When you dress your grinding wheel ...

[Stwood_]

I've never rounded any stone corners, nor beveled them.

[KyleD]

I would never crown my wheel for sharpening chisels.  Of course I no longer use a grinder for sharpening chisels.  I now have a worksharp and use that very flat glass wheel.

The crown of a wheel should never get transferred to the chisel bevel. Rather the chisel should be swept back and forth across the wheel exposing the tiny hills and valleys being ground into the chisel to fresh stone grit. Pushing the chisel into the wheel and not sweeping back and forth is a recipe for burning the chisel edge.

Cecil, I am replying to your post to get this tidbit out but not replying to you personally. I did read that your system uses a different sharpening method that works sharp for you
.

I can set the diamond dresser on my grinder to create an exact straight face on the stone but find this doesn't work best for the sweep grinding method. Rather I use the the diamond dresser in my hand to true the grinder stone for best grinding results. I have never given it much thought but upon reading this entire post would imagine that the hand method leaves me with an ever so slight bevel across the stone face.

[Hank Knight]

Well, there you are. Round, square or anything in between - your choice. Another sharpening question nailed down tight.

[wood2woodknot]

THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S COMMENTS. They helped put a lot of things I already knew into perspective, and added a few new insights.

Also, thanks to OARLOCK in a previous post for leading me to the Raptor R3X Grinding Wheel Bushing and Washer Kit (Craft Supplies USA) when I was looking for something better than the plastic inserts that came with my Norton white wheel.


OKAY .... so some things I already knew:
1) use a light touch
2) sweep the tool across the wheel - don't keep it one place
3) feel for heat and quench
3) the primary purpose is not a final edge - it's just to renew the bevel

NEW things to consider:
1) dressing the wheel also helps balance it and keep it balanced
2) if you are sweeping the tool, what difference would a high spot make - the high spot would affect the entire the edge anyway
3) a light touch would not generate heat - especially in a white wheel
4) remember to quench as needed anyway
5) a crowned wheel or a slightly eased edge might help prevent catching the leading edge of the tool
6) there's still a learning curve - achieved only through experience (meaning "with practice")
7) old "beaters" first

I guess I'm ready to attack my grinding wheels and my good gouges and chisels. I've never used a grinder on fine tools before, just a few rough tools when a file was too laborious. Now off to the races. There are edges waiting.

[Cecil]

>>2) if you are sweeping the tool, what difference would a high spot make - the high spot would affect the entire the edge anyway<<

I believe it creates serrated edge.  I may be wrong.  I would have to check it under magnification, but, as humans, we do not sweep as evenly as we think, causing the wheel to dig in just slightly deeper in spots.  The next pass through, it would catch, however so slightly, deepening the serration ever so slightly. 

The folks here are correct about the hollow grind process.  The chisel needs to be kept in motion.  Setting the bevel is an early step in the grinding process.  Some people move to stones or sand paper after setting the bevel, others continue to hollow grind, using a wet grinder.  The wet keeps the heat from transferring, but one could still crown the wheel or ease the edge.  Personally I would not crown the wheel.  Easing the edge makes sense.

When I was in the meat plant we used a water cooled flat grind to set the bevel, and three grits of stones to sharpen.  The grinder was similar to this



>>3) a light touch would not generate heat - especially in a white wheel<<

A light touch will generate heat, but not at much heat as quickly.  Like you say, quench anyway.  Note, it heats faster where it is thin, i.e. the cutting edge.

>>5) a crowned wheel or a slightly eased edge might help prevent catching the leading edge of the tool<<

I can see easing the edge.  I have never done that, but I can see where it would help.

>>6) there's still a learning curve - achieved only through experience (meaning "with practice")<<

Yep, practice, practice, practice.  Having practiced in the meat plant for 10 years, I can put an edge on in my sleep.