Professionals and Amateurs Together

Scraper Plane

Question

What angles work best with a scraper plane? Where do I start? – Joe Barry

Answer

Terry Moore replies: The common practice for sharpening a scraper plane is to file the blade at approximately 45 degrees, hone the file marks off, and turn a hook on the edge by using a burnisher. This works well and produces an aggressive cutting hook.

However, you can also refine the cutting edge and make a less aggressive cutting edge by filing and honing it like you would a regular scraper, at a 90 degree angle, or slightly less, at an 80 degree angle, or indeed, any angle between 45 and 90 degrees. Experiment around until you achieve the right cutting edge for the job.

Tags: Hand Planes, Tools