Honing planer blades is a process of refining the cutting edge after sharpening to make it even sharper and more durable. It smooths out the microscopic burrs left behind by the sharpening process, resulting in cleaner cuts and prolonging the life of the edge.
Understanding the Honing Process
Honing typically follows the main sharpening steps, which involve grinding the blade to establish the correct bevel angle and removing nicks. While sharpening removes significant material to create the edge, honing uses very fine abrasives to polish and perfect it.
Steps for Honing
Honing is often done using sharpening stones, abrasive papers on a flat surface, or specific honing systems. A common technique involves using progressively finer grits. Based on the provided reference, a key step in refining the edge involves using a high grit abrasive.
Here's a general approach to honing planer blades, incorporating the method from the reference:
- Prepare the Blade: Ensure the blade is already sharpened to the correct bevel angle.
- Set Up Honing Surface: Use a very fine abrasive surface. This could be a high-grit sharpening stone (like ceramic or water stones), or fine grit sandpaper (often affixed to a flat surface like glass or granite).
- Use a Honing Guide: For consistent results and to maintain the correct angle, it's highly recommended to use a honing guide or jig. This tool securely holds the blade at the desired angle while you move it across the abrasive surface.
- Refine the Bevel: Place the blade in the honing guide, setting the angle slightly higher than the original sharpening angle (micro-bevel) or at the same angle for a full bevel polish. Move the blade back and forth across the abrasive.
- Hone the Back (Deburring): As mentioned in the reference, after honing the bevel side, you need to address the burr that forms on the opposite face of the blade during sharpening and honing. Turn the blade over and use a very fine abrasive, such as 1200 grit, to gently polish or deburr the flat back side of the blade. The reference specifically notes polishing on "about on the 1200" grit surface. This step removes the microscopic wire edge or burr, making the edge truly sharp and durable.
- Clean the Blade: Clean that off. Wipe the blade thoroughly to remove any abrasive particles or metal dust. This step is important for inspecting the edge and preparing the blade for use.
- Inspect the Edge: After cleaning, you can see it's nice and shiny. A properly honed edge will appear polished and smooth, indicating the burr has been removed and the edge is refined. You can often visually inspect the edge or test its sharpness.
By following these steps, including the essential deburring step on the back of the blade using a fine abrasive like 1200 grit, you can achieve a significantly sharper and more effective planer blade edge.
