Thread: Wet Stone Sharpener

What's best, Holden or Ford? Personally, I'm a Holden man.

It depends on what you have to sharpen. Chisels, plane blades, thicknesser blades, jointer blades or just knives?

Originally Posted by Just George

What's best, Holden or Ford? Personally, I'm a Holden man.

It depends on what you have to sharpen. Chisels, plane blades, thicknesser blades, jointer blades or just knives?

George
I`m a Mazda man.
I would like to sharpen Chisels ,Plan blades, Knivess & Thicknesser blades.
Do you know when the tTriton wet stone come on sale.
THANKS Twisty

Twisty,

my order of recommendation would be:

1. Makita wet wheel sharpener - horizontal wet wheel, expensive, though cheaper than a Tormek.
2. Scangrind - vertical wheel, reversable, medium to expensive. Expensive accessories.
3. Tormek - vertical wheel, expensive, expensive accessories.

The Scangrind is excellent for knives (I have two of the Scangrind 200s) but can be fiddly to set up.

G'day,
Ive got the Makita sharpener. I was lucky enough to pick one up secondhand, in good condition.
It comes with a #1000 stone. Ive since bought a #6000 for it too. (theres also a low grit stone available)
Once I got used to setting it up (quite simple) it a little ripper Im finding myself using it more and more.
With its horizontal stone position, and big blade holder, it excels with jointer & thicknesser blades.
For sharpening chisels and plane blades, its either freehand or make yourself a jig to hold them square. (the wide blade holder isnt made to hold chisels and plane blades) I tried it freehand, and ended with an out of square, sharp chisel
Ive since made a very simple, rough looking jig to help me keep blades square. It works quite well.
I happy with it. Maybe it isnt as flash as the other brands, but it does a nice job.
cheers.

You'd need to send your thicknesser blades to be sharpened by someone who can sharpen something that wide. The others can be done on the slow wet stone grinnders...

Originally Posted by Just George

You'd need to send your thicknesser blades to be sharpened by someone who can sharpen something that wide. The others can be done on the slow wet stone grinnders...

Hi George,

The Makita grinder can handle blades up to 15" 3/4 (fifteen and three quarter inches) in length. Mine are 13", so no problems there
If you're lucky enough to have one of those monster 20"ers they'll need to be done elsewhere.
Cheers.

Tormek and Scangrind can also handle 12" - 15" blades. Setting them up can be a trial, but once set they work well. Jigs are spendy though!

Underused would you be able to ell me wher you brought the 6000 grit stone for the makita wet stone sharpener from please. thank you

Originally Posted by Groggy

Tormek and Scangrind can also handle 12" - 15" blades. Setting them up can be a trial, but once set they work well. Jigs are spendy though!

Groggy why is the tormek hard to set-up? I can set-up the planer jig in less than 1 minute... Since I bought it I have sharpened my jointer/thicknesser knives three times. It takes longer to put them in the jointer and align them raher than sharpen them (provided I wasnt in the mood for planing nails again and have to grind steel for the next hour ).

regards

Marios

Originally Posted by routermaniac

Groggy why is the tormek hard to set-up? I can set-up the planer jig in less than 1 minute...

I was referring to the Scangrind for the pain to set-up bit and both for the ability to grind the blades. Poorly phrased

I am on my second Tormek. Sold the first one with Woodturners' Package. Missed it so much I bought another but knew exactly what jigs I needed- just a couple less than the package. Because I enjoy sharpening I use it frequently and I can trust it to get me my hollowgrind without fail. It is the only great machine for carving tools and the more refined equal of the Wolverine on lathe tools.. I do finish out my flat blades on Shaptons and a strop.jet

Originally Posted by underused

I tried it freehand, and ended with an out of square, sharp chisel Ive since made a very simple, rough looking jig to help me keep blades square.

After my first play with my new makita grinder and coming on here to ask about different angles for different knives, etc, I found this thread and wanted to suggest using a small carpenters square with the sliding ruler, but cut the ruler down to about 3" long so it doesn't get in the way of the chisel handles. I found a few such cut down rulers I used in the past when doing weatherboard scribers. The ruler is a nice guide to rest the side of the chisel against, and the main body of the square rides along the top edge of the tool holder base/slide. Works surprisingly well.

8 years...