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Grinding wheels

Stone Conversations : Archive 3 : Message 00570

From: Don Dougan <dondougan@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 14:14:05 -0400
Subject: Grinding wheels

Jane;

If you have a water cooled grinder with a constant waterfeed that would
probably be OK because the tool tip would continually be cooled as you
grind, but grinding hot and then dipping in water to cool is emphatically
NOT RECOMMENDED!

Water cooling of tungsten carbide-tipped chisels can cause the tip to
fracture from thermal shock. The tip may look OK to the eye, but if you
look with magnification you will see hairline fractures in the tip, and
then when you go to use it the pieces will break-out. As an instructor
this is a constant problem with students who decide they will sharpen the
carbide tools the same as the sharpen the high-carbon tools when I am not
around . . . !

The heat of grinding will not damage the tungsten carbide, even if the
surrounding metal were to turn red-hot in the process -- though I
wouldn't recommend getting it that hot because you might loosen the
brazing that holds the tip into the steel shank. Just let the carbide
tipped tools cool naturally in the air before use.

Good sharpening to you,
Don

http://www.dondougan.com

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