Sharpening Systems

[LarryHoog]

I have used a Wolverine System in a class on sharpening and was satisfied that it worked well. Then I saw a system in the Penn State Industries catalog and website that looked exactly like the wolverine but was 1/2 the price. Anyone have any answers as to the similarities or differences between the two?

 

[chipturner]

Larry, I think it's called China Copy.

 

[pencheff]

I have used a Wolverine System in a class on sharpening and was satisfied that it worked well. Then I saw a system in the Penn State Industries catalog and website that looked exactly like the wolverine but was 1/2 the price. Anyone have any answers as to the similarities or differences between the two?

I've owned the PSI system for over a year now.

The standard flat grinding platform on the PSI is not tall enough to use with my 8" Delta grinder. Actually I could use it but the business end of anything I'm sharpening would meet the grinding wheel below center. No thanks. So I bought a Veritas standalone adjustable platform. Its high enough but kinda shaky.

I tried using the skew sharpening attachment but mine is not perfectly square to the Long Arm so the skew grinds unevenly on the two sides. I put sufficient shims in one of the pockets to even things out then decided I didn't like the varying width bevel the jig produces anyway so I sharpen the skew by hand now. In all fairness that varying width bevel problem is symptomatic of this type of skew sharpening attachment itself no matter who the manufacturer.

The gouge attachment does a fine job of sharpening my 3/8" and 1/2" bowl gouges. I can use it for my 3/8" spindle gouge but it takes a lot of finagling to get the gouge to sit in the "cradle" correctly. The mechanism that clamps the tool in place in the jig uses a female threaded knob that's fixed in place so the tighten/loosen motion is counter intuitive: Clockwise to loosen, counter to tighten. Weird. The foot of the clamp that contacts the gouge is a cylyinder with an inexplicable groove running around the cylinder right in the middle where it contacts the tool. This makes the unit uselss for any gouge narrower than the width of the groove as it won't contact that gouge equally on the top of both flute rims simultaneously.

I recently bought the Oneway wolverine system to replace the PSI system.

 

[Ron Warman]

I used a Oneway Wolverine system for years and it was OK except for some small things. I sold the whole system to a new club member and bought a Kelton System. I like the tape measure on the adjustable arms so you can repeat this setting if you grind another tool with another setting. I like the arms because they are solid metal and very heavy. I like the notch in the flat platform that lets the platform straddle the wheel. It gives me a better feel for free hand grinding. The multi-grind jig has a small ball on the bottom that fits into a adjustable socket on the arm so you don't have to worry where the end of the jig is while you grind. It has a large ball on the top so you can truly sharpen with one hand. I soon found it is best to get the short arm for the platform but didn't get the skew jig. I use only the Tormek on these tools.
Where the Oneway System shines (IMO) is the dressing jig. What drove me crazy was the way the arms clamped to the base. The arms are square hollow stock and the clamp is on the side of the base. Because of the square hole in the base being larger than the square arm when the arm is clamped in place the bar moves to the right and up. Not a big thing but I like to use a marking pen to make sure I am getting the same angle and it will change when the arm is clamped down.

Ron

 

[blackhorse]

Ron,

I also have the Kelton and like it for the same reasons you do. So, what do you use to dress your wheels now?


Joe

 

[John Clifford]

Sharpening jig.

OK were do you get the Kelton?

John.

 

[John Clifford]

Nevermind, I found it listed at craft supplies.

Would the Oneway diamond stone trueing jig fit the Kelton bases?

John.

 

[blackhorse]

John,

I don't think so. Lee Valley also has Kelton, I believe.

Joe