Cobalt Steel and the Grinding Wheel

[PGB1]

Before I mess up my stone, I thought a quick post here may be extremely prudent.

I have an older SuperGrind 2000 (Square cabinet, no serial number). The stone is not marked with a part number. The label says "SuperGrind" and it is the light grey stone. I would believe it is the original stone to the tool. It looks similar to the current SG-250.

I would like to sharpen some high speed steel tool bits. Some have 8% cobalt and some have 13% cobalt. I was wondering it these would damage the stone in any way.

Could I please also sneak in a question about Titanium Nitride coated tools, too? For those, I am guessing I can not sharpen them with this stone as the TIM coating is actually a hard ceramic.

Thanks for your ideas!
Paul

[Jeff Farris]

Your stone is exactly the same as the current SG-250. It should handle your HSS bits with no problem at all. I have sharpened many TiN coated tools on the Tormek. I think the reason it works is that the underlying material is just like any other HSS and the coating is extremely thin.

[PGB1]

Thank You very much, Jeff.
After reading your words, I tried some 8% bits and wow! They certainly sharpened nicely. The more I use the Tormek, the more I like it. Practicing is actually fun.
Paul

[courierdog]

My experience has been similar however I have gone on to order both the BlackSilicon and the Japanese WaterStone.
The Tormek makes sharpening a pleasure and the results can be stunning, depending upon a persons preferences.
While A Master machinists may not require a mirror finish on a lathe tool bit to achieve the desirable turned result.
While A Master Chef may not require a mirror edge finish on his knives to achieve perfection in the kitchen.
As an amateur machinist and an amateur chef I am allowed the luxury to finish my cutting edges to suit my preferences.
My HSS and Cobalt Lathe tools bits do not have any micro fractures as the tool steel is maintained very cool during the entire shaping and sharpening process.
My Japanese Hi Carbon Steel blades can be sharpened to a mirror finish and are pleasure to use in the kitchen

[PGB1]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Courrierdog.

I probably sharpened my first chisel somewhere over 50 years ago when my Father gave me a set of chisels, a honing stone and a bunch of linoleum blocks to carve (and keep busily out of his hair).

I probably successfully sharpened my first chisel last fall when I got my Tormek up and running.
What a difference that system makes!

Yesterday I had to part off, on my tool room lathe, a very thin & soft PVC cylinder. The parting tool bit only managed to cause the work to thread itself off the mounting. This tool bit was brand new & factory 'sharp'.  (I could have used a slotting saw or handsaw, but where's the challenge?)

About 3 minutes on the Tormek and the (8% cobalt) parting bit sliced through the material and was downright cheerful about it!
This Tormek system allows me to work as tough I actually knew what I was doing in the shop.

Enjoy Today!
Paul

[Herman Trivilino]

I've said this before.  Many of us think we don't have the skills to use hand tools like chisels and planes.  But in fact, what we're lacking is not the skill but the sharp edge needed on those tools for them to perform properly.

The proliferation of power tools has rendered these old tools obsolete on most job sites.  When I was a carpenter we used chisels more as tools for prying or perhaps hacking, but never for fine fitting.  The only hand tool requiring a sharp edge was the utility knife, with its disposable blades.

As a result the skill it took to keep edges sharp got lost largely lost to history.  For the most part only old timers knew how to do it.

I liken it to the lightning rod.  In the 19th century every house had them.  Then when indoor plumbing came along they were no longer necessary as the cast iron sewer pipes came from the ground and went up through the roof as vents.  Then half way through the 20th century plastic pipes replaced iron, and people had forgotten that lightning rods were needed.

The Tormek has made it possible for me to have a shop full of old discarded or forgotten tools that now have razor-sharp edges.