Thread: Robert Sorby Pro-Edge Sharpening System

It is essentially a linisher with a carborundum narrow belt. strikes me its a tad [ around $600 ]expensive when its basically a linisher.

Having used linishers quite alot over many years, it will work just fine and produce a very good edge.

i was thinking about one,when you look at the price compared with a tormek
it is about half the cost,but maybe no one has seen or tried one as there seems to be not a lot of interest,i would also like to know a bit more about this product and any one who has used one
cheers smife

Originally Posted by nz_carver

Hey all Sean one last weekend just thinking
Anyone out the have one or tryed on what do you think?

There was one in use at Horsham.

Peter and Chris have been using one for a couple of years. They seem to like it.

I have only played with one for a short while so can offer no comment.

Originally Posted by

There was one in use at Horsham.

Peter and Chris have been using one for a couple of years. They seem to like it.

I have only played with one for a short while so can offer no comment.

Yeah I know that's we're I seen it

Len at the Woodsmith, Sorby importer and retailer, has one and uses it in his workshop and likes it.

I have asked him why he didn't import it and was told that it would cost him about $20K to get the necessary electricity authorities approvals to sell them here, which made them unprofitable.

So if you want one you would have to get it direct from Sorby in the UK.

Peter.

Well I know Jim has them
Just seen them and noticed they don't spark as much as a stranded grinder

I looked at it and thought no. It just doesn't look heavy duty enough for me. I did concrete construction for 30 plus years, and am on the heavy duty size as well. I prefer things to be over built so I can use and abuse them, and they still keep on working. I do like the platform on it as it can be set to a number of different angles with repeatability and precision.

Now, this is more to my taste. It is Stuart Batty's grinder, and similar to what a lot of knife makers use.

SB OmniGrinder | Stuart Batty Woodturning

robo hippy

Now, this is more to my taste. It is Stuart Batty's grinder, and similar to what a lot of knife makers use.

An impressive piece of gear, a far cry from the regular grinder or linisher, pricey?

They were supposed to be out last August, but are still not available. Comparable grinders like this are in the $3000 and up range, and he was saying then they would be around $1500 to $1800. I will talk to him again at the AAW Symposium coming up in June. I really checked it out very closely, and don't think I could have designed it any better, and I tinker with every tool I get. Very solid, and industrial strength. One end has about a 10 inch wheel, the other end had a flat platten, and the top is flat as well, and the thing can rotate 90 degrees for a 90 degree vertical abrasive surface as well.

robo hippy

I got one at the WW show yesterday; first impressions after lengthening the bevel to 25 degrees on a 10mm square section beading/parting tool:

The thing is solidly made and well designed.

Angle changes of the platform are quick and positive.

Leaving the side cover off and with the table at that setting it's possible to change belts in about 10 seconds (greater angles would mean removal of the platform and take longer).

Neither of the two belt changes I did needed the belt tracking to be adjusted but that's minor work anyway.

Reshaping the bevel meant a deal of metal had to come off and with a #60 Zirconium belt that went quicker than with a coarse Norton blue wheel on a dry grinder. That wheel is my 'gold standard' and would've needed dressing afterwards (which is not a trivial task and which generates dust you don't want to suck up).

The tool didn't get more than hot and nowhere near bluing during the process.

The #60 belt didn't clog up but started to cut slower. It deposited a nice pile of steel 'n stuff on the bench.

There was some dubbing over of the tip at #60. I assume this was due to the belt butt join being slightly higher than the rest of the belt. Or it may have been my technique. It was possible to rectify that moving up to #120 and #240.

...

The attraction of the system for me is its capacity to grind from #60 to #3000 with some belt changes. And it can hone with the accessory rubber wheel. I rehab old planes and bench chisels as well as reshaping and touching up turning tools. There is a range of abrasive types. There is little toxic dust, no dressing/truing needed and no water slopping around. It may even do the heavy lifting with lapping the backs of blades (to be tested).

Jim Carroll showed me a turning tool that'd had the #3000 Trizact belt treatment and it was a polished finish. Very tasty.

Questions:

How long do the belts last? No idea. The more exotic abrasive types from Sorby are not cheap. But there is an Aussie abrasive specialist who will make belts to order (inc. Zirconium and Trizact).

With time will the extra thickness at the join wear down? Expect so.

After one tool's worth, what's the implications of the scoring in the platen at the pressure point?

Upshot:

For someone who wants one system to efficiently 'do it all', this may be it. Knife jigs are available but exxy; I may try freehanding when a #3000 belt becomes available.

Ern, following with interest.

Here's a bit more Neil:

Have tried to measure the join bump but only have verniers. Marginally thicker than the rest. The join is made by what looks like fibreglass reinforced tape. Maybe a lighter touch is needed; was using pressure similar to that on a grind wheel.

The #60 belt used was Zirconium and I picked up a #60 Ceramic belt to try out. Said to be better for HD removal. Also got a #600 Trizact which has a funky pattern. Waiting for #1200 and #3000 (equiv.) Trizacts.

Jigs, accessory or with the Deluxe model:

A neat V block that slides in a groove on the platform. Allows a plain grind with a gouge. The side can be used to guide parting tools, bench chisels etc.

A skew guide with a fixed angle. Will prob. mean reshaping my skew angles and the big skew will give the ceramic belt a good workout.

Fingernail gouge jig. Uses the clamp and knuckle joint seen on other machines. Since the mount bar is fixed however you get only one flavour of wing grind. An accessory mount provides two longer grind options.

Some more observations:

Sorby have fitted metric screws and bolts. Yay! cp some earlier items from them that were imperial and you had to have a few imperial allen keys set aside.

The side cover is worth leaving off to speed up belt changes but that sprays black grindings liberally around. It's attached with two T-head screws that are fiddly to get started.

The 2nd hole on the long grind jig is a near perfect match with the go-to bowl gouge. The 3rd hole allows a good match with the Ellsworth Signature gouge (at least the the extent that my sharpening has maintained the original profile. Tip is still close to 60 degrees). It was possible to get these matches without changing the gouge jig knuckle angle (always a source of variation with 'that other machine' that needs watering ). They were achieved by changing the projection from the clamp, the collar position on the shaft and of course the shaft mounting hole.

The platform is easily removed by unscrewing one bolt which has a captive spanner.

The motor is 1/6 HP IIRC and doesn't have to strain. It runs fairly quietly, and slower than a linisher AFAIK.

Over 4 different belts now the tracking has not needed adjustment.

So far in design terms the 2nd down side for me is the flat grind. I like to touch up tool edges in the course of a turning session with a diamond paddle hone and that's quick with a hollow-ground bevel. You're just taking a bit off the toe and heel. It'll take longer and a bit more dexterity with the flat bevel.

There's a bunch of Berg paring chisels whose backs I'd started to take the pitting from and to flatten on a good extra coarse ceramic whetstone. And given up on.

1" on the Zirc. #60 - went well, grinding to about 50 mm from the edge.
7/8" same belt - much slower. Pits weren't coming out. A few deep scratches and the rest was polished. Curious. Belt was clogging up a bit. Moved to AlOx #120; little improvement.

Got out the big gun, the #60 Ceramic belt. 5th belt change - this one needed the tracking adjusted.

Oh wow. It went gangbusters.

So well I was able to flatten up to the makers mark with those and two smaller ones down to 1/2".

And the backs are flat. Better result than I've had using very flat powered discs with quality abrasives.

Only downside was one chisel corner chipped out. Has to have been the steel.

All done freehand with a light touch. Edge presented in trailing mode.

Took a few seconds for the blades to get too hot to touch. Took them away for maybe half a minute and could start again. No sign of bluing. A few minutes work on each.

Having used many hand and one other horse-powered method, this beats them by a country mile. At least on these widths. Have yet to try the smaller paring chisels. They may take a deal more care.