Shoutout to a cabinetmaker in Portland who said 'sandpaper is a crutch for a dull blade'

He showed me his hand plane setup on a maple tabletop, and the surface was like glass. Do you think power sanding has made us forget basic sharpening skills?

4 comments

4 Comments

nina_taylor5d ago

My grandpa taught me to sharpen a plane iron on an oilstone when I was twelve. That skill saved me last year when I was fitting a walnut door and my orbital sander died mid project. A sharp hand plane left a finish so clean it needed no sanding at all. It's a slower process but you get total control over the final surface.

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nancy_wood5d ago

Your grandpa sounds cool, @nina_taylor, mine just taught me how to lose at cribbage.

amy_coleman5d ago

Is it really that big a deal though? Most people just buy a new sander.

jake_patel5d ago

But like, how often does a sander actually die on you? Mine's been fine for years.