Sandpaper System

The sandpaper sharpening method (also called Scary Sharp) uses sheets of abrasive paper laid flat on a reference surfacetypically a granite plate or thick glassto sharpen chisels and plane irons by working through progressively finer grits. It produces results comparable to waterstones with low equipment cost and easy consumable replacement.

The 20-Piece Chisel & Plane Blade Sandpaper Sharpening System provides a full progression from coarse stock removal through fine polishing. Check the product listing for the specific grit breakdown, as the range is designed to take a tool from rough to mirror-sharp in a logical sequence.

A honing guide is not strictly required but significantly improves consistency, especially for beginners. It holds the chisel or plane iron at a fixed bevel angle throughout the sharpening strokes. Honing guides compatible with this system are available in the sharpening accessories collection.

The paper must lie on a perfectly flat reference surface to work correctly. Granite surface plates, thick float glass, and dedicated lapping plates are the most common choices. Any surface with a measurable bow will transfer that deviation to the bevel or back of the blade, producing an inaccurate edge.

Sandpaper sharpening produces comparable results to waterstones and shares the same grit-progression logic. The main advantages are low initial cost and easy replacement of worn abrasives. Waterstones, particularly Japanese water stones above 4000 grit, can achieve a finer final polish and cut faster at equivalent grits, but require periodic flattening.

Flat sandpaper on a lapping plate can sharpen the flat face (top) of carbide router bit cutters using the same face-honing principle as chisel sharpening. For router bit sharpening tools, the sharpening collection also carries diamond cross sharpeners designed specifically for carbide router bit faces.

Bench chisels are typically sharpened to a primary bevel of 25 degrees with an optional 30-degree micro-bevel at the cutting edge. Paring chisels are often set shallower, around 20 degrees, for lighter cuts. A honing guide from the sharpening accessories collection maintains these angles consistently throughout the sharpening strokes.

Yes. Infinity Tools backs the products it sells with a quality guarantee. Full details are available at the quality guarantee page.

Infinity Tools publishes practical sharpening guides for woodworkers at the Learn blog, covering topics such as bevel angles, grit progressions, and how to flatten the backs of chisels and plane irons for the best results.

Flat sandpaper on a lapping plate works well for the flat back of carving chisels and for straight-edged tools. For gouges and curved profiles, slip stones or shaped abrasive sticks are more practical because flat paper cannot conform to the inside bevel. The full sharpening collection carries shaped and flexible abrasive options for curved tools.