"Diamond Sharpening System"
FULL SIZED DIAMOND HONING STONES work fast, but they can be expensive. The new PSS Precision Sharpening System reduces that cost by using small, interchangeable diamond stones. The PSS also includes a built-in honing jig.
The PSS system is simple to use. It consists of two stout anodized aluminum extrusions: a base that registers the tool and a sliding carriage that holds the stones. To hone, you hold the tool on the base and slide the carriage back and forth over the tool’s edge. The carriage rides on a dovetailed way, and the action is smooth and accurate. The carriage is reversible: one side is angled at 25°, the other at 30°. The stones are held in place by a magnet, so it’s very easy to change grits on either side. The PSS can handle chisels down to 1/8” wide and plane blades up to 21/2” wide.
The PSS works best using a two-bevel system. With most tools, you’d use a power grinder to create a 25° bevel and the PSS to hone a short, 30° bevel. When the edge is dull, you can quickly retouch it on the PSS. (You could form the 25° bevel on the PSS, but it takes patience.) Combining speed and convenience, the PSS would make a great addition to a jobsite tool kit. It’s also ideal for large tools that are too cumbersome to fit in a standard honing jig, such as a timber framer’s slick.
The PSS will definitely make your tools sharp, but not extremely sharp. The PSS comes with two stones– coarse (60 micron) and medium (35 micron). You may also add extra-coarse (90 micron), fine (25 micron) and super-fine (9 micron) stones. The medium stone is roughly equivalent to a medium India oilstone or a 400 grit waterstone, which will produce an acceptably sharp edge for carpentry work. The extra-fine stone is roughly equivalent to a Soft Arkansas oilstone or a 2000 grit waterstone, which is OK for most cabinet work, but for more demanding jobs, you may want to finish the edge on a 4000 grit or higher water-stone. PSS says that the system’s lateral action allows the stones to attain a finer edge than a conventional setup, where the abrading strokes go up and down the blade. Interesting idea!
Source: M. Power Tools, www.m-powertools.com, (613) 525-5037, PSS Precision Sharpening System, $90; extra stones, about $14 ea.
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