Which Wheel After 1K?

[darita]

I have a Fine Diamond Wheel and a 1K CBN wheel for my T8.  Which wheel should I get to finish with, before moving to strops?

[cbwx34]

I have a Fine Diamond Wheel and a 1K CBN wheel for my T8.  Which wheel should I get to finish with, before moving to strops?

I'm not big on BESS scores, but there's a post in the Tormek Facebook group that a sharpener scored a "58" honing after a 400 CBN wheel, and a "24" honing after 1000 CBN wheel.  Here's part of the post...

So I was "playing around" a bit.
Knife is mainstream type. Given the "behaviour" during the sharpening HRC is 52-54, sort of confirmed by the pricetag, aprox €30.
I don´t have the Bess value out of the box, just wanted to mess around 🙂
Process was the same, except for 1 point.
Pic Nr. 1 is only #400 CBN
Pic Nr. 2 is after 3 passes per side on a #1000 CBN wheel.
Sharpened at 15° per side or 30° total.
Deburring on a 10 micron then 3 micron, 6 passes per side on each. Polishing - 1 slow pass on chromium oxide wheel.

So... nothing?

[darita]

I hear you on everything.  I saw that post.  Thing is, I've been able to get well polished, sub 50 Bess edges on my TSProf.  I'd like to try to get that on the Tormek.

[Ken S]

It sounds to me like you are on a quest to get a superb edge on a cheap knife. Instead of spending several hundred dollars on a finer stone, I would first buy a better knife with better steel. I might also try sharpening the better steel with a slightly more acute bevel angle.

Ken

[darita]

OMG!  I really apologize.  My auto correct is going nuts!  I meant to say, I hear you on EVERYTHING!

[darita]

It sounds to me like you are on a quest to get a superb edge on a cheap knife. Instead of spending several hundred dollars on a finer stone, I would first buy a better knife with better steel. I might also try sharpening the better steel with a slightly more acute bevel angle.

Ken

I'm working up to those better steels, however what I have right now in kitchen knives were purchased prior to my getting into sharpening, so they are making good practice knives.  They are of medium quality steels.

[cbwx34]

OMG!  I really apologize.  My auto correct is going nuts!  I meant to say, I hear you on EVERYTHING!

Haha... I was actually going to say "I hear you on nothing"... I can take the hint.   

If you're not doing "super steels" (like high vanadium), the SJ wheel leaves a great polish.  I'd ponder it a bit and do some reading though... it's not cheap.  (It'll actually polish "super steels" pretty decent, just doesn't help with sharpness very much).

[darita]

OMG!  I really apologize.  My auto correct is going nuts!  I meant to say, I hear you on EVERYTHING!

Haha... I was actually going to say "I hear you on nothing"... I can take the hint.   

If you're not doing "super steels" (like high vanadium), the SJ wheel leaves a great polish.  I'd ponder it a bit and do some reading though... it's not cheap.  (It'll actually polish "super steels" pretty decent, just doesn't help with sharpness very much).

  Ya...sorry 'bout that.  Thanks for the information on the SJ wheel.  I'm considering that right now.  I guess I see it as an investment.  I've had all my Tormek stuff for at least 20 years. I know polish is not sharpness, but it sure does look nice.

[cbwx34]

...
I know polish is not sharpness, but it sure does look nice.

Very true.  I used to sharpen the UPS Driver's knife, the first couple of times I did it I gave him a polished bevel... then when I switched to just a "regular" bevel... he was obviously disappointed (even though it was sharp).  Went from "Wow" to "huh".      (And I did it for free, so it wasn't a $ issue).