New stones

[Mark76]

I’m thinking of getting some new stones. It’s been discussed before here, but do these stones fit my older (2014, I think) rods? What I recall is that the stones are just a little tighter (less slack) than the older stones when used with these rods. Is this correct?

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[tcmeyer]

Hi Mark:

The new stones fit the new rods, which are actually larger in diameter than the old rods – 0.255″ (6.5mm) vs 0.246″ (6.25mm).

Those who have bought the 2017 Gen 3 Pro system before the new stones came out would have noticed that it came with the larger dia. rods and a set of the old stones.

I like the new rods and stones so much I’ve switched over to the new rods and handles with my diamond stones, and have bored out the bronze bushings on my film blocks to fit the new rods.  For those interested, a long, letter-size F drill bit (McMaster #3110A56)  does the trick.  Plan on about $18 with shipping.  At 0.257″, it’s a bit tight and needed a bit of lapping for a smooth fit, but that’s what I wanted.

[Mark76]

Thanks, Tom. Does that mean the new stones will actually introduce more slack when used with the old rods? If so, is the slack too much or do you hardly notice it (0.25mm difference if I understand you correctly)?

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Marc H]

Tom, I’m sorry, I see Mark76’s question was addressed to you….Mark to try to help answer your question I tried an old, original diameter, (Pro Pack 2 Version 2014) rod with both old version stones and brand new style stones.  There is the “slack” or “slop” feel as I call it between both version stones and the old rods.  I can not say the slack feel between the old rods and the “new” stones is any greater than the slack feel between the old rods and the old stones.

I can say that it will be more important that you use consistent finger placement and pressure to ensure a consistent bevel grind when using the old rods, with either the old or new stones.  Just what we learned we had to do.  This is easily monitored visually with the USB Microscope.  I call it “steering the bevel” when I can adjust where I take metal off the bevel by moving/changing my finger pressure and placement up and down along the length of the stone.  This steering effect has definitely diminished with the new larger diameter rods and the tighter tolerances.

I can say I don’t find a discernable difference in the (slack or slop) feel when using the newest stones on the new large diameter rods VS using the older stones on these new larger diameter rods.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

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sksharp, Organic, Mark76

[tcmeyer]

Thanks, Marc, for answering Mark76’s question on the fit between the new stones and old rods.  I have been meaning to take some measurements, but over the past two weeks I’ve been working on getting two of my computers working right.  My desk-top’s hard drive was failing and my lap-top had run out of storage space.  Dell decided to save some money, so they embedded the storage (32GB) on the motherboard as flash memory.  The new Microsoft upgrade requires 8GB and I have less than 2GB left.   Aargh!  No upgrade possible.

The new 12-inch rods I have look like any other, but when I run a handle up or down (WE or home-made, with or without bushings) they sing to me.  They make a fairly loud “woooeeeep!” sound with the motion of the handle.  Apparently the machining marks on the rods, although nearly invisible, produce this funny bird-like sound.  Given the unusual diameter of the rods (0.255″), the manufacturer is turning the diameter down from some larger stock size.  At the threaded end, they have to machine it even further down to a diameter suitable for the 1/4″-28 threads.

Whilst I’m on the subject, does anyone know where I (we?) could get 14″ versions of the 0.255″ rods?  When using the LAA on a wide kitchen knife, my film stones slip off the top end of the 12″ rods, giving me an angle-shift.  Another solution would be to switch from my bushing-fitted handles to a batch of blank handles which wouldn’t have the same problem.

3 users thanked author for this post.

sksharp, Mark76, Marc H

[Marc H]

I recently acquired 13″ rods, new diameter, from Wicked Edge.  I imagine they can get a 14″ rod made if you’re patient.  Tom, if you order a pair of 14″ rods from them, tell them to make a pair for me also.

Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)

1 user thanked author for this post.

Mark76

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