: Would this reduce
: the amount of chatter while planing?

: I've noticed differences between my smoothing plane the block planes and my
: spokeshave by as much as 5 degrees. Would it make sense to alter the edge
: say to 20 degrees?

Hi A. You can play with the bevel. Generally it won't make a difference on the softwoods most often used in kayak building. If the bevel is too narrow then the blade may dull easily... too fat and there may not be enough clearance for the edge to contact the wood properly. There is no standard bevel angle. A 20 degree bevel does not sound unreasonable for a standard block plane. I believe the bevel is face-up on these so sharpness is the most important factor for a good cut. Chatter can normally be eliminated by controlling sharpness, blade depth and orientation to grain.

www.ChipSandresky.com