T2 diamond wheels and rubber honing wheel

[jeffs55]

I wish I knew how to reply to a quote.

[Stickan]

Hi,
Years ago we actually used a composite wheel on the larger machine.
Using a composite wheel on for instance a chisel that has a one-side edge with a flat back-surface can easily round the edge and needs a long learning curve.
Moving to leather and compound had several positive effects as sharper edges as it gets more polished with compound and the soft leather gives the user more control to not round the edge.

A diamondwheel should not run in water without any protection, such as Honerite gold or similar.

Since the T-2 is a low speed machine, diamond is very suitable and can be used dry and the composite honing-wheel  is easy to use on a knife as the need for compound is not needed. This machine is good in an environment where you need an easy solution to keep knifes sharp 24/7.

Testing with the Bess method would not give users the same score as we all have individually levels and experience using the Tormek machines.
The difference between "good enough" to "very good" is sometimes just 10 seconds of use on the honingwheel which experienced users knows but I have met experienced furniture-builders on the highest level who has not used the honingwheel becasue they started using it wrong. After a short class with me they have come to an level which they previous did not think they could get.

So if a user who has not done the honing correct would do a bess test and put that online as a test, it could actually give people the wrong impression about how sharp it actually can get.
And for those who really know how to use the honingwheel and do a bess test, many users can not get the same result as they maybe did not spend enough time on the honingwheel or even rounded the edge a bit. Inexperience or just learned doing it not as described in the handbook.

On this Forum the experience of sharpening is on a high level but still we would probably get different Bess scores if we met and did a test.

I might be wrong as I have not tested the Bess method but I do know by experience that we all have slightly different way of doing things that would probably show when you are measuring sharpness with one method.

Best,
Stig

So, to summarize...

• All things being equal, (and assuming both used correctly), the leather wheel will give a better result?
• You apparently don't want BESS scores published?

Fair summary?

cbwx34,

The leather honing wheel gives a better result.

I have no problem with BESS scores being published but as I wrote, the result do depend of the skill of the person sharpening. That would be on any method of sharpening being used. Someone who have a higher skill of sharpening and honing/stropping would even get a better score.

Best,
Stig