Sharpening System Advise Wanted

Look into the Viel S5 grinder if you go for a belt system. There are multiple attachments that you can get for it. V as well as convex edges are easy. The platen is thick, flat, and the exact width of the belt. It's easy to tote around and can be used vertical or horizontal. The Kalamazoo grinder, which I have and love, is not as nearly as versatile and the platen isn't good. It's thin metal, too wide, and mine didn't come straight. The main benefit is the Baldor motor that comes with it. Tormeks are versatile too, but slower. Paper wheels, while fast, can be a bit awkward. I prefer using flat and slack grinding media. Putting a V edge on a knife with round media is a bit clumsy IMO. I own and have used all the systems mentioned BTW.
 
Thanks for that. So by using the platen I can attain a V edge? I saw a scissor attatchment for the Viel would that be any good? Anyone tried that? I've had ppl as if I can sharpen their scissors. Sorry if this is off topic.
 
Never Dull said:
Thanks for that. So by using the platen I can attain a V edge?
Click to expand...

Yep. It's easiest to use the knife attachment with the grinder running horizontally. Pull the knife across the blade table with just the force of gravity pushing the knife edge against the platen. An Angle Cube is almost essential if you are grinding a new edge bevel.

Never Dull said:
I saw a scissor attatchment for the Viel would that be any good? Anyone tried that? I've had ppl as if I can sharpen their scissors. Sorry if this is off topic.
Click to expand...

The scissor attachment is a bit large and doesn't work as well for smaller shears. Nevertheless, it's still workable. It's great for normal sized shears and large shears. I use it, but have drilled an additional smaller hole in the arm to fit a Twice as Sharp clamp. Convex hair stylist shears take some "know how" to sharpen. So make sure you know how before you attempt it. The only other Viel item I've tried is their clipper sharpener. It should be avoided, but going into that is way off topic.
 
I've never actually tried the Viel, but one of the fellows I know makes a re-worked platen for the Kaly that he charges twenty bucks for. It completely solves the problems that the stock one has. I honestly don't know WHY they sent it out the way they did, with as good a quality as the rest of the unit is, that platen IS kinda awful. It works adequately, just not as well as it SHOULD. Honestly, I'd totally forgotten about that.
 
I don't know about the Viel, but you should know that one of the reasons the Kalamazoo is so good is that the belt surface speed is about half what you get with HF, Sears, and just about any other belt grinder that I've been able to find. Makes a huge difference in how fast things get hot, and how quickly they can get messed up.
 
If you're interested in numbers for that, I posted a spreadsheet in a new thread here a day or so that compares motor speed and pulley size to give you belt speed in FPM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top