Newbie user with diamond stones

[joec]

I just started with a lightly used T8 with a fine diamond stone. First attempt went smooth with the setup until I get to the leather honing wheel. I have difficulty free handing the angle and it is hard to see if I am doing anything with the angle. I guess a sharpie would not work to gauge if I have the correct angle. I ended up putting the chisel back in the angle jig (do not know the correct name of this) and tried it that way. A couple of questions to start.

Is using the angle jig recommended for honing?
Is a 600 grit diamond wheel (I do not have this one yet) necessary for the first pass, then on to the fine stone for 2nd pass?
When polishing the back of the chisel on the stone, do folks use the side of the stone, or freehand it on the top of the stone and then onto the leather wheel?

[Ken S]

Welcome to the forum, Joec.

Did your lightly used T8 include the documentation of the original sale? (You will need this to transfer the warranty.) If you need help with this, email
(info@tormek.se). You will want to register your Tormek on tormek.com. In addition to the warranty, registering allows you to download the handbook. i have found it a handy reference loaded onto my ipad.

Chisels are, in my opinion, the ideal learning tools. They have one straight bevel. sharpening and honing chisels are included in several of the online classes on Tormek's youtube channel. This is the best starting place:

https://www.youtube.com/live/wMATay8ITE8?si=knu--J1BzRnHIPsz

Start with a medium width chisel (1/2" to 3/4" or 12 to 19 mm)

Start out honing with your chisel still in the jig. the only adjustment you will need to make is adjusting the microadjust for the diameter of the honing wheel. The online classes demonstrate this.

Keep us posted.

Ken

[John Hancock Sr]

Is using the angle jig recommended for honing?

There is no reason not to use the jig except for time. Honing certainly does take time to master but it takes practice, that is all. 

Back to your question, you get the feel of the honing after you have done it a few times. The trick is resistance. If you feel the honing wheel pulling the chisel then you are honing the bevel.

When polishing the back of the chisel on the stone, do folks use the side of the stone, or freehand it on the top of the stone and then onto the leather wheel?

You need to start out with a flat back. Higher end chisels come with more flat backs but even then you should make sure they are flat and polished. You *can* do it on the side but I have found that it is best done on sharpening stones. Start of with your coarsest and work your way up. This really only needs to be done once. After that simply hone the back on the leather wheel.

Is a 600 grit diamond wheel (I do not have this one yet) necessary for the first pass, then on to the fine stone for 2nd pass?

You say you have the fine, this is 600 Grit. The extra fine is 1200. If you are using diamond wheels then ideally you would have the coarse, then fine, then extra fine. The coarse for establishing the bevel, the fine for your first sharpening pass the extra fine for polishing and honing for removing the burr. I used an oscillating belt sander the other day to re-establish the bevel on a badly chipped chisel which was taking too long on the coarse but that is very rare. Normally the coarse is enough and if you are just re-sharpening chisels the go straight to the fine.

The other day I re-sharpened one of my knives that was getting a little dull and I just did a few strokes on the extra fine.

Practice is the key though. I had a bunch of old dull (and in some cases paint can opening) chisels on which to practice. The more you do the easier it becomes and in no time you will be sharpening like a pro.