Please replace SP-650 with a diamond t-bar.

[Herman Trivilino]

The T bar could probably be held in the small tool holder.  With care, it might give a reasonable parallel surface.

That's a dandy idea, Ken!

A late thought, what kind of steel are your turning tools? Today's powder technology is producing some exotic steel, which may or may not play nicely with the SG Tormek wheel.

I think that's the problem.  And I thought we agreed that the solution is the SB (Blackstone Silicon) grindstone.

[Rob]

For HSS that's the point if the blackstone

However I will say that I didn't encounter significant problems with the original stone on my turning tools, it was good enough to do side ground bowl gouges

Jointer knives though......no....that's when I plumped for the blackstone

If I were only a turner my advice would be carry on with your first stone till its worn right down then replace with a blackstone.

[Rhino]

If you use the search term "Diamond T-bar Wheel Dresser" on Amazon, lots of different Diamond T-bar Wheel Dressers shows up.  They seem the same so you can still buy one from Amazon.  Great idea.  Sometimes I just want to remove metal faster (especially that chef's knife with a repaired nick that I had been reshaping every time I sharpen).

[Herman Trivilino]

If I were only a turner my advice would be carry on with your first stone till its worn right down then replace with a blackstone.

And be without an original SG grindstone?!

[Herman Trivilino]

If you use the search term "Diamond T-bar Wheel Dresser" on Amazon, lots of different Diamond T-bar Wheel Dressers shows up.  They seem the same so you can still buy one from Amazon.  Great idea.  Sometimes I just want to remove metal faster (especially that chef's knife with a repaired nick that I had been reshaping every time I sharpen).

And that's when you'd dress the grindstone with the diamond t-bar?

[Rhino]

"And that's when you'd dress the grindstone with the diamond t-bar?"

Yes.  I suppose.  Because at other times, when I am grinding knives, the stone works fast enough for me.  I suppose I would use the diamond t-bar when I don't want to whip out the diamond wheel truing device.

By the way, is there a downside to using the blackstone?  I know it is not suppose to cut faster.  But nobody says it cuts slower.  So why not all switch to the blackstone when the original stone wears out?

[Rob]

We all discussed that recently. The only difference we could discern was that it takes longer to grade the blackstone from 220 to 1000 or vice versa simply because its so hard

I bought one only two weeks ago and I don't find that a problem. I find its way better than the original stone but then I have loads of HSS to sharpen all the time.  It's a no brainier in my view