Bevel-up Jack: Change the Angle of Attack

When compared with bevel-up models, I find that standard jack planes are a better choice for first-time buyers because they leave a slightly better surface when doing fine work and they adjust more easily, characteristics that are beneficial, especially for someone relatively new to planing. That doesn’t mean bevel-up planes don’t have a place in the shop. With the blade bedded at a low angle, these planes were originally designed for surfacing end-grain butcher-block tops, but they have gained popularity as a general jack plane alternative. The likely reason is their versatility.

Out of the box, a bevel-up plane is typically sharpened for a 37° cutting angle, which is the bed angle plus a 25° bevel on the blade. That’s great for end grain and wood with highly cooperative grain, but they tend to tear out with more challenging grain. In these situations, you need to increase the effective cutting angle by sharpening the blade’s bevel at a steeper angle.

For instance, to match the 45° cutting angle of a standard jack plane, the blade needs a 33° microbevel (or a completely reground bevel, if you want to go through all that work). And you can go steeper. I keep two extra blades on hand: one for a 45° cutting angle and another for a 75° cutting angle. My steepest blade basically turns the plane into a very effective scraper plane. Keep in mind that these steeper angles aren’t as durable and will dull more quickly than a blade sharpened at 25° to 30°; that’s an optimal angle taking into account smoothness of cut and durability of the edge.

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