Sharpening Handbook

Wood Plane

Image to the right shows nomenclature used in this outline. It shows a bevel up blade, but the ideas are the same for a bevel down blade (only the blade is flipped over before inserting into the plane).

Notes are also available on a different web page for Micro / Secondary Bevels.

Values shown in the table below are for the Cutting Angle and the Relief Angle. As the Bed Angle is based on the plane body you are using, these are not shown. Additionally, the Front Bevel and Back Bevel can be easily determined from the Cutting Angle and the Relief Angle. To calculate these angles, use the following formulas :

I think there is more talk and debate about the plane, than there is usage of one.

Rich Colvin

Front Bevel = Cutting Angle - Bed Angle
Back Bevel = Bed Angle - Relief Angle

General Guidelines
Type	Cutting Angle	Relief Angle	Camber	Notes
Bench Planes - General Purpose - Soft Woods - Low Angle	32° 27° 32°	-- -- 10°	¹/₃₂" - ¹/₁₆"	Cutting angle could be as low as 30°. When working wood wider than the blade, crown the cutting edge or round the corners (or both). Using a 10° relief angle is especially useful for Low Angle and Bevel Down planes.
Blind Nailer	n/a	n/a	n/a	You will need to consult someone far more experienced than I. Leonard Lee's book is a good place to start.
Block Planes - Bevel Down - General Purpose - Soft Woods - End Grain	35° 32° 27° 45°	10° -- -- --	¹/₃₂" - ¹/₁₆"	Often, no cap iron is needed. Using a 10° relief angle is especially useful for Low Angle and Bevel Down planes.
Bullnose Planes	35°	--	None	Sharpen square across the front.
Jack Planes	35°	--	Radius = 8-10”	Jack Planes generally have a greater amount of camber on the blade. TM 9-867 Maintenance and Care of Hand Tools recommends that the center of the blade project ¹/₁₆" beyond the edge corners.
Jointer / Trying Planes	35°	--	¹/₃₂" to ¹/₁₆"
Moulding Planes	n/a	n/a	n/a	Lap the face of the cutter. For re-sharpening or re-profiling the edge, you will need to consult someone far smarter than I.
Rabbet Planes	35°	--	None	Sharpen square across the front.
Scrub Planes	35°	--	Radius = 3-4”	Highly curve the cutting edge. One guide is that the camber should be 1-2x blade's width
Shoulder Planes	35°	--	None	Sharpen square across the front.
Smoothing Planes	35°	--	¹/₃₂" to ¹/₁₆"
Spoke Shaves	n/a	n/a	n/a	You will need to consult someone wiser than I. (Leonard Lee's The Complete Guide to Sharpening is a good place to start.)

Notes & Comments

Information regarding Grindstones

The shape of the grind used is a call best made by the tool's use, based on their own experience. Additional notes are available on separate web pages for: Grind Profiles, and Micro / Secondary Bevels.

Flattening the back is really critical for the overall sharpness. There is a good video about that below.

Relief Angle Notes :. A relief angle helps keep the force behind the cutting edge aligned with the movement of the plane (i.e., more in alignment with the surface of the wood than tangential to it). This is especially true for bevel down plane blades, and is also true for low angle planes.

Additional notes on Primary and Secondary Bevels is on the Chisel page.

More Information

Books & Papers

The Complete Guide to Sharpening, by Leonard Lee (2003). This is an excellent reference, and is recommended for every sharpener's library.

A great general reference is the U.S. War Department's TM 9-867 Maintenance and Care of Hand Tools. Setup of the plane for various uses is nicely done.

The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening, by John Juranitch (2000)

Sharpen This, by Christopher Schwarz (2022). This is unique as it was written by a woodworker from the reference of his own sharpening.

Videos & Presentations

Tormek Live Sharpening Class - Part 3 - Chisels, plane irons & Tormek grinding wheels (YouTube video). Sebastien and Wolfgang offer some great tips on the sharpening of chisels & plane irons using the various Tormek grinding wheels, including the use of the diamond wheels.

At 00:46, there is a great explanation of sharpening a tool with a radiused end using the SE-77 Square Edge Jig.
At 00:52, there is a great explanation of how to use the MB-100 Multi Base.

The biggest sharpening mistake woodworkers make (And why...) (YouTube video). ... a video about flattening the back.

Chisel Sharpening (YouTube video). Vincent Chicone owns a cabinet making shop and uses an old Tormek 2000 to sharpen his tools. This video is really good at showing how he flattens the back on the side of the SG grindstone.

Fine Tune a Back Iron (YouTube video)

Tormek Tip: How to Camber a Plane Blade (YouTube video). In this video, Sedge (of SedgeTool) shows us how to camber a plane blade with the Tormek T8 sharpening system. Sedge really shows some good tips on use of the SE-77 jig.

Educational Video on “Influence of the Cap-iron on Hand Plane” (Vimeo video)

Plane Assembly and Setting (YouTube video). A method of plane setting after sharpening which ensures successful planing. This is from David Charlesworth's DVD, Plane Sharpening. Filmed and produced in 2016 in the UK by Artisan Media. Published by Lie-Nielsen.

New radical camber grinding jig - from Tormek (YouTube video)

Tormek SE-76 Square Edge Jig (YouTube video)

Using the SE-77 Jig to Camber a Plane Blade on the Tormek Sharpener (YouTube video)

Tormek SVH-60 Straight Edge Jig (YouTube video). This is unfortunately no longer sold. That is a shame as it is useful for sharpening certain tools, especially those with short shanks between the handle and the cutting edge. It is worth looking on the used market for one.

Tormek AngleMaster WM-200 (YouTube video)

Web Sites

Chris Gochnour outlined the sharpening process that he follows in this excellent article on Fine Woodworking. The embedded video is nice in that it shows how quickly he can resharpen a plane blade (the whole video is 6:32).

Lee Valley published a great set of information about Restoring an Old Hand Plane.

Tormek is a copyrighted logo of Tormek AB. Its presentation on this site is used to help the user quickly understand when specific Tormek tools, jigs, or setting are being used. For specific information regarding Tormek AB, or its products, please refer to the www.Tormek.com.

About this site Remember : The goal of sharpening is to produce sharp tools, and these tools can injure you if mishandled. Safety measures should be followed to protect yourself and those in your shop. Be sure to read and follow all instructions from the manufacturer, and and utilize proper safety equipment. Never consume alcohol or anything that could impair your judgement before sharpening tools, or using sharp tools. Comments can be sent via eMail to me at SharpeningHandbook@Gmail.com.