i went out to the Back Porch bench, and set up a little sharpening center.     I had a few irons to work on, and all day to do it.    First, I rounded up all the sandpaper I had on hand,  even found some Emery Cloth to use.   Fine and medium ones.   Some 80 grit ( well used) and some 320 grit.    I set up the Poplar as a work area:Clamped a sheet in place, gave it a WD40 sprinkle, and away we went.  I had two larger irons, and a 2" iron  to work over.   Got pictures of both the Buck Brothers 2" iron, and a Stanley 2-1/4" iron I'm getting ready to ship out.  Got the back almost polished:on the 2-1/4" on the left.  not bad for an old iron.   the other is the Buck brothers 2" iron, a new one at that.  I worked to flatten these backs more than just get a mirror finish.   Another look?and the Buck Brothers iron.   The other side of the BB iron was painted gray, don't know why. I also worked of the edges and even got a secondary bevel to show up. The Stanley 2-1/4" iron and theBuck Brothers 2" iron.   Little fuzzy, small picture.   I even had an oil stone out there today, it was how I got those bevels startedA little well used one, but just about what I needed.   As for that 2-3/8" wide iron off of my KK7?     Rusty, pitted, but still usable.   Got most of the surface stuff cleaned off, iron might be a micron or three thinner nowadays.   Found a number stamped into the side of the iron, right alongside the slot for the bolt.    Numbers are " 436" .    There is also the beginnings of some letters, and lines at the top of the iron.   Can't read them as yet, but looks like this might be another stanley iron.    

When i was done with each of the three irons, I just laid them flat on the Poplar, and gave a push.    Each one prodruce thin shavings with little effort from me.   Now, all i have to do, being cooped up in the house today,  is work on some chip breakers.     But that's another story.....

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

steven I think you should look for a piece of float glass or a granite slab if your going to try the scary sharp method . You will also need to put the paper down flat and it will be a good thing to use a spray adhesive to keep the paper flat and you will need to use fresh paper and the grit does not last long on the sand paper . the finish you need to go through the grits all the way to 4000 grit paper then and only thin will you have a keen edge and until you figure out what sharp is you will be frustrated with poor results. I again am offering to give you a free reference point of what sharp is really like I will sharpen a few irons for you free of charge .

 Ok. part two of this story.    Working on the 2-3/8" wide iron for my KK7.   Got most of the rusty stuff offPretty , ain't it?    Looking at the top of the iron, started to see letters, and lines.   A  "STANELY" inside a box,  below that, a heart shaped thingy with "SW" inside it, and at the bottom, a "Made in USA"  stamp.     Ok, what is a Stanley sweetheart iron doing in my KK7?   Hmm.

Got that iron and chip breaker finished up, and back on theKK7.    Time to level out the work surface again:Some people have nice smooth, flat boards to test drive on, I have rough, old, maybe flat scrap wood.    This is against the grain..and with the edge grain.    Iron does have some pits in the edge, I'll get those out when I'm at the Pole barn Shop,  have a grinder out there.    While I was at it, worked over the BL iron in my Craftsman #3.  This was along the edge grain of that old board.    Had the iron a might deep.    Re-adjusted it, and took a second  swipe along Poplar Street.    This little curllie thing fell out, after I had gone the length of the board..Moxxon Toilet Paper, anyone?    IF you can unroll it, you can see through it.   It is the same length as the board.    Seems to be just about sharp enough.     Now, about that SW iron,   any clues out there????

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Steve you are getting closer if the blade is not a mirror it is not sharp enough . this shaving is a good improvment I dont know why you wont send me an iro to make sharp this will be a major improvment for you to learn from

as for the sw that is the sweetheart logo it is desired in most circles it is the blade most knowlegable people look for when they are buying a plane

steven newman said:

 Ok. part two of this story.    Working on the 2-3/8" wide iron for my KK7.   Got most of the rusty stuff offPretty , ain't it?    Looking at the top of the iron, started to see letters, and lines.   A  "STANELY" inside a box,  below that, a heart shaped thingy with "SW" inside it, and at the bottom, a "Made in USA"  stamp.     Ok, what is a Stanley sweetheart iron doing in my KK7?   Hmm.

Got that iron and chip breaker finished up, and back on theKK7.    Time to level out the work surface again:Some people have nice smooth, flat boards to test drive on, I have rough, old, maybe flat scrap wood.    This is against the grain..and with the edge grain.    Iron does have some pits in the edge, I'll get those out when I'm at the Pole barn Shop,  have a grinder out there.    While I was at it, worked over the BL iron in my Craftsman #3.  This was along the edge grain of that old board.    Had the iron a might deep.    Re-adjusted it, and took a second  swipe along Poplar Street.    This little curllie thing fell out, after I had gone the length of the board..Moxxon Toilet Paper, anyone?    IF you can unroll it, you can see through it.   It is the same length as the board.    Seems to be just about sharp enough.     Now, about that SW iron,   any clues out there????

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

That's ok, for the type of woods I usually work with,  I need something that can take a beating.    Knots aren't bad, but the random, overlooked nail is another matter.  Case in point:   that poplar i'm using has almost a dozen little nail "points' along it's center line.   Flipped the board over, nails seem to be gone, flip it again, there they are.    THAT is what I deal with with the reclaimed lumber. 

As for grits (sandpaper kind, NOT the food kind YUCK) i go as high as 1000 on these irons i worked on today.   Flat surface? yep, I had already planed that part of the board dead flat. 

When I am out at the Pole Barn Woodshop,  I have a tablesaw top that is quite flat, at least flat as i can get cast iron.   I have a special belt sander I can set up, and a grinder for rough work.    For a long time, I ran a little knife sharpening service where I worked.     Everyone wanted that "Newman's Edge"  on their knives.     When all one does is cut rubber compounds, paper bags full of ground clays & LIMESTONE, and  cardboard by the truck load, a sharp knife was a real need!     I sharpened them on a grinder to a hollow ground profile.     A few swipes on the old oil stone, and they could shave the hairs off an arm.

All of that was back in the 70s, so i've been at for quite a while.  I just need something I can use if i hit another of those hidden cut nails.   I can get back to planning wood as fast as I can.   Among the list of the many jobs over the years, there are a couple machine shops, and a cast iron foundry.    A Ridgid 54" cast iron pipe wrench is a bit big, though.   I've also made rubber hose for over 22 years, and at one time,could tell you every ingredient that was in that 1/4" air hose you'd be using.     "EPDM tube, EPDM liner, either a Hypalon cover, or a Neoprene cover.    Cheaper ones were just two layers of EPDM"

Some days, it seems as though sharpening is like discussing religion.    Way too many fights either way.     I think i have a system that suits the way I work.    Other's way of doing things is THEIR way, may or may not be mine.    besides, nothing better than sitting on a shady back porch, doing something one likes.  

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Sounds like a good productive way to spend a hot Ohio afternoon.  Nice work Steve.

 Just something to do, when one is stuck sitting around the house all day long.    Might as well have a little fun.    Porch gets a nice little breeze, and has plenty of shade. 

Now, there does seem to be a bunch of little wooden curlie things all over the yard.    Wonder how they got there????

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'