<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> <title></title> </head> <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#ffffff"> Terry,<br> <br> When you grind a blade on a Tormek stone, you are creating the basic profile of the blade, what is called the "relief angle". Probably you'll just duplicate the angle that the factory put on it, although I might suggest grinding it at a sharper angle - no more than 25° for a chisel or plane blade. Depends on how you use the tool, though - if it's prone to chipping then you need to grind at a steeper angle (like 30°). There is a gauge for checking the grinding angle that comes with the machine.<br> <br> You can pretty well forget about indexing the blade to the holder, IMO, inasmuch as the tool rest position will change practically every time you use the machine. Which means that, every time you grind a blade, you need to eyeball the setup from the side to check if the angle is right (bevel is flat against the stone). Then put magic marker on the face you're grinding, do a trial grind, correct the setup, etc. This is what you do when you have nicks or chips in the edge or when it gets very dull. You grind away until you get a burr all the way along the edge (feel on the unbeveled side with your fingernail for a little ridge forming).<br> <br> Now you're ready to use a fine stone. If you want fool-proof, then you'll need to buy a honing guide. Hold the unbeveled side flat on the stone and remove the burr by moving it back and forth in any direction. Then with the blade in the guide, adjust it so that the angle from the stone is about 5° more than the relief angle and grind several strokes, turn and rub the unbeveled side several times to again remove the burr. Always keep the straight side flat on the stone (sharpened edge touches the stone last). Finish up by stroking alternating sides.<br> <br> The above paragraph is for touchup purposes as well as for honing a freshly ground blade. Follow up with the leather wheel for truly sharp edge.<br> <br> Seems like a lot of trouble (especially in the telling), but once you get the hang of it, you'll have a blade that's sharper and will stay sharp longer than any hand-honed blade or almost any factory-sharpened blade.<br> <br> Oh, and when you're reloading the plane blade, remember to put the bevel side down!<br> <br> Tom Cole<br> <br> Farrell wrote: <br> <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid004a01c3854e$f4792830$b9b52341@youro0kwkw9jwc"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; "> <meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1226" name="GENERATOR"> <style></style> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Tuesday, my new Tormek sharpening system should arrive. One thing I have not figured out yet is a fool-proof way to touchup the edge on a blade - chisel, plane, whatever. Is there any way to index the position of the blade in its holder so that one can reproduce the exact angle to the grindstone. Or is most touchup done by hand on the leather wheel? Often I can avoid running over a nail or whatever in my work with my planes, and I don't often really need to start with 220 grit. I'm talkin' touchup here. I need something dummy-proof (or talent-less-proof).</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Terry Farrell</font></div> </blockquote> </body> </html>