I thought sharpening my old hand plane blade would be a quick 20 minute job, but the chip in the iron was so deep it took me almost two hours to get a clean edge again.

Has anyone else had a simple tool fix turn into a major project, and what's your record for a task taking way longer than you thought?

3 comments

3 Comments

dianahayes2mo ago

Remember how deep chips need a coarse stone first? I started with 120 grit to grind past the damage before moving up through the grades. Freehanding it on the stones is the only way I can feel the bevel settle in, even if it takes forever.

wesley_adams2mo agoMost Upvoted

My neighbor tried to replace a toilet flapper last weekend. Said it was a five minute job, but the old valve was corroded shut. He ended up replacing the whole fill valve assembly and was at the hardware store three times. Took him most of Saturday. What was your two hour blade fix like, did you use a jig or just freehand it?

alex_wilson792mo ago

I freehanded it like dianahayes said, but I used a 400 grit diamond plate to start. Honestly that two hour job took me more like four.