Angle master WM-200......subtle clarification in use

[Rob]

Hi Rob,

I see in one of the pictures the way you measure the angles, that will give you incorrect results if it wasn't done by intention. The lower corner of the black plastic angle indicator has to touch the stone in order to obtain the correct bevel angle.

All the best,
Ionut

Guys

This may just be me that has signally failed to appreciate this little subtlety Ionut noticed (from the threads about experimenting with the Torlok as a small knife rest).  If so then please ignore this post.  But I have to come clean and mention it in case a new user falls into the same trap.

Despite three diagrams in the manual on Pp 42-43 that clearly show the correct way to apply the anglemaster in situ...Ive been getting it wrong.  Many thanks for spotting that.  Typically I have the angle pointer about 2 or 3 mm up the blade from the stone when setting.  Now I think on it...of course thats wrong....the further away you take that bottom corner from the arc of the stone the more you raise the angle and thus calibrate your sharpening incorrectly.  Because im typically only say 2mm up, its only going to be a couple degrees at most but still.....great tip there.  Wonder if Im the only dunce??

The manual doesnt actually specify this in print....but then they perhaps weren't expecting some thick Englishman to read it :-)

[Herman Trivilino]

The important thing to note, and the easiest way to remember it, is that the angle master must contact the grindstone in two places.

[ionut]

One more thing to add to this chapter, once in a while you may decide to change the bevel angle to a lower one, for example from 30 to 25 degrees on a tool and when the initial angle is set the cutting edge is never touch the stone, the rear end of the bevel is. So if your initial angle set looks correct, due to the grinding action  that will remove first the  rear end of the bevel and only towards the end will touch the edge, the effective angle on the cutting edge will change.  Therefore  if you want  precise bevel angle when the stone starts touching the cutting edge or it is very close to it, I would suggest to stop the grinding and set the angle again for the same 25.  Depending on the blade thickness you may easily end  with a 27-28 degrees bevel angle even though your initial aim was for 25 if this resetting of the angle is not done.

Ionut

[Elden]

Excellent point, Ionut. I'll try to remember that if I go to do that. So far I haven't changed one like that with the Tormek but probably will sometime.

[Herman Trivilino]

What Ionut says is true.  In general if you are sharpening anything and the cutting edge isn't close to the grindstone then measuring the bevel angle correctly is a challenge.  With most jigs you'll need to lower the US as you grind, with the HK-50 you don't have to do that.

[RobinW]

Rob - you are not the only dunce. I missed the subtlety of the angle master placement, which explains why this week's efforts on the chisels caused me a bit of head scratching when they were not grinding initially over the whole bevel. I did wonder at the time how the position of the angle master would change the bevel, but my mid drifted off to other things.

[Rob]

Of course its occurred to me since that I'm going to need to regrind all my chisels and plane irons :-)

I've been getting that wrong for as long as I've owned my Tormek which is 5 years or so. This means that my bench chisels which I normally grind at 24 and then secondary bevel at 25 are all about 2 out!

Wonder if it will make much difference?

I don't know about you but I find if I don't use a sharp chisel for a long time, the sharpness gets less. My tools are in a damp cold garage so I guess it's rust at the microscopic level messing with the edge?

[ionut]

If the difference is that small I wouldn't bother much unless it is about a paring chisel which I usually, or you really want a spot on bevel angle.

What you experience is rust, if you don't protect your edge with a bit of light oil after sharpening, even if you don't use the tools after a while they don't seem to be having the same keen edge.

Ionut

[Herman Trivilino]

I have to second what Ionut says about oiling the steel edge after sharpening.

Two things have happened to the steel in it's very recent past.  A new surface has been exposed for the first time to the air.  And, since you sharpened in on a Tormek that fresh surface also got exposed to water. 

Dry off the tool and apply a light oil to displace any remaining moisture and to provide protection against exposure to air as it sits in the tool drawer.

I do the same with pocket knives and at the same time lubricate the hinges.

Kitchen knives get washed in hot soapy water and dried with a towel.  No oil, but you could use mineral oil if you wanted to.

[Rob]

Good idea chaps...I'll do that next time....spot of oil

[RobinW]

I have always wiped my chisels and planes with camellia oil after use and sharpening. The planes are also wrapped in cloth before they are put in the drawer. The cloth is sometimes used to wipe the oil. This has been very successful until this week when one of the planes, which has not been used for a few months, was found to have a nice all-over coating of very fine rust - just like a sprinkling of fine mahogany dust. Quick strip down and rub up, re-sharpen, and it's back to normal. My garage is unheated and we have had a very damp cold winter.

[Rob]

Yeah. Me too

I even find rusty finger prints on the sides of my block plane after winter use sometimes. I rot steel guitar strings too. Just lucky I guess!

[Elden]

You play the steel Rob? Have anything on youtube?

[Rob]

Hi Elden

Not steel guitar mate, steel strung acoustic guitar.  That sentence in the previous post was misleading, my apologies

I've been playing guitar for a long time now.  Would love to play steel guitar though, magic sound :-)

I used to play live for many many years and of course you get hot and sweat when on stage, I would use new strings every gig then at the end of the night put my guitar in its case. Next morning there would be literally small rust stalactites hanging off the e and b string ie the two thinnest. I am the rustiest fingered person I've ever met. There's some acid content or something in my sweat because none of my other musician buddies suffer the same problem

I once worked in a metal fabricating factory for a while. The boss used to know when I had handled the sheet steel without gloves because the following morning my fingerprints in rust would be on the material :-). I'm a freak!!!  The incredible rusting man or something :-)

[Elden]

Interesting, Rob. Have heard of people who could not wear a watch because of their body make-up. Also, of a fellow who could survive electrical current in excess of that which would kill a normal person.
I love hearing the steel played. We are blessed to have a fellow at church that plays one. Trouble is that his amp is on the blink.