Truing the leather wheel

[Jim D.]

After several years of use - much of it with narrow chisels and lathe tools, the leather band on the honing wheel had several grooves worn into it.

I found that using a piece of drywall sanding screen, with a wooden backer board, trued the leather up very quickly and evenly.  I had to tap the debris out of the screen a few times during the process, but that's all.  The whole truing process only took about three or four minutes, and the leather surface is now as good as new.

Judging from the amount of leather & debris I removed, I ought to be able to do this truing process three or four more times before the leather gets too thin.

Jim D.

[Jeff Farris]

The leather was most likely compressed, rather than actually missing in the grooves you had in your wheel.  Usually, a generous application of honing compound and firm pressure with a wide chisel or plane iron will relieve the compression and smooth the suface out, without removing any leather.

If the leather was actually cut out, your method sounds very effective.