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I am new.  Did 3 older chisels (my old Sears from way back) and thinking I am getting the hang of it.  So I go to my Veritas bevel up iron, about 2.25" wide, 50º.  I really like this one a lot as it does such a good job.  The grinding went very well.  I have to let myself trust the angle setting jig which I think is a simple/great tool.  

So I am done grinding and switch over to hone.  But I can not slide the jig on far enough to get the left side of the iron over the leather.  The angle I must set for honing has the jig hitting the first horizontal/vertical support rod as I go right.  I know I must have done something wrong.

I have 1.25" of the iron in front of the jig.  I am thinking that might be the start of the problem.  If more was projected my angle at the leather would get the jig up and allow me to slide more to the right.

Any ideas?  Tim

Have my new Tormek.  I have used one previously for a class, so some experience. As I try to get my mind around everything I keep thinking that I can out think what has previously been thought out.  So I have some questions I am hoping someone has answers to.  In most cases a yes or no is all I need (I have read the booklet but just thinking too much), or some thing short and on point.

1. Should I be able to feel the stone and know if it is set up course or fine?

2. Booklet says maybe 45 seconds of pressure when using the Stone Grader.  Does that sound about right?  How does one know for sure?

2A. If needing to remove a good bit of metal to change an angle will one need to re-surface the stone several time, or once re-graded is it good to go until you need the other surface?

3. Is it practical to think that one could do 3-4 chisels with the course set-up, change the stone to fine, then do these 3-4 chisels fine?  Or must one keep the metal in the jig and complete the process to the end then start a new chisel, changing the stone grade back and forth?

4.  Is the length of the chisel beyond the jig to the stone important or is the angle all accommodated with the adjustment of the Universal Support?

5.  Any reason to record the length of metal from jig to its end and alway have the same length each time you do this same chisel?

6. I have used the angle setting tool and it seems simple enough, even for me.  But once I have the angle I want on a piece of metal it is good enough for future sharpening to just eyeball the contact to the stone from the side, fitting the stone in the hollow bevel on the metal?  Seems like one can see a good fit from the side.

7.  Was thinking I could go from stone to leather without resetting angle to the leather, just move the Support.  But the obvious difference in diameter say no.  Correct?

8.  Have attempted to use a Marker on the bevel to set to the leather but compound on the leather quickly removes all of the black ink or just junks up the view.  Am I doing this wrong? 

9.  I assume I can (should) use the angle setting tool with the leather?  Is this as good as the Marker route?

10.  What will the leather look like once it is broken in?  How quickly does this happen?

OK.  Don't want to push my luck.  That is it for now.

Thanks.  Tim