Sharpening a 1" skew

[royaltyl]

Jeff, I am having a devil of a time sharpening a Robert Sorby 1" oval skew. I suppose I am reshaping the profile that came with the skew; this is the first time I have sharpened it.  Anyway, I grind and grind and am left with a small portion on the heel of the skew that is not touched.  I keep refreshing the wheel with the SP-650, but it does little to speed the process.  The finish is really fine, hardly any scratches, even after refreshing.  I am beginning to think the Tormek is too slow to use, except when sparpening a slightly dull edge.

Larry

[Jeff Farris]

First, it sounds like you are not getting the surface open (coarse) when you're using the grader.  Tip it up so that only the corner of the grader is engaged and lean on it a little.  Don't be alarmed if you get some scratches in the grindstone.  In fact, be alarmed if you don't get some scratches in the grindstone.

Second, you didn't mention whether you're using the horizontal or vertical position, but for the operation you're doing you should be using the vertical, where the grindstone is turning into the cutting edge.

[royaltyl]

Jeff, thanks for the response.  I was really babying the grinding wheel, using the flat of the stone and not really pushing hard.  When one wants a fine grind, do you use the same technique, the corner of the stone and lots of pressure?

Larry

[Jeff Farris]

Pressure yes, corner, no. 

When going from coarse to fine, use a firm direct pressure with a very minimal side-to-side movement, and about centered on the flat face of the grader.  Don't be alarmed when the curvature of the grindstone starts cutting into the grader.  In fact, the more curve you have in the face of the grader, the more contact you'll have with the grindstone and the faster the grading process will go.