Jeff Farris wrote somewhere in this forum that the Truing Tool prototype didn't have as much play, but as users found the head too tight to move across, more play was added. I can imagine, that when Tormek later introduced the Japanese stone, it would be too costly for them to modify production line for TT-50, even if chipping was reported.
By now I've trued 6 stones (Japanese, SB, SG) using Ionut's approach, and the results are fabulous, minimal grooves and no edge chipping.
Below I detail my truing procedure, where I shamelessly use Ionut's ideas to reduce the Truing Tool play, and even wording, as why should I change a word in what had been said well enough.
- True on a stable non-vibrating base, e.g. for truing I move my Tormek to a different bench that is heavier and more stable than what I use for sharpening.
- Mark the shaft, the washer, and your grindwheels and always mount the stones aligning all these marks to compensate for manufacturing or wear imprecision that may result in non matching edges of your blade; so when you change the stone the grinding surface of the new mounted stone will match the other one in relation to the universal support. Doing so I don't end having to true the stones needlessly as I change them.
(Now and then I refresh the markings.)
- If the grindwheel hasn't been used today, before truing let your Japanese stone run idle for about 30 min to soak water (SG or SB stone for 10 min).
- Locking down the truing tool on the Universal Support, press the Universal Support downwards over the left post with the adjusting wheel. Don't press left or right of that point. The Universal Support has a bit of play and the only reference point or surface that you can rely on is the adjusting wheel and the base in which the left post is being inserted. The Universal Support play translates on its horizontal bar into up to probably 2-3 degrees in the effective sharpening area. Because of that, if you apply pressure on the extremities you may start out of square from the beginning.
This step is stated in the Tormek Manual, but often overlooked.
Unlike shown in the manual, press with one finger only.
Remember to do the same each time you mount the Universal Support for sharpening.
- To minimise the TT-50 diamond head play, I used 2.5mm wide x 200mm long cable tie (a 150mm long may just suffice as well). You only need to tie it moderately, enough to back up the diamond housing to it's riding platform and to allow you to rotate the knobs.
(The ragged grindwheel edge you can see in this picture is from previous truing done before using the method I describe.)
- Do not rest your hands on the Universal Support or TT-50 while truing - only rotate the truing tool knobs with your fingers with no downwards pressure on them.
- Start from the side with the highest point on the stone. Turn the US adjusting wheel by 1/12 (half a digit) when adjusting the depth of truing.
Having finished the first run across the stone, lower the diamond tip by a quarter of the digit, and run in the opposite direction; you have to run in both directions because of the wear of the diamond tip by the end of the first run you finish somewhat higher.
- The manual suggests for the truing not going slower than 90 seconds, but with this modification I'd say spend at least 90 seconds, I usually spend 2 minutes to move across the stone.
While truing, do not pause and maintain the same speed.
- Lower the Universal Support on the stone to check they are parallel (remember to press over the left post with the adjusting wheel). I just take out the Universal Support with the TT-50 locked on it, and use another Universal Support for this so that I could resume truing if need be.
For declogging & cleaning Japanese stones I use the following (in order of preference):
- a diamond plate in the Tormek Square Edge jig;
- Nagura stone;
- fine side of the Tormek grading stone, flat only, but never corners, and parallel to the wheel, not accross.
As the diamond plate I use the cheapest plates I could find on eBay; the one in the picture is 1mm thick and cost me $5 delivered. Had to clamp it together with a plane iron on the top for rigidity.
#80 diamond plate for the #200 stone;
#400 diamond plate for the #800-1000 stone;
#1000 diamond plate for the #4000 stone (SJ).
Make sure the plate contacts the stone by its surface, not the end, and lightly press with fingertips.
The diamond plate is preferred because this method will keep the surface of the stone always parallel with the universal support.
A quote of Ionut's about the diamond plate: "In fact between sharpening when using finer stones I use this method to cleanup and flatten the grinding surface of the stone about 50 times until I will use the TT50 again to make sure the wheel is not out of round."
You will soon discover how much sharper your tools get.
