How to know when your edge is "sharp" enough

[Timberwolf]

When your edges can produce this, they're sharp enough:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bhu7HjIGAk

Roughly 270 years ago...

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And no electrons were harmed in the process..
:

[bandit571]

Cutter for that Stanley No. 45, last night..

   
The 1/4" one on the right..

Edge had become a bit rounded from a LOT of use...so..I flattened the rounded area back to a flat bevel..on one oil stone,,then finished up on a 600 Medium India stone..and went to work..

   
Doing the job I needed it to do...

   
YMMV, Of course...I have 19 MORE such grooves to do, today...

[CStan]

Sometimes I whittle a quick Rococo chair back to test an edge. Nothing excessive.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Ha!  Good one...

That stuff was made about 270 years ago, obviously with adequate tools and edges, and this many years later one of the hottest debates in the craft is how to sharpen.

[Timberwolf]

Ha!  Good one...

That stuff was made about 270 years ago, obviously with adequate tools and edges, and this many years later one of the hottest debates in the craft is how to sharpen.

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one of the hottest debates in the craft is how to sharpen.

And IMO, one of the reasons people lose interest in woodcrafting. It is no fun working with tools that are not sharp enough..I guess they expect tools to always stay sharp...and they don't.

[bandit571]

Hmm..I guess I MIGHT have gotten that 1/4" cutter in my Stanley No. 45 sharp enough..

   
As I needed to plough a 1/4" wide groove right through that knot..

   
Plane didn't enough slow down..."What knot?"

   
"We now return you to your regular Sharpening Program".....

[Timberwolf]

Hmm..I guess I MIGHT have gotten that 1/4" cutter in my Stanley No. 45 sharp enough..

As I needed to plough a 1/4" wide groove right through that knot..

Plane didn't enough slow down..."What knot?"

"We now return you to your regular Sharpening Program".....

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Did you do it in one pass???

[bandit571]

Ah..no..Superman MIGHT be able to take a 1/4" deep shaving...but.

   
I don't....5-7 passes...and I have 19 grooves to do, this morning...

And, not just Pine...

   
Had Ash Drawer fronts to do..too...

So..how deep do you set your Stanley No. 45?

[Timberwolf]

Ah..no..Superman MIGHT be able to take a 1/4" deep shaving...but.

I don't....5-7 passes...and I have 19 grooves to do, this morning...

And, not just Pine...

Had Ash Drawer fronts to do..too...

So..how deep do you set your Stanley No. 45?

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I don't have a #45 by Stanley...I have one by Colt!!!! Stanley didn't invent that plane...The Devil invented it and the bastage is still laughing!!...I had one but I could NOT make the thing work worth a flip for a groove longer than about 12". It was a very happy day when I sold it

[bandit571]

Hmm..and yet I have 2 such planes in the shop, and no trouble using either of them...The one I just got done with is a Type 20 SW, from Canada the other one will be cutting dados for drawer back...and is a Type 4...

YMMV, of course....

[Timberwolf]

Hmm..and yet I have 2 such planes in the shop, and no trouble using either of them...The one I just got done with is a Type 20 SW, from Canada the other one will be cutting dados for drawer back...and is a Type 4...

YMMV, of course....

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I'm in good company..lots of guys have no use for them. I just didn't have the patience to fool with it.