"nor Andrew who started this silliness"

Oh, please, Lyn. You give me far too much credit here. Do a web search,
especially related to knife makers and their own use of the Tormek and other
wet grinders, for far older references to this "silliness" about water +
steel = rust equation.

"appear to have ever owned a Tormek."

Which alludes to a previous post of mine: "I have never specifically used
the Tormek..."
Amazing bit of detective work there, Lyn! But, see below.

"Frankly, I find a dry grinder spewing abrasive particles and metal dust in
the air to generate far more mess than a Tormek."

A different mess with different remedies. Unfortunately, the Tormek (yes, I
found a friends Tormek Supergrind 2006 last night and gave it try so I could
say that I have, indeed, used it now although only 4 hours worth) doesn't
keep the metal dust or abrasive particles out of the air entirely with its
water bath. It's easy to see the particles of steel and abrasive coming off
the tool and wheel while grinding and especially while truing the wheel.
It's nothing like a dry grinder but it still creates this mess. I find the
Makita and similar wet grinders with a running water supply over it's
entirety to be far less of a problem IN THIS REGARD. They are worse about
slinging water around though but the Tormek does this to a lesser degree as
well. It's simply unavoidable when you have a spinning wheel and water
combined. Put a white piece of paper up on the other side of the wheel and
grind some tools, Lyn. It's there.

Its still hard to escape the fact that water IS introduced to the steel of
the tool (hence one of the advantages of using a wet grinder in the first
place along with its effect on keeping the wheel wet/cool). The Tormek was
better at keeping the water to a minimum than my Makita (which develops a
sludge which is another mess) was but it still left the tool wet and water
in the area of my other tools. Maybe everything in your shop is stainless
but it's not in mine.


There are many approaches to sharpening, and many opinions, most of
which are held by persons who have had little experience with more than
one or two systems.


I completely agree. Unfortunately, it's often what KIND of experience those
persons have as well that forms their opinions. You have yours and I have
mine. I base mine on experience as well. The Tormek is your prefered
system. It isn't mine nor are the wet grinders in general for woodturning.
I love my Makita wet grinder for OTHER work as I don't have time to be
turning it off and on or wiping down my woodturning tools as I work. While
the Tormek is better (but not completely eliminating it) at the water/rust
problem, it is still an issue that I will bring up because it has been
proven to me by my own real tests. You can choose to ignore it but I won't.

- Andrew