1sm Modifications

[CLBennett500]

I'm new to the forum and wanted to post a modification I made to my Kally to use the surgisharp angle guide. 
This is the second  revision I made. The first was a platton modification to access both sides of the belt to profile knives. I soon learned the 1SM is not the right tool to make knives with and upgraded to a KMG. 
The second mod is what is pictured. I basically made a platton extension with an angle clip and pipe clamp. I tucked the extension behind the factory platton so when the angle guide is used the platton planes line up. 
Has anyone else tried modifications that work with the surgisharp guide?
   
I like the setup but am regretting the first mod I did. I'm thinking of buying a new platton or 2 to further refine the setup. 

Also, I am very impressed with this forum and how well you folks treat each other. I'm glad I found it.

[grepper]

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the post and for sharing. Cool mod for the 1sm! I too have a 1sm and am nearing completion of an adjustable rest for it.

Looks like your design is edge leading. Have you ever caught a blade or worry abut that happening edge leading into the belt?

Also, it looks like your design sharpens on the platen. Do you prefer on platen over sharpening on the open belt?

[CLBennett500]

Yes it is edge leading. I have not caught the edge with the belt or anything crazy like that yet...  With this type of setup you really have to have a soft touch. I notice it works better with finer grit belts too.
This setup is sharpening against the platton. I do like having the option a set angle, but I do prefer slack belt and a convex edge for most knives. 
Also, I'm  concerned that edge leading cannot achieve the same sharpness as age trailing. I have no reference though.

[grepper]

I agree that when using a powered belt for sharpening a very light touch works best.  IMHO, anything other than a light touch is not only not needed but actually inimical, creating more heat, more unnecessary metal removal and superfluously if not detrimentally large and more difficult to remove burrs.

I’ve sharpened edge-leading on the Kally and never had any issues, but it does give me the creeps.  Even the “slow” 1sm is motivating the belt at 1800 sfpm which would pitch a blade far more quickly than I could react.  I caught a chef’s knife edge leading on the ultra slow Tormek once.  It instantly yanked the knife from my hand and the knife bounced off the bench and headed down at my feet.  No injury, but I was a bit freaked out for awhile as it happened so unexpectedly and quickly.  But I guess unexpectedly and quickly is how accidents happen.

I would think that edge leading can create just as sharp of an edge as edge trailing provided that, as you say, a light touch is used.  As far as sharpness goes either will work.  Edge leading is more aggressive, and edge trailing is more forgiving.

[SHARPCO]

I use slack belt, light touch, and edge-trailing direction on the Viel S5. The slack belt wears less materials and generates less heat.

But now, I considering to use Viel S-9 knife sharpening guide.

[EOU]

Without a doubt force (pressure) coupled with keeping the blade moving across the belt are key factors when avoiding large burr creation and keeping grinding temperatures low. This was easily demonstrated (both right and wrong) during our Tempilaq experiments.  

Your slack belt recommendation fits with all this Sharpco. A slack belt should yield a wider control range with regard to force applied against the belt but, intuitively, one would think that it would result in a more convex grind. We don't have any problem with convex edges but, perhaps, others do. Then again, perhaps our intuition is off base.

We believe that this is the reason that sharpening above the platen on a Kally is popular. The belt is more yielding above the platen. We tried sharpening against the platen once - and we repeat, once. Even with the aid of Grepper's knife rest, the edge was a mess.

[Mark Reich]

Welcome to the forum, it's great to have you here

Have you actually used a Leather belt edge leading?? I can go edge leading all day... as long as I don't do it with a leather belt. That is a recipe for certain disaster. It's not going to kill you (probably), but it will cut the belt and scare the bejeezuz out of you.

The only time this happened, I was using a gritted belt edge edge leading for some reason. Switched to a leather belt, and went back to the grinder. I did NOT mean to be edge leading, but since I was Just doing it on a gritted belt, I had that picture in my head. The instant that blade touched the belt it was over.

I'm pretty sure it's unanimous. Edge leading on any kind of leather, be it a belt, Tormek wheel or leather hone is a mistake you'll probably only need to try once.

[grepper]

Yeah, edge leading into powered leather will instantly make for a bad day, and possibly moderate to severe epidermal leakage!  I can just imagine your doh! reaction Mr. Mark when you did that!

Like I mentioned, I've sharpened edge leading on my Kally and never had an issue.  Am I too worried about it?  I do it on an open belt and imagine how easy it would be to catch the blade edge on the edge of the belt if the knife was not perfectly flat against the belt.  Do I worry needlessly?

When the Tormek pitched a blade back at me it was very fast and and went whack!  It freaked me out and I've been wimped out and timid about edge leading powered sharpening since then.  

Has anyone caught an edge doing edge leading on a belt?