Messages

I want to follow-up on my comments from last night.  I have some measurements.

First, lowering the slide bar down to the stone I get a perfect fit;  if anything, the stone might be a smig concave in the middle. All blades had sides that are parallel with the opposite side.  The Record and block plane blades we brand new.

Over the last two days I sharpened  4 different blade types (but a total of 5 blades); all were set for 25º.  Here is some facts about the 4 different blade types:

                                                        width           thickness

Veritas (for bevel up use; 2)               2 3/16th          0.182

Record (for #4)                                 2                     0.0885

Stanley block plane                            1 3/8th            0.0785

Stanley 90                                            1                 0.121

None of these blades came out totally square but I would judge the Veritas blades to be nearly perfect. But as you can see, as the blade width and thickness decreases I observe a greater out of square result.  I am not sure what the take away is. I am not able to give a measurement of how much out of square it blade is but results were very noticeable when held up to a light and that the 90 may have been as much as double the error of the block plane iron.

The Stanley 90, while a bit thicker than the next 2 thicknesses, had the worst results. It has the smallest width.

All blades were systematically moved across the stone.

The blade jig was checked and its fence to the front edge is square.

I guess my conclusion is that the thinner the blade, the less width it had there will be a tendency to have an edge that is not square.  But I admit I may be drawing the wrong conclusion.  Anyone care to comment?
Tim

I just came from the shop after sharpening 2 new irons for a Stanley block plane and a Stanley 90.  The 90 was done first and I referenced on the long section at the rear of the plane when I placed in the jig.  I failed to use a square to see if the new blade as 90º  out of the box but I assumed it was.  When I mounted the new iron for the block plane I did check to see if it was square out of the box and it was. Also, the sides are straight.

With both irons the finished results skewed the edge so that it was not 90º to the side.  Both skewed in the same manner - so as the jig sits on the support the cutting edge sloops down to the right.

I could see this happening but thinking I can live with it and compensate when the iron in placed in the plane.  But the fact that they both skewed in the same direction makes me question my set-up and the reason I have read this post.  I will check the "squareness" of the support to the wheel and I will check the wheel and true as needed.  Other than this and the pressure on the iron while grinding (and other comments here and elsewhere) any other factor to investigate?
Tim

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

I see this topic has been talked about a lot.  Getting a Tormek and assumed that I would just use the honing leather to finish up.  Seems like there are opinions one way or the other.  Probably no one is wrong, just depends on what you are expecting to achieve - sharp, long term sharp, etc.

I took a week long class this year where there were 2 Tormek-like systems, but no honing wheel.  The well known instructor had us grind properly, then do a micro bevel freehand on 2 flat stones. No jig, just get the heel and front edge sitting on the stone, then pull back 2-4 times on each stone, then a quick burr removal on the back.  Easy enough to do since no jig is required, but some confidence that you can freehand properly.  Have to say that the chisels and plane irons came out very sharp and performed well.  With the hollow grind it was suggested that to sharpen a bit more you just needed to redo the micro freehand until it failed.

Tim