Thank you. I am a fourth generation wood worker, but my father passed away when I was very young and all I inherited were the tools, without the knowledge. I have tinkered with it all my life, but never seriously. As I am approaching retirement age I am setting up a shop and trying to learn how all this homemade furniture in my house was made. This video was very helpful. I have it bookmarked and I'm sure I will watch it many times.
Without a doubt the clearest, most concise, most 'teaching' video on sharpening I have ever seen! Thank you! In the past, my sharpening efforts were about on a par with chipping flint to make weapons! Now, I actually feel that I can proceed to begin sharpening my chisels and planes properly. When I get my first plane to really cut properly, I am going to put some of those curls in a glass container and put it upon my mantle - like a trophy!
This is the best produced, most informative, video I have ever seen. Phil is not only a master, he is a giver. Thankyou, Phil! Through your example the world might become a better place.
Did he passed away??!!!! 😳 Edit: I just checked. It's just heartbreaking. Those who he taught & had direct contact with his mastership, can easily consider themselves as blessed ones. Also we can only be thankful for his life. Such a great craftsman, tutor and a human being. RIP Master :(
I’m so glad I found your channel. I’ve learned more watching #1 and #2 videos then I have in the last 6 months watching others. Looking forward to number 3 of ( I hope a dozen or more ) videos. You are a master of your trade. All I can say, THANK YOU
I was to say the same; I hope TH-cam does not start adding costs to this. This gentlemen is sharing his knowledge for free and is completely amazing and easy to follow and understand. God bless you Mr Lowe
Thanks Phil for sharing knowledge on these videos. I am an accomplished woodworker, cabinetmaker, finish carpenter and joiner of 50 years. Even an old fart like me never stops learning and will enjoy your series immensely. You younger folks pay attention and enjoy. Regards to all from Minnesota.
I work as a maintenance foreman at a chrysler assembly plant but my 2ed "job" is woodworking and custom auto body building. ( i don't do engines etc) The 10001 and 1 things I love about woodworking and custom auto body is you never stop learning. Most look forward to getting of work to get home and watch a game or just to be off work. I look forward to getting home to hone my skill on what I learned last at either wood working or autobody. What I find crazy is I can sharpen a knife free hand to cut paper with no sawing effect but even with expensive jigs I still have to use a sawing motion with plane blades unless i do it free hand. My problem with sharpening planes/chisels is kepping the edge square. It would be nice to have a cutting edge square to the throat once in awhile lol. I use to us all the ypical powered equipment. Jointers/planers, biscuit joiners, table saw and several sanders. The only time I use sand paper now is when I get a new "used" plane/chisel or blade of any type to sharpen them. What truly find crazy is as Phil mentioned is that traditional furniture still had saw marks in the wood. This is the type of furniture I tend to get the most coin for. And 70-75% of my stuff is made of pine straight from the mill. I also use walnut/maple/oak/ash/poplar and even spruce. Most (im my own opinion)best pieces were from pine and spruce unless its a figured maple. But this youtube thing i am always learning and I love it.
thank you, Sir! You've demystified wood working. I'm just starting the wood working hobby. Before I came across your videos I was so lost, and felt overwhelmed with wood working. I thank you for your detailed and informative instructions. You've given me the confidence to continue wood working. God Bless You, Sir.
Man, this is some valuable sht. I fear the day when TH-cam is ultra commercialized. All this valuable knowledge will come at a cost, and destroying TH-cam. Unless, there is an alternative.
we were given rough cut stock and a cutting list about 1 month before the final exam for higher woodwork at highschool in the 80's and used all these techniques to fully dimention the timber..........................we did have access to a slow speed flat stone grinding wheel that was oil fed for lubrication for plane irons etc but that only gave you a single bevel...so getting the final bevel was a little more challenge and no guides just do it by hand. Great detailed videos these I like them
I was saddened to learn that Phil had passed away.He taught me many valuable skills at NBSIS back in 1978. As Mr Fullerton said he" worked with his hands ,his head and his heart". Had planned on visiting his school after covid but sadly he had passed away. Quite a guy.
I have about 6 of those exact same Folgers coffee buckets scattered around my shop that you used by the grinder. Incredibly handy, both for their initial purpose in storing coffee and there later purpose of storing whatever.
That table is rocking back and forth quite a bit as you plane that board near 50:15 . I know a good carpenter that could probably help fix that. Hehehe. I really enjoy working with wood, but have no experience and no teacher. These videos are amazing. Please keep doing them. I also really enjoy that you explain everything with so much detail. It is important to understand the why along with the how. Congratulations and thanks so much!
I have just used the grinder sharpening technique shown on this valuable / informative video, the results are exellent, better than any technique i have so far used. Thank you ms. lowe for this information, looking forward for your next lesson.
True that. Most of other techniques on YT, at least, are asking to sharpen the whole bevel surface & add small one at the very end, at different angle. This one IMHO is way better: less surface for grinding &honing. There are 2 edges. One which actually is cutting, the other splitting &"reflecting" waste. But yeah, so many sharpening ways, as cults & faiths, among the people :)
I read just about all the comments and it seems nobody here has been to his school. Phil Lowe is a graduate of the Bennett School in Boston. After graduating he work there for a while and then went on his own. He runs the furniture Institute on the shore of Beverly Massachusetts which is a fantastic woodworking School. I have taken several of his classes and he is a master artist. Beverly is located very close to Salem Mass which is home of the Peabody Essex Museum where he does a lot of work in repairing damaged antiques Etc. To know this man and learn from him is a very rewarding experience. You should check out his classes by going online to his website.
I personally can say this is the best informative video i have ever watched, it feels like im on a high school class hahahaha. very much appreciated the thankful. may you have more power. God Bless. p.s .... i love to have one of those planner. hahahahaha
See that's what you do to greet your audience. And what cracks me up, is that he doesn't beg for followers, subscribers and "patreons" in his 2nd sentence. As most of "professional" woodworkers & self proclaimed YT gurus nowadays.
@@HeartPumper This appears be a channel of a public access TV station. It's a town named Beverly, but I'm not sure where it is. So, it's possible that the host didn't even know this would end up on TH-cam. But yeah, it is refreshing to not hear "Please, like, subscribe, smash that bell, leave a comment, and considering becoming a patron!!" every two seconds.
Curious as to why you didn't use a shooting board?Also,Can you PLEASE provide info as to where to get those stones?I've never seen a flattening diamond like you used either.Thanks for sharing!
But Sir - with all due respect: overheating is best prevented with a cup of water standing next to the grinder. 10:06 Damn it: there we have the bucket. I was shooting from the hip. Never mind.
Hello. Thank you so much for this. I am just start in woodworking. I purchased a table saw, chisels and other items but realize I need hand planes. I don't have much money so I need to be smart in my purchase. I need to make my woods square and smooth. I thought I needed a #7 smoothing plane to make the edge of my wood boards square, but it looks like you did this with a #4 smoothing plane. Is that correct? Can you advise what planes you think I need? If I can only afford two planes, would you suggest a #4 Smoothing Plane, and a #5 Jack Plane? Can I buy a #4 Smoothing Plane and put in a Jack Plane blade, there by needed only one plane? As you can tell, I know nothing. I will buy on Amazon.com. Thank you very much!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Unfortunate the camera work is subpar especially during explaining parts of the hand plain. Thank you again for teaching.
Hey Phil how are you? Chuck Campione here. Hope you are doing well in spite of this ridiculous virus stuff. Question. What is the flattening stone you use? So many to choose from. Bought one and it was curved and ruined my water stones.... returned it. Don't want to purchase another mistake. Thanks. Be well
Anyone on the forum... I have a concern about the cross contamination of grits from using the same Flattening stone on every waterstone before sharpening. How do you avoid that? Not hating but it is a concern I have...
One question. How often do you go back to the grinder? Do you go Through the entire process every time you sharpen. Or just a touch up On the stones? And if you are only going back to the stones will you start at the the 1000 or go straight to the 16,000? Any info is appreciated. Thanks
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Unfortunate the camera work is subpar especially during explaining parts of the hand plain and you sharpening the blade. Would've been 100% better if they zoomed in when you working on blade! Thank you again
good video, BUT WRONG way of using a bench grinder ( No safety hood/ glasses-reading glasses are NOT SHATTER PROOF), and both of the upper grinder guards are NOT used , the perspex guard is to save you from metal/ stone particles coming at you, the metal one is to guard you in the event of a wheel shattering (exploding!)- that is to say deflect the pieces safely away from you. EACH of these points are a MUST in a metal shop, should be in a wood shop too, even so the area in the wood shop where sharpening occurs is in effect a "metal" shop area, so ALL reasonable precautions should be adopted, it may never happen, but would you risk your sight over it??
Surely you ONLY use a grinder if there is a bad nick in the blade ? You can't possibly use a grinder for ROUTINE sharpening can you?Clearly he knows what he's doing but why jump to a grinder . seems very harsh to me .
Sorry dad, you should only grind with a sandstone grinder and water drip tank on top slowly dripping water over the grind stone wheel , never ever us a carborundum grind stone , put simply it fucks it up ps, all blade should be ALWAYS square no round corners , 25 yrs Queen Elizabeth 11 joiner English Mik
We don't play by the Queens rules here. What he's doing obviously works for him too. P.S. planes don't have blades. They have irons. All plane blades should be cambered for reasons stated in this video. Except for rabbiting planes.
Why not make sure that you are truly saved by Jesus Christ and practice this way. Remorsefully confess with your heart your sins to Jesus Christ who is God and tell Him that you right now are repenting of your sins and you want to be born again of the Spirit from above. Tell Jesus that you are remorsefully sorry for breaking His commandments and that you are begging for forgiveness from Him. Allow His blood from the cross to wash away your sins. After this is done with your heart successfully the Holy Spirit will come to live within you and He will rebuild you from the inside out. Look for signs that you are saved. Things like spreading the good news from Jesus, getting other people saved, a craving for the word of God, reading the Bible, etc… These things are known as a calling and fruit bearing. If you're not bearing fruit then keep doing it. Sometimes it takes time to get saved. Read Matthew chapter 13 from the King James Bible. God bless!!!
Thank you. I am a fourth generation wood worker, but my father passed away when I was very young and all I inherited were the tools, without the knowledge. I have tinkered with it all my life, but never seriously. As I am approaching retirement age I am setting up a shop and trying to learn how all this homemade furniture in my house was made. This video was very helpful. I have it bookmarked and I'm sure I will watch it many times.
Without a doubt the clearest, most concise, most 'teaching' video on sharpening I have ever seen! Thank you!
In the past, my sharpening efforts were about on a par with chipping flint to make weapons! Now, I actually feel that I can proceed to begin sharpening my chisels and planes properly.
When I get my first plane to really cut properly, I am going to put some of those curls in a glass container and put it upon my mantle - like a trophy!
That's not a bad idea... I might just do the same! Cheers!
This is the best produced, most informative, video I have ever seen. Phil is not only a master, he is a giver. Thankyou, Phil! Through your example the world might become a better place.
I really miss Mr Lowe, he was by far the best teacher of woodworking on the planet. May he rest in peace.
Did he passed away??!!!! 😳
Edit: I just checked. It's just heartbreaking. Those who he taught & had direct contact with his mastership, can easily consider themselves as blessed ones.
Also we can only be thankful for his life. Such a great craftsman, tutor and a human being.
RIP Master :(
Who needs books having this blessed old man (with all due respect) ? This man is an living enciclopedia. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, sir.
old ? he's a spring chicken lol
I’m so glad I found your channel. I’ve learned more watching #1 and #2 videos then I have in the last 6 months watching others. Looking forward to number 3 of ( I hope a dozen or more ) videos. You are a master of your trade. All I can say, THANK YOU
I was to say the same; I hope TH-cam does not start adding costs to this. This gentlemen is sharing his knowledge for free and is completely amazing and easy to follow and understand. God bless you Mr Lowe
Thanks Phil for sharing knowledge on these videos. I am an accomplished woodworker, cabinetmaker, finish carpenter and joiner of 50 years. Even an old fart like me never stops learning and will enjoy your series immensely. You younger folks pay attention and enjoy. Regards to all from Minnesota.
I work as a maintenance foreman at a chrysler assembly plant but my 2ed "job" is woodworking and custom auto body building. ( i don't do engines etc)
The 10001 and 1 things I love about woodworking and custom auto body is you never stop learning. Most look forward to getting of work to get home and watch a game or just to be off work. I look forward to getting home to hone my skill on what I learned last at either wood working or autobody.
What I find crazy is I can sharpen a knife free hand to cut paper with no sawing effect but even with expensive jigs I still have to use a sawing motion with plane blades unless i do it free hand. My problem with sharpening planes/chisels is kepping the edge square. It would be nice to have a cutting edge square to the throat once in awhile lol.
I use to us all the ypical powered equipment. Jointers/planers, biscuit joiners, table saw and several sanders. The only time I use sand paper now is when I get a new "used" plane/chisel or blade of any type to sharpen them.
What truly find crazy is as Phil mentioned is that traditional furniture still had saw marks in the wood. This is the type of furniture I tend to get the most coin for. And 70-75% of my stuff is made of pine straight from the mill. I also use walnut/maple/oak/ash/poplar and even spruce. Most (im my own opinion)best pieces were from pine and spruce unless its a figured maple.
But this youtube thing i am always learning and I love it.
thank you, Sir!
You've demystified wood working. I'm just starting the wood working hobby. Before I came across your videos I was so lost, and felt overwhelmed with wood working. I thank you for your detailed and informative instructions. You've given me the confidence to continue wood working.
God Bless You, Sir.
Man, this is some valuable sht. I fear the day when TH-cam is ultra commercialized. All this valuable knowledge will come at a cost, and destroying TH-cam. Unless, there is an alternative.
These are excellent teaching videos. I'm looking forward to viewing the next one.
Your wisdom is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for creating this series.
You, at almost 26:00, referred to the "blade" as the iron. Much appreciated.
Great instruction Phil.Thank you for sharing your Knowledge with us.
we were given rough cut stock and a cutting list about 1 month before the final exam for higher woodwork at highschool in the 80's and used all these techniques to fully dimention the timber..........................we did have access to a slow speed flat stone grinding wheel that was oil fed for lubrication for plane irons etc but that only gave you a single bevel...so getting the final bevel was a little more challenge and no guides just do it by hand. Great detailed videos these I like them
Good show.
Wow! So much knowledge shared in this video! Thank you!!!
I was saddened to learn that Phil had passed away.He taught me many valuable skills at NBSIS back in 1978.
As Mr Fullerton said he" worked with his hands ,his head and his heart".
Had planned on visiting his school after covid but sadly he had passed away.
Quite a guy.
I have about 6 of those exact same Folgers coffee buckets scattered around my shop that you used by the grinder. Incredibly handy, both for their initial purpose in storing coffee and there later purpose of storing whatever.
An empty Folgers can is about all I can afford that this guy has.
Unfortunate camerawork, great information! Thats actually an understatement- this is like Carpentry 101 school! Great stuff, thank you very much!
Gran. Maestro... Wery big. From Italy.
A wealth of information..Thank you !
Thank you for all this valuable information and good advice.
Great, educational loved it, thank you
This series is a goldmine...so much useful information! Tnx!
Incredible explanation! 2 thumbs up
Very good! Thank you Phil, I am sharing this with my son who is a beginner.
I like that he's working with oak to teach instead of something easier to work with. Great lesson Phil, thanks for sharing it.
That table is rocking back and forth quite a bit as you plane that board near 50:15 . I know a good carpenter that could probably help fix that. Hehehe.
I really enjoy working with wood, but have no experience and no teacher. These videos are amazing. Please keep doing them. I also really enjoy that you explain everything with so much detail. It is important to understand the why along with the how.
Congratulations and thanks so much!
Check out Paul Sellars also he is a great teacher from Great Britan.
This series of films is excellent, so informative for a beginner woodworker like me
Thank you.
Another brilliant lesson! I'm learning so much!!!
Thanks for your detailed explanation.... Your knowledge is very helpful
R.I.P. Phil, you will be remembered.
great clip. hope to see more of it
I am really struggling with squaring and you do it in 3 plane strokes.....amazing! Thats a lot of skill and experience !
I have just used the grinder sharpening technique shown on this valuable / informative video, the results are exellent, better than any technique i have so far used.
Thank you ms. lowe for this information, looking forward for your next lesson.
True that. Most of other techniques on YT, at least, are asking to sharpen the whole bevel surface & add small one at the very end, at different angle. This one IMHO is way better: less surface for grinding &honing. There are 2 edges. One which actually is cutting, the other splitting &"reflecting" waste.
But yeah, so many sharpening ways, as cults & faiths, among the people :)
If the camera man could get better close up shots, great videos, great quality, great information.
Pure gold!
Thanks so much for this. I am learning a lot 👍👍
I read just about all the comments and it seems nobody here has been to his school. Phil Lowe is a graduate of the Bennett School in Boston. After graduating he work there for a while and then went on his own. He runs the furniture Institute on the shore of Beverly Massachusetts which is a fantastic woodworking School. I have taken several of his classes and he is a master artist. Beverly is located very close to Salem Mass which is home of the Peabody Essex Museum where he does a lot of work in repairing damaged antiques Etc. To know this man and learn from him is a very rewarding experience. You should check out his classes by going online to his website.
Good teaching, we all love teachers
Very informative and easy to follow. Thank you.
Great work...thanks
Excellent video, thank you very much sir.
Paul Sellers called and wants his gig back
Thank you.
Best wishes
32:36 Hiiiiiiiiii... haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.... *no* winding sticks needed this time.
I personally can say this is the best informative video i have ever watched, it feels like im on a high school class hahahaha. very much appreciated the thankful. may you have more power. God Bless. p.s .... i love to have one of those planner. hahahahaha
Cracks me up when he turns around and says hello at the beginning. Oh, hi. Didn't see you there.
See that's what you do to greet your audience.
And what cracks me up, is that he doesn't beg for followers, subscribers and "patreons" in his 2nd sentence. As most of "professional" woodworkers & self proclaimed YT gurus nowadays.
@@HeartPumper This appears be a channel of a public access TV station. It's a town named Beverly, but I'm not sure where it is. So, it's possible that the host didn't even know this would end up on TH-cam. But yeah, it is refreshing to not hear "Please, like, subscribe, smash that bell, leave a comment, and considering becoming a patron!!" every two seconds.
At least he did not say, I did not hit her. I did not!
Color the whole sharpened edge surface with a magic marker to guide with the angle setup.
WOW. I'll be watching this a few more times. I need more practice for sure. Thank you to all involved in producing this vid. Especially Phil.
Curious as to why you didn't use a shooting board?Also,Can you PLEASE provide info as to where to get those stones?I've never seen a flattening diamond like you used either.Thanks for sharing!
But Sir - with all due respect: overheating is best prevented with a cup of water standing next to the grinder.
10:06 Damn it: there we have the bucket. I was shooting from the hip. Never mind.
Master
if your board is straight and flat and square you half way there .
love that saying .😊
Hello. Thank you so much for this. I am just start in woodworking. I purchased a table saw, chisels and other items but realize I need hand planes. I don't have much money so I need to be smart in my purchase. I need to make my woods square and smooth. I thought I needed a #7 smoothing plane to make the edge of my wood boards square, but it looks like you did this with a #4 smoothing plane. Is that correct? Can you advise what planes you think I need? If I can only afford two planes, would you suggest a #4 Smoothing Plane, and a #5 Jack Plane? Can I buy a #4 Smoothing Plane and put in a Jack Plane blade, there by needed only one plane? As you can tell, I know nothing. I will buy on Amazon.com. Thank you very much!
What brand of stones and diamond lapping plate are you using?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Unfortunate the camera work is subpar especially during explaining parts of the hand plain. Thank you again for teaching.
Hey Phil how are you? Chuck Campione here. Hope you are doing well in spite of this ridiculous virus stuff. Question. What is the flattening stone you use? So many to choose from. Bought one and it was curved and ruined my water stones.... returned it. Don't want to purchase another mistake. Thanks. Be well
Me too, I like to use my grinderto grind my sharp tools...:)
Anyone on the forum... I have a concern about the cross contamination of grits from using the same Flattening stone on every waterstone before sharpening. How do you avoid that? Not hating but it is a concern I have...
I noticed the blade on the plane is it a Hock plane blade?
Dennis it is a Hock Blade. They are great as a replacement.
Pause video first then click this 51:10 Looks like he got a brown pecker.
Also this series is probably the most thorough best thing I've ever seen.
awesome
Can anyone tell me why he says the bevel should be re ground when the "shiny spots" meet?
One question. How often do you go back to the grinder? Do you go
Through the entire process every time you sharpen. Or just a touch up
On the stones? And if you are only going back to the stones will you start at the the 1000 or go straight to the 16,000? Any info is appreciated. Thanks
That's a $1,200 bench grinder. It sure is nice.
Greetings Please tell us how old you are
I've been sharpening chisels wrong for years and didn't know. That is the problem with being self taught.
I hear you...
Never wrong. Only different.
44:20 Why not using a shooting board for end grain?
Are you from Boston? Ah, right, had to look up Massachusets and I would've had my answer. Thanks, google :P
You missed a T in Massachusetts. You aren't British, are you?
Great tutorial. Could you not just use a shooting board to sq the ends of your board ? You would still be using hand tools only.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Unfortunate the camera work is subpar especially during explaining parts of the hand plain and you sharpening the blade. Would've been 100% better if they zoomed in when you working on blade! Thank you again
good video, BUT WRONG way of using a bench grinder ( No safety hood/ glasses-reading glasses are NOT SHATTER PROOF), and both of the upper grinder guards are NOT used , the perspex guard is to save you from metal/ stone particles coming at you, the metal one is to guard you in the event of a wheel shattering (exploding!)- that is to say deflect the pieces safely away from you.
EACH of these points are a MUST in a metal shop, should be in a wood shop too, even so the area in the wood shop where sharpening occurs is in effect a "metal" shop area, so ALL reasonable precautions should be adopted, it may never happen, but would you risk your sight over it??
He's sharpening a chisel, not grinding a knife blank into shape. There's as much chance of his vice exploding.
It's amazing he is as old as he is. You would think he would have died long ago with how dangerous he is!
Which flattening stone would you recommend? I tried to search on Amazon, but the ones I found had ominous reviews.
I contact to you
Surely you ONLY use a grinder if there is a bad nick in the blade ? You can't possibly use a grinder for ROUTINE sharpening can you?Clearly he knows what he's doing but why jump to a grinder . seems very harsh to me .
I believe the advantage he is getting is that there is less material to remove with the hollow bevel during honing in the stone.
I'm wood farnatchir work
Your camera person is in need of some closeup training.
Sorry dad, you should only grind with a sandstone grinder and water drip tank on top slowly dripping water over the grind stone wheel , never ever us a carborundum grind stone , put simply it fucks it up
ps, all blade should be ALWAYS square no round corners ,
25 yrs Queen Elizabeth 11 joiner
English Mik
We don't play by the Queens rules here. What he's doing obviously works for him too. P.S. planes don't have blades. They have irons. All plane blades should be cambered for reasons stated in this video. Except for rabbiting planes.
Why not make sure that you are truly saved by Jesus Christ and practice this way. Remorsefully confess with your heart your sins to Jesus Christ who is God and tell Him that you right now are repenting of your sins and you want to be born again of the Spirit from above. Tell Jesus that you are remorsefully sorry for breaking His commandments and that you are begging for forgiveness from Him. Allow His blood from the cross to wash away your sins. After this is done with your heart successfully the Holy Spirit will come to live within you and He will rebuild you from the inside out.
Look for signs that you are saved. Things like spreading the good news from Jesus, getting other people saved, a craving for the word of God, reading the Bible, etc… These things are known as a calling and fruit bearing. If you're not bearing fruit then keep doing it. Sometimes it takes time to get saved. Read Matthew chapter 13 from the King James Bible. God bless!!!