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The Joy of the Primary Bevel

A

Andy Kev.

Nordic Pine
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I think I've mentioned in the past that I make a point once a year of getting myself a tool which I can't really justify but would quite like. (Christmas bonuses have to be good for something.) One such piece of iron and wood is a Clifton No 6 which I bought along with a spare blade.

It's a heavy old thing but wonderful to use. I'm currently planing two 5 ft long pine boards which will be the sides of my new bookcase (5' x 4' - originally intended to be 6' x 5' but there were some factors I forgot to take into account.) It was hard work. Then I remembered the spare blade and my determination to see if I could do without secondary bevels. It was easy to sharpen freehand as the whole surface can register on the stone. They come pretty sharp out of the factory and it only took a few strokes to get a wire.

I don't know whether to describe the result as a revelation or a revolution. It cuts the wood much more quickly and with significantly less effort. One of the justifications for a secondary bevel is reduced sharpening time. It would appear that the difference in time would be barely noticeable and IMO the results on the board justify it. Therefore, I think I would need a pretty good justification from now on for a secondary bevel.

BTW, if anyone is considering a Clifton No 6, I can heartily recommend them.
 
Without wishing to turn this into a long sharpening thread, I wonder if there's a case for thinking that the conventional advice (grind the primary bevel, hone a small secondary bevel) made more sense a century ago than it does now?

If you have a reliable means of removing metal quite fast (by whatever sort of abrasive you favour, let's not go into that,) I think I agree that there's no special advantage in a secondary bevel and no reason not to have a single bevel across the whole thickness of the iron.

(You could gain the minor advantage of not needing to buy and house an additional coarser, quicker stone or a bulky grinding wheel.)

I can remember years ago having a go with a Clifton at one of the Wood Fairs at Westonbirt when Classic Hand Tools were a major presence. I should have bought one then, instead of feeding my children! :)
 
AndyT said:
Without wishing to turn this into a long sharpening thread, I wonder if there's a case for thinking that the conventional advice (grind the primary bevel, hone a small secondary bevel) made more sense a century ago than it does now?

If you have a reliable means of removing metal quite fast (by whatever sort of abrasive you favour, let's not go into that,) I think I agree that there's no special advantage in a secondary bevel and no reason not to have a single bevel across the whole thickness of the iron.

(You could gain the minor advantage of not needing to buy and house an additional coarser, quicker stone or a bulky grinding wheel.)

I can remember years ago having a go with a Clifton at one of the Wood Fairs at Westonbirt when Classic Hand Tools were a major presence. I should have bought one then, instead of feeding my children! :)
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Many, if not all, high quality Japanese planes only use a single bevel on a very thick cutter. I guess the advantage of the secondary bevel is one of speed as there's less material to abrade to get back to a honed, sharp edge. The single bevel will work just as well (although I haven't tried it) but just takes a lot longer to hone unless, as you say Andy, a coarser stone(s) of some denomination is purchased - Rob
 
I've used a single bevel on all my planes for at least 20 years. Honing takes slightly longer, but you never need to re-grind. I find that most of the time in sharpening a plane is taken up with putting it back together and re-setting it properly, so the additional seconds at the diamond plates is trivial.
 
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