Plane iron secondary bevel is not parallel!!

[malta-woodwork]

Hello.

I would tremendously appreciate some help, because I'm quite lost at this stage.

501755

I am sharpening a secondary bevel on my plane iron. As you can see from the picture attached, the secondary bevel is not parallel to the primary bevel. I am using a Veritas Mk.II Honing Guide System (https://www.classichandtools.com/acatalog/Veritas-Mk-II-Honing-Guide-System-05M09.html#SID=273). What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance. Much appreciated.

[bruceward51]

My immediate thought is how square is the main bevel? My next thought is does it matter?
I use a MkII on and off but trying to get the hang of doing it by hand. I would not be too concerned provided it remains consistent. The adjustment lever on the plane will easily cope with a small variation in squareness.
Bruce

[ian]

My immediate thought is how square is the main bevel? My next thought is does it matter?
I use a MkII on and off but trying to get the hang of doing it by hand. I would not be too concerned provided it remains consistent. The adjustment lever on the plane will easily cope with a small variation in squareness.
my thoughts are similar to Bruce's -- just reversed
does it matter ? -- use the lateral adjusting level to compensate. Or tap the blade a smidge if the plane is a bevel up jobbie.



If you are using a Veritas MkII honing jig, I think the cause is the slight eccentricity in the roller.
The roller has a fixed point one end, and is adjustable by 1 or 2 degrees at the other end. This adjustment is what causes the secondary bevel to not exactly match the primary bevel.

[derekcohen]

This is an issue that comes up every now-and-then on a woodworking forum. In almost every case it is due to user error. Where it is not (rare but possible), simply contact Lee Valley and they will replace the honing guide. I do not speak for them, but I road tested the very first of these guides for the factory when it was made, and have used one (along with other guides) for over 15 years.

Firstly, check that the blade is set squarely in the gauge. Since these are top clamped, the side fence may be a factor.

The advice I give is to think of a honing guide as an extension of your hand. The guide simply clamps the blade at a given angle. Then you and your hand do the sharpening, not the guide. It is easy to lean more to one side than another if you are not paying attention. This will cause an out-of-square bevel. Alternately, if the bevel - primary or secondary - is skewed, then pressure on one side can straighten it. So, hold the guide lightly and pay attention to your body and your hand.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[doug3030]

If you are using a Veritas MkII honing jig, I think the cause is the slight eccentricity in the roller.
The roller has a fixed point one end, and is adjustable by 1 or 2 degrees at the other end. This adjustment is what causes the secondary bevel to not exactly match the primary bevel.

In my Veritas Mk II jig, the axle hole of the inner roller is off-centre by an even amount each end.

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The axle is locked in to the inner roller with a grub screw and an outer roller rotates on the outside of this. Rotating the axle therefore lowers and raises the roller equal amounts at each end by rotating the inner roller. The ends of the axle pass through holes in the body of the jig with no appreciable lateral movement. There is no difference in the adjustment at either end of the roller under this system.

Maybe they sell a different version in Canada.

[Colin62]

In my Veritas Mk II jig, the axle hole of the inner roller is off-centre by an even amount each end.
Mine too.

[D.W.]

push your fingers down harder on the side where it's coming up a little short to even out the effect.