How Sharp is Sharp Enough

How sharp is sharp enough when it comes to Hand planes and chisels. that all depends on what you are sharpening and what you are going to use it for. a scrub plane and a smoothing plane do not need to be the same sharpness.

---Tools I Use---

---Find Antique tools near you---

Top Patreon Supporters:
Kyle Prince -
Travis Reese -
William Fleming -
Gerald Philip Doyon -

////Help this channel grow\\\\

////You Can find me:\\\\

////My Podcast\\\\

Instagram: @udostehle

[kreech]

Your comment about "for the first six months to a year", and "oohs" and "aahs", is real. Spending time SHARPENING and USING the blades/chisels instead of watching videos ABOUT that is the way to get better at sharpening. OK, watching videos is important, but go sharpen something, and keep on trying. (I learned a whole new level of sharpness when I started using sandpaper on glass - I'll evolve to diamonds some day, but they're REAL expensive relative to sandpaper. I don't do this for a living. I do this for fun. If can learn a lot for just dollars - GREAT. Sharper tools have made a HUGE difference. I'll invest more when/if I need to get to the next level.)

[magicdaveable]

Great video. My sharpening has been a journey that began back around 1961 or so. My Dad's barber taught me how to sharpen any blade made with good steel to a level suitable for shaving. I was 12 years old. Then at 14 I got my first #4 Stanley (old one) from a cabinet maker friend of my Dad. He showed me how to cut dovetails. He rarely used measuring devices. He made really high quality "stuff."

[magicdaveable]

When you breathe on the blade you should be able to hear the microbes screaming as they are sliced in half. 😀

[viznu]

Another video that I have to watch every now and then to make sure I am doing everything correct

[grumpyoldsodinacellar]

I used to do the shaving bit every time, but now I have a system where I don't seem to need to. I still do the shaving bit every now and again, just to make sure I'm not getting lazy and besides, arm hair takes a while to grow back !!!

[jasonamoscomedy]

As a beginner I appreciate these tips James thank you.

[slipknotpsycho]

Thank you. I'm trying to figure out exactly how sharp is sharp enough. I just got my plane, in not entirely new to woodworking but hand tools are new to me.. anyways I can just feel I shouldn't be having to push as hard as I am.

They're sharp, I got all kinds of cuts in my finger tips from working them, sharper then I keep my knives and I hate dull knives.. but I feel like it could be better.

I'll keep trying.

[davidbrautigam]

An old woodcarver living in the next village who only uses gouges, v-chisels (if he has to) etc. told me how he determines if a blade is sharp or needs a few more strokes either on the honing stone or the leather strap: When you put your thumb across the cutting edge and it gives you the feeling that the skin seems to stick on the edge for a short moment, that means your chisel, gouge, whatever is sharp enough and ready to use. He prefers linden for carving but also uses oak wood.

[jaeemans]

Great summary - just so happens to be about what I do as well. Probably not too surprising since I learned most of my stuff from you, Rex, or Paul Sellers. I do need to pick up a dedicated #4 for smoothing, I only have one for scrubbing. I'm currently using one of my Jack's as a smoother, which isn't bad, but it can be clumsy on smaller work pieces.

[gnarthdarkanen]

Great Video, James!!!



When asked about sharpness, I give "the technician's approach"...

If you're ever doing the work, and find yourself sweating and shaking as you strain into the job, it's probably the dullness of whatever blade you're pushing.


There's almost NEVER a need to force or "man-handle" the tools. SO it comes to stepping back and "trouble shooting" the issue. In most situations, sharpness should be the first thing you at least look at... It's the kind of "basic" thing that a lot of us can so easily overlook. We like to DO the work, not so much PREPARE for it.
SO... in the steps of trouble shooting in-shop issues, "Is the tool actually sharp?" might be a great first item to check and "cross off" the list of things you might have going against you.


My preference for tool sharpness... Is sharp enough to do the job so I don't have to kill myself... or just dull enough that I don't get myself carved INTO trouble any faster than absolutely necessary. (if that makes sense). ;o)

[buckinthetree]

Good video. I sharpen a lot of knives along with my woodworking tools and I use the shave hair method. The reason I use it is because I can judge the sharpness by amount of effort it takes to cut the hair and also if it pulls the hair as it cuts. On knives I grip them loosely and without much pressure it should just wipe the hair off. I've been fooled before by wiping my thumb across the edge to judge sharpness. Sometimes there can be a slight bur that makes it feel sharp, but once you put it to work that bur breaks and leaves a less than ideal edge. Thanks for taking the time to explain your method. I'm guilty of sharpening too often, and your video teaches me that it's ok to go a little longer between sharpening. Thanks.

[mikeandlucky]

Thanks James. Sharpening is always something I struggle to get to a skill level where I want to be. I know you have probably covered this previously in another video, but for those of us who are not at a James Wright skill level: Should we use a honing guide? Thanks again.

[Louranicas]

A great useful baseline for what to look out for in a sharp blade simple useful and really practical sharing of information as good as it gets on Youtube Mr Wright Thank You!

[wb_finewoodworking]

Great video James. I’m still at that stage where it’s not quite there. I did buy a strop and the green compound but haven’s had a chance to try it out yet.

[TwistedWorkshop]

Great video. Knowing if i got my tools sharp enough was the hardest to figure out when learning by reading books, magazines and blogs. The end grain test really helped when I was learning

[johnbyrne]

But why did the plane iron get sharper? It looked like you did the same thing you did with the chisel. Is it just a question of spending longer on each stone? Or longer on the highest grit ones?

[karolskakes]

The end grain demo was a nice comparison. Too often we forget that not all people have arm hair to shave; (our young boys and girls, often women, and some men). My self I often use paper from a tablet; holding only one corner I slice off strips. If the paper cuts clean 3 or 4 times in a row, then it is ready to be used. Find a method that works for you and stay with it; it will not be long until you will know when your tool is sharp. Thanks again for sharing info that helps us learn,  it makes wood working fun!    Mark

[michaelgardner]

haha James, I am just getting to the super sharp phase of wood working and I can definitely see the difference in my accuracy and the overall outcome of my work. Great video man. Thank you...

[troywalker]

Fantastic info! My issue is how to set up the plane. How much blade should protrude? Etc...

[christofix]

This was very interresting for me. Thank you!