How to sharpen a Pro Wheel Shaver XT II?

[Jeff Piazza]

I suspect the blade in my shaver is dull. I've never sharpened it before, and I don't really know how to go about it.

It looks to me like the blade actually has three faces, as there's a thin "top" that connects the flat back to the beveled front. The "top" appears to be intentional, and not merely a consequence of blade wear. ("Front" and "back" may be the wrong terms, as the counter-clockwise wheel rotation brings new tread into the flat face, and then away from the beveled face. At least, that's how I interpret the instructions.) I'm not even sure what "sharp" means in this situation. Am I trying to create a right angle between the "top" and the flat back?

I'm inclined to try sharpening by rubbing the blade across either a honing stone or a sheet ultra fine grit sandpaper glued down to glass. The blade is much too short to use a sharpening jig intended for chisels, though, and trying to maintain an angle by hand seems less than ideal.

I'd appreciate any advice.

[PWD_addict]

I use two stones to sharpen mine. They get sharpened every 4 wheels.

First, I use a medium stone (maybe 220 grit?) at about 15-20 degree bevel (don't measure, just guess) on both sides until I get a nice burr on one side. Then I do the other side until I get a complete burr on the other. To test if you have a burr, run your fingertip from the body of the blade over the edge. The burr will feel like a ridge at the very edge. Run it over the other side and you won't feel a burr. The burr is actually a very fine metal lip which folds over the edge. You can see it with a loupe.

Once you get the second side to a burr (the first side will no longer have a burr), use a fine stone and run the edge over it at about 25-30 degrees. Most knives actually have two edges so need to be sharpened "twice". Do the fine stone (perhaps 600 or 1000 grit) and even number on each side, starting with the side that has the burr. Just do it until you can't feel the burr any longer.

It is amazing how much easier the tool is to use when the blade is really sharp.

[roosclan]

I use two stones to sharpen mine. They get sharpened every 4 wheels.

First, I use a medium stone (maybe 220 grit?) at about 15-20 degree bevel (don't measure, just guess) on both sides until I get a nice burr on one side. Then I do the other side until I get a complete burr on the other. To test if you have a burr, run your fingertip from the body of the blade over the edge. The burr will feel like a ridge at the very edge. Run it over the other side and you won't feel a burr. The burr is actually a very fine metal lip which folds over the edge. You can see it with a loupe.

Once you get the second side to a burr (the first side will no longer have a burr), use a fine stone and run the edge over it at about 25-30 degrees. Most knives actually have two edges so need to be sharpened "twice". Do the fine stone (perhaps 600 or 1000 grit) and even number on each side, starting with the side that has the burr. Just do it until you can't feel the burr any longer.

It is amazing how much easier the tool is to use when the blade is really sharp.

So you reprofile the chisel grind into a double bevel blade, then? It has about a 5 - 10degree bevel (off of 90 degrees) to start with.

[mbb]

Heres how I touched up the blade, thats all it needs, touch up. If you are not careful you will put a bevel on it and make pretty bad wheels

Once you remove the blade from the shaver body, hold it flat against the side of something perfectly square, one side of the wheel shaver body works ok.

Lay a piece of 800-1000 grit sanpaper on a flat surface, hold the blade vertically agains the side of the shaver body on top of the sandpaper, pushing it down into the paper with your finger, and make a few strokes over the sandpaper, it will touch op the edge. Focus on pressing the blade into the paper and not the shaver body.

[gpraceman]

Maybe RacerX needs to come out with a "Pro Shaver Blade Sharpener". Some holder to keep the blade at the correct angle so you can use fine grit paper or a honing stone to sharpen it.

Though, something like these Honing Guides will likely fit the bill just fine. they are not too expensive and can sharpen chisle and plane blades.

http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Larson-800 ... YV1MSWP0D6

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?P ... ilyID=3114

[mbb]

yeah., I think it can be improved in several ways, but it still wont do what most want, and that is to actually turn the wheels down a bit, thats because the wheels deform when you squeeze them, the thinner they get the worse out of round they will become cause of this.

But, it works well enough to simply remove the high spot in the hands of a kid.

[Jeff Piazza]

I have the sharpening jig shown in the picture, but the shaver blade is much too short for the jig to match the existing bevel.

[PWD_addict]

So you reprofile the chisel grind into a double bevel blade, then? It has about a 5 - 10degree bevel (off of 90 degrees) to start with.

Yes--double bevel. Double bevel should hold the edge longer than a single bevel. That's the way that working knife edges work.

[Ricerocket00]

I sharpen both sides using a GATCO knife sharpening system like THIS one. It doesn't stay razor sharp long. I usually do a light touch up on the blade about every 4th cut. It sure does a great job of cutting the wheels, though.

[quadad]

Only to supplement the previous info, here is what I received when I asked this question directly some time ago:

"The tip of the blade should have approximately a 5 to 7 deg. angle on the tip with the lowest point being on the flat side, the direction you turn into.

Try this, hold your blade between your index finger and thumb with the tapered side towards you. Hold the blade on the sharpening stone with the tip flat on the stone, now angle it back towards you slightly and pull the blade towards you an the stone applying slight pressure. A little WD 40 as a lube for the stone works well also. Remember, it is the corner on the flat side that cuts, not the entire tip of the blade."

It provided some benefit for us, but not enough to keep using it. RacerX can update it as desired.

[mbb]

OOps.

Almost forgot. I did use a couple pieces of tape I recall behind the blade to keep the correct angle when I did my touch ups.

Trying to do it any other way changed the bevel enough to make really tapered wheels for me.

[Jeff Piazza]

Wow.

I just tried the "index finger and thumb" method reported by quadad. My sharpening "stone" is 600 grit sandpaper glued to a piece of glass, and I use baby oil (=mineral oil) as a lubricant. A visible change in the blade took just a few minutes.

The difference in the experience of using the tool is amazing! I just shaved a wheel to .001 runout in just a few, actually pleasurable, minutes!

I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to hold a constant angle for sharpening. Probably I don't, but I guess it's close enough to be effective.

I'm still slightly troubled by the reference to the "lowest point being on the flat side." If the blade adjustment knob is held "up," then this makes sense; otherwise, I guess I did it backwards.

[RACER X]

We just launched 2 new videos on the Pro Wheel Shaver XT2.

This tool does an excellent job for those who do all the work to their own wheels and for those that are required to work with what was provided to them in the box (We have run some awesome times on shaved wheels) plus it is an excellent teaching aid when working with your scout, it very clearly demonstrated wheel run out (high to low variances).

The first video shows the newest version of the Pro Wheel Shaver and the proper technique to use it.

The second video gives tips in adjusting and maintaining the tool plus we show how to properly sharpen the blade. Replacement blades are also readily available at most Derby worx dealer, we have increased the availability of blades due to demand. It seems like there are many people experimenting with their own custom tread shapes.

http://www.youtube.com/Derbyworx" target="_blank

Good Luck this season

Racer X