that they would suit the "average" worker and leave it up to him to vary it if he so wishes.

Cheers

Paul

[Head clansman]

Hi Paul

unfortunately your probably right , i was only pondering that someone may have managed to collate all this information, albeit this is a monster task someone may have made a start .

It would be nice to see our trade woodworking hand tools with a pictures of each individual item , all there specification , date first manufactured, dates when item where updated , info on how they were made .etc

I would love to see all this on a website to cover all cutting edge tools in our trade but most importantly covering all manufactures going back as far as possible to build a complete history in woodworking . dreaming i know

[jfc]

Maybe we could start it here with members putting in what info they have ?

[paulchapman]

Martin, you could always start with Patrick Leach's site on Stanley planes - probably the most comprehensive www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

Cheers

Paul

[Head clansman]

hi guys

jfc a good idea starting it here, but how would all that work then ? ;D

Paul yes a good staring place a lot of small tiny writing though need a lot of time reading all that, not quit what i had in mind but nether th less a starting point.

[jfc]

We could make a sticky Where members add the info they have and when there is enough info admin can sort it into lists ?

[paulchapman]

How about spokeshaves

www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/Spokeshave%20Data%20Sheets.html

Cheers

Paul

[Alf]

Alf has already answered an email from Martin and not got so much as a "ta" in return. Alf now can't be arsed. Sorry.

Cheers, Alf

[Head clansman]

Hi alf

oh and what was that then?

[jfc]

You got told off ;D

[Head clansman]

Hi Paul

excellent website just look at all the info on it, that more what i had in mind , I'll take a better look tomorrow , when my Son come home my machine becomes steam powered when he switches on the all singing super fast machine

[Head clansman]

Hi jfc

Na not really, If he cant be arsed as he but it that up to him, i really don't care one way or the other ;D , I'm only trying to collate what i feel is important information for all woodworkers and more importantly its about time it all came together in one place for the benefit of all woodworkers coming on behind use.

Once a few more generation die off all the old tools and info will be gone for ever , this forum would be a good place to start to collate all that info it of course up to the individual member if he feels he has the time and would like to pass all his info for the benefit of others.

[jfc]

True it is a good chance to get all that info put in one place , all depends what the other members think really .

P.S Alf is Female so you may want to change your he's to she's ;D

[engineerone]

you have forgotten one of the obvious initial avenues, and that is our two murrican cousins LV and LN both of whom talk about the various angles for their tools, most of which are modern interpretations of older models.

also DC has published much too.

and don't forget one quick email reply can be very sensible as a way of saying i screwed up

paul

[paulchapman]

jfc said:

all depends what the other members think really .

My view is that there is probably too much information out there on all aspects of woodworking - tools, techniques, workshops, machinery, history, etc., etc - to make it worthwhile trying to collate and catalogue it. Probably better for individuals to bookmark stuff of interest to them personally as they come across it. A lot of it is quite easy to find once you get to know all the forums and blogs, most of which have links to other relevant stuff.

Cheers

Paul

[Head clansman]

Hi all

JFC thank you about the he she bit when a name like alf is used you assume its a man

PAUL As for sending an e mail to say i screwed up what for? what did i do ? and whats more when? i don't know this alf not to my knowledge anyway. I send many e mails to many people depending on what there reply was would depend on weather i replied further to them as I'm sure many would do , I most certainly wouldn't bring it up on an open forum that I hadn't replied to an email sometime when , if alf has a beef with me then let her pm me .

to all other menbers .
I am not looking to start a slanging match here as far as I'm concerned end off full stop .

[Head clansman]

Hi Paul

You are right , there is tons of information out there to much in fact , i feel thats why it should be collated and sorted through so this forum has all that info within easier reach to its members especially for the younger generation of woodworkers coming on behind use , you myself plus many other have a wealth of knowledge locked up in our heads, on PC or just written down what happens to it all when were gone it lost forever the very reason why it should be collated and this forum make full use of it for the benefit to others.

You know not many trades men left out there now will actually get to train apprentices and pass on there knowledge this is another way of passing something on, just my personnel thoughts mind, lets let other member decide.