unable to position jig for honing plane iron

[Tim H]

I am new.  Did 3 older chisels (my old Sears from way back) and thinking I am getting the hang of it.  So I go to my Veritas bevel up iron, about 2.25" wide, 50º.  I really like this one a lot as it does such a good job.  The grinding went very well.  I have to let myself trust the angle setting jig which I think is a simple/great tool.  

So I am done grinding and switch over to hone.  But I can not slide the jig on far enough to get the left side of the iron over the leather.  The angle I must set for honing has the jig hitting the first horizontal/vertical support rod as I go right.  I know I must have done something wrong.

I have 1.25" of the iron in front of the jig.  I am thinking that might be the start of the problem.  If more was projected my angle at the leather would get the jig up and allow me to slide more to the right.

Any ideas?  Tim

[Jeff Farris]

That's right. More tool projecting will solve your problem. The recommendation in the hand book is more of a minimum than an optimum.

[Herman Trivilino]

Using the jig to get the right angle is critical when ginding.  However, not so much when honing.

Free-handing might be a better way to go when honing.  Just be careful to not roll the tool to an angle too large -- you don't want to blunt the edge.