• Planers are sometimes difficult to sharpen.Wood planer image by Andris Daugovich from Fotolia.com
  
  Planers smooth out wood to make the wood even and level. Dull planer blades make for difficult woodworking and can even lead to splintered and uneven planes, ruining the piece for future use. Fortunately, several tools are designed to keep planers operating at top efficiency.
  
  

Harbor Freight Hand Sharpener

• For manual planers, hand sharpeners such as the Harbor Freight Planer Blade Sharpener offers a manual solution to what is otherwise a difficult blade to sharpen. These planer blade sharpeners are comprised of sharpening stones sandwiched between two PVC handles. The sharpening stones are set differently; one is set square with the handle, and the other is set at an angle. This difference provides for the sharpening of both the flat and the beveled side of the planer cutting edge. To sharpen using this tool, simply run the length of the flat side along the edge of the square set sharpening stone; reverse sides and use the same motion with the angled edge along the beveled side of the planer blade. Stones for this tool are made of silicon carbide and are replaceable when they wear out.
  
  

Makita 9820-2 Automatic Planer Knife Sharpener

• The Makita tool looks something like a grinding wheel set on its side and performs much the same task as a grinding wheel except that it is specially designed for difficult-to-reach cutting edges such as planer blades. The Makita uses precision, preset grinding angles to find the perfect grinding angle for blades up to 15.75 inches long. The grinder comes with a 1000-grit stone designed for use with most standard planer blades and spins at up to 560 rpm for a quick sharpening experience. Because the friction from automated grinding stones build up heat in the blade and the stone, the sharpener is cooled by a water feeder located at the top of the machine.
  
  

Veritas Jointer Blade Sharpener

• For removable planer blades, using products such as the Veritas Jointer Blade Sharpener ensure a smooth and even sharpening. This system involves removing the planer blade from its base and clamping it with the sharpener's blade clamp. The blade is then run smoothly across a lapping plate or along a large sharpening stone. Using a plate or stone at least as wide as the blade itself ensures the most even sharpening experience. When the blade is sharpened to a fine edge, remove from the clamp and replace it in the planer tool's base.