Taking nicks out of chisels

[fraseman999]

Hi Folks,

As a newbie to the Tormek, i am becoming more confident using it.

I have changed my position to the switch side of the T7 with better results. Plane blades are more square. So what i was doing was putting to much pressure on the blade touch the stone and it would be off square. Now my fingers dont go below the jig and i am getting better results.

Now to my question, one of the latest you tube videos with the guy with tha cap interviewing a Tormek guy, he takes an axe and puts a couple of nicks on a marples chisel. He takes the nicks out in under two minutes! I had a couple of old chisels which had nicks and no matter how much pressure i put on, it took me 20 minutes! Am i missing something here?

Finally, what are the advantages to a japanese waterstone? If it leaves the same finish as the leather strop.

Thanks once again

John

[fraseman999]

Adding to my own post!

I have to say this machine is addictive! The better the results the more you want to sharpen. I took 4 chisels yesterday that belong to my step father. The cheap ones that come from china. They are very poor quality. They had nicks, they had rust. Spent about an hour on them and they were slicing paper!

What a machine.

[nobby1967]

May due to the fact that angle was exactly the same or a little steaper to remove nicks quicker. Also if you use stone truer you can make stone a little courser. Just need a bit of patents with Tormek you will be rewarded.
Jeff is a master of the Tormek he is the Tormek guy in video.

[Herman Trivilino]

Now to my question, one of the latest you tube videos with the guy with tha cap interviewing a Tormek guy, he takes an axe and puts a couple of nicks on a marples chisel. He takes the nicks out in under two minutes! I had a couple of old chisels which had nicks and no matter how much pressure i put on, it took me 20 minutes! Am i missing something here?

Welcome to the forum, John.  That guy in the video is our own Jeff Farris, moderator here at the Tormek discussion board.

The trick is in preparing the grindstone.  You have to treat it with the course side of the stone grader.  Use a corner of the grade stone and apply pressure for good amount of time.  The stone will then have a 250 grit and will cut faster.

Finally, what are the advantages to a japanese waterstone? If it leaves the same finish as the leather strop.

Well, the leather strop paste uses 6000 grit paste and the waterstone is 4000 grit.  The Japanese waterstone will actually remove a small amount of steel grinding the edge to a very smooth finish.  The leather strop just polishes the surface.

Perhaps someone who actually uses the waterstone will comment about how they use it.  I would be interested in hearing that.

[Rob]

Adding to my own post!

I have to say this machine is addictive! The better the results the more you want to sharpen. I took 4 chisels yesterday that belong to my step father. The cheap ones that come from china. They are very poor quality. They had nicks, they had rust. Spent about an hour on them and they were slicing paper!

What a machine.

Hi John

Do I take it you've solved all the cutting problems through practice?  Shout out if there's anything else and keep your progress with different tools posted.  It did sound like your wheel wasn't dressed properly but you've clearly made progress since then.

[fraseman999]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes Rob, I was maybe too quick to come on after only using the tool for an hour.

And for all the other newbies i did dress the wheel. And although that would have helped i think it was down to bad technique, i was at the opposite side to the switch and i do think you get more control on the switch side. I was originally pushing down on the blade and it was going off square slightly.

You do need some patience with this machine on a badly damaged blade. It is not a grinder as such. But with patience what results!

Another thing i learnt on a cheap faithful rebate plane blade was that there is no point putting it against the side of your jig if the blade is tapered! Yes common sense i hear you say. So this requires a square run up alongside the outside of the jig. Problem solved.

Anyway its great to have such a fantastic machine and an equally fantastic forum.

True quality is a very hard thing to find these days

Thanks

John

[Herman Trivilino]

And although that would have helped i think it was down to bad technique, i was at the opposite side to the switch and i do think you get more control on the switch side.

When you weren't on the switch side, was the grindstone turning away from the edge?  If so, that would explain why you weren't getting fast cutting action.  It grinds faster when the grindstone is turning toward the grinding edge, as it was in Jeff's video.

[Rob]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes Rob, I was maybe too quick to come on after only using the tool for an hour.

And for all the other newbies i did dress the wheel. And although that would have helped i think it was down to bad technique, i was at the opposite side to the switch and i do think you get more control on the switch side. I was originally pushing down on the blade and it was going off square slightly.

You do need some patience with this machine on a badly damaged blade. It is not a grinder as such. But with patience what results!

Another thing i learnt on a cheap faithful rebate plane blade was that there is no point putting it against the side of your jig if the blade is tapered! Yes common sense i hear you say. So this requires a square run up alongside the outside of the jig. Problem solved.

Anyway its great to have such a fantastic machine and an equally fantastic forum.

True quality is a very hard thing to find these days

Thanks

John

You're right about quality John, it seems you have good insights. I doubt you'll stray too far from it :-)

[Ken S]

John, I think you are off to a very good start.  Keep at it, and keep us posted.

Ken