01-08-2018, 06:41 AM
Steve,
One of my father's favorite sayings was "We can be bold in doing something if we are first humble in learning how to do it". You and I seem to share that positive humility.
Like most tools, I think the Tormek is better suited for some tasks than others. For me, it does an adequate job of flattening and polishing chisel backs for most purposes. I used it with the old Buck chisel because it has a nice feel and it has a belly which needed to be corrected. For a fine paring chisel I would use either a meticulously flattened water stone or glass and abrasive paper. I would also use these methods with a new or new to me chisel. Flattening seems a function not quite in the area where Tormek excels. It can handle the laborious part of flattening. For light flattening, I do not feel it is the ideal choice.
Just because the Tormek can do many sharpening tasks very well does not mean that it can do every sharpening task at that level. It is also certainly not the only sharpening tool, and not the only tool I use. Like most of us, I am a creature of habit. I used the same photographic film and developer for over thirty years. I tried to keep an open mind, but I feel the years using the same combination gave me a deeper working knowledge. That knowledge let me focus on making images (getting back to woodworking).
Based on my study of older editions of the Tormek handbook, I believe the stone grader concept began when Tormek switched from the natural grinding wheels mined on a Swedish island to the present manmade grinding wheels. The manmade aluminum oxide wheels are coarser and cut faster. However, the finish was not as fine as the natural, slower cutting wheels. I suspect many users missed that finer finish. Tormek has always included simplicity in its philosophy. The stone grader offers an almost complete substitute for a second, finer wheel.
I agree with you about the honing compound. It works well, however, I believe the micron designation is as much an educated guess as a precise measurement.
Do not underestimate your knowledge and experience. You have much to share. We have a lot of expertise on this exchange. I certainly do not include myself among the experts, however, each post I read gets me a little closer. I like the polite, sharing environment here. It is conducive to growth.
Keep posting.
Ken
One of my father's favorite sayings was "We can be bold in doing something if we are first humble in learning how to do it". You and I seem to share that positive humility.
Like most tools, I think the Tormek is better suited for some tasks than others. For me, it does an adequate job of flattening and polishing chisel backs for most purposes. I used it with the old Buck chisel because it has a nice feel and it has a belly which needed to be corrected. For a fine paring chisel I would use either a meticulously flattened water stone or glass and abrasive paper. I would also use these methods with a new or new to me chisel. Flattening seems a function not quite in the area where Tormek excels. It can handle the laborious part of flattening. For light flattening, I do not feel it is the ideal choice.
Just because the Tormek can do many sharpening tasks very well does not mean that it can do every sharpening task at that level. It is also certainly not the only sharpening tool, and not the only tool I use. Like most of us, I am a creature of habit. I used the same photographic film and developer for over thirty years. I tried to keep an open mind, but I feel the years using the same combination gave me a deeper working knowledge. That knowledge let me focus on making images (getting back to woodworking).
Based on my study of older editions of the Tormek handbook, I believe the stone grader concept began when Tormek switched from the natural grinding wheels mined on a Swedish island to the present manmade grinding wheels. The manmade aluminum oxide wheels are coarser and cut faster. However, the finish was not as fine as the natural, slower cutting wheels. I suspect many users missed that finer finish. Tormek has always included simplicity in its philosophy. The stone grader offers an almost complete substitute for a second, finer wheel.
I agree with you about the honing compound. It works well, however, I believe the micron designation is as much an educated guess as a precise measurement.
Do not underestimate your knowledge and experience. You have much to share. We have a lot of expertise on this exchange. I certainly do not include myself among the experts, however, each post I read gets me a little closer. I like the polite, sharing environment here. It is conducive to growth.
Keep posting.
Ken