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Yep.  But the walls at the flute top are not that thick so I wouldn't put too much of a swept back grind on it.

In my experience no-one else comes within a country mile of the support Jeff gives us users on this forum.

Take a bow Jeff!

I really appreciate the prompt and no BS advice you give us.

Thanks for the tips Jeff.

Will try the 'creeping up' method when I'm fit again; recovering from a broken wrist ATM.

Recently I acquired 3 wooden Mujingfang planes - a real bargain in the world of new planes.

Each has a 1 3/4" HSS blade, with coarse machining marks on the back.  A sharp edge requires both bevel and back to be polished.

If I had a dime for every minute spent lapping blade backs on stones I'd be a millionaire, and buying premium planes ;-}

I read somewhere that this could be done on the side of the Tormek.  And practised with two chisel backs.  This was a bit hairy as landing them flat with the wheel turning takes some skill.

My son dropped over a few days ago and I enlisted him to control the on/off switch.  That allowed me to register the backs properly with the wheel stopped.  Side on the mounting bar and a finger on each corner of the blade pushing it against the wheel side.

Wow!  It took about a minute to get the machining marks out and leave something approaching a polished finish.  Magic.  Two blades done in short order.

Seeing that there was a good bit of steel grit in the wheel sides, I hit them with the coarse grading stone.

That dropped the cutting power big time when it was time for the 3rd.  In fact after 2 minutes there was still a lot of steel to be removed.

That sent me to read through posts on this forum and it seems that what may be required is to press hard with the corner of the grading stone.

Sound right?

I can see that some care will be needed to apply it flat and square to the wheel face.

Will do; thanks.

Hi Jeff!

The manual says to condition the wheel with light machine oil, if memory serves, and then charge the surface with the compound.

I've done this.  The leather soaked up a good deal of oil.

I assume the point is to get a thick slurry happening so that the oil and compound together soak into the leather.

What's happening when I hone is that the compound balls up and drops off.  There's little blackening of the strop that would indicate metal coming off.

I gave the two profiled leather wheels the same treatment, and trying to hone out the milling marks on a turning gouge flute soon got the tell-tale blackening of the surface.

So what am I doing wrong with the flat edge wheel?  Too little oil?  Oil's too thick?

Would appreciate your advice.

Best wishes for Easter,

Ern

Clever!

So a bit of pressure wouldn't go astray to break down the 3 micron particles.

Try the platform freehand for the scraper JSB, or if you have a steady hand, just the rod support.

Opinions vary but I wld advise you to lap any burr off the top of the scraper before the first sharpening.  A dry grinder will have left a rough saw-tooth edge.

Re the shave, again the platform.

In both cases, get the platform as close to the wheel as you can.

Let us know how you go.

Jeff, can I ask what the Tormek compound particle size in microns is?

(Yep, now definitely getting obsessive  )

And what's that compound made of Aunsell?

Thanks Jeff.

And no, I'm not that obsessive 

Ah, thanks Jeff.  Good to know.

Excellent info, as always  

PS, does it work efficiently on the Tormek?  Any mileage in fitting the leather wheel to the lathe eg.?

Don't know what the T yellow tube is full of.

Note that in Leonard Lee's book on sharpening he recommends Al. Ox. for HSS  steel.

I'm thinking of getting the profiled leather wheel less for burr removal and more for polishing out the machining marks left in some gouges.

Any comments?

Also consider a bit of packing on the platform, rectangular, parallel to the wheel face, maybe 1" deep, fixed with spring clamps.  This allows the handle to clear and freehand control of the tool edge.

I've been advised that from new the wheel is glazed and should be trued so that it cuts properly.

Any comment Jeff?