I’ve got a Tormek sharpening system and have recently borrowed the planer knife jig to refresh some of my knives. It takes a long time to sharpen them.
If I cannot sharpen one edge in 30 minutes then it is cheeper to by new knives. So far,I’m not close. It seems to me that a courser stone would speed up the process, but I cannot find a compatable 10″ wet stoneto accomodate the grinder.
Does anyone have suggestions/tips to use the jig more efficiently? Or can anyone lead me to a supplier of courser stone (100 grit)?
Paul
Replies
When you bought your Tormek, didn't it include a two sided stone (looks like a sharpening stone)?
Running the stone with the rough side against water wheel somehow opens up the wheel for a coarser cut. Running the other (finer) side of the stone returns the wheel to a finer cut.
I know I am probably not explaining it very well, but check your instruction manual for details. The difference is not really dramatic, but it does seem to work.
To sharpen HSS on the Tormek, it is extremely important that you get the existing angle of the knife edge perfectly set and have the blade perfectly parallel to the stone. The Stone also needs to be perfectly square. A black magic marker on the bevel helps to get the angle correct.
Make sure you use firm (not heavy) consistant pressure.
HSS will "dull" the stone so you will likely need to regrade it often using your grading stone.
The key is to take your time and get the setup perfect so that only a thousanth or two of steel needs to be removed.
--Rob
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