GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GRINDING DISKS

Here is a method of resharpening the disks for when they begin to wear out and grind too slowly. The disks
usually ‘feel’ sharp to your hand but slow on the glass. Note that this technique is only for the metal diamond disks and
not the smoothing pad (see our web page on smoothing pads for tips on extending the life of the smoothing pads).
We have had success by rubbing the disk (the machine must be turned off) with a piece of silicon carbide dressing stick
(or part of an old silicon carbide grinding wheel from a bench grinder). The silicon carbide should be coarse and a
size you can hold in your hand. With the wheel wet (the machine unplugged) and with a little soap in the water, rub
the dressing stick firmly from the center to the edge (like spokes of a wheel) and back ... do this all the way around
the diamond disk and then once again around the outer half of the wheel (where it is the most worn). This process
actually breaks some of the diamonds and will give the surface a fresh, sharp edge to grind. Disks can be “dressed”
several times thereby extending their life, but realize that each time it is resharpened it will wear out the diamonds
more quickly. Rinse top and bottom of the disk well before using it. This is a resharpening/redressing step because
the normal wear pattern of the diamonds will eventually orient them into less efficient service. This should extend
the life of the disk but it will not be like a brand new disk. You will know that the disk is totally worn out when the
resharpening process does not last very long in the grinding application.

Basically what is happening is this... When the disk is new the diamonds are at slightly different heights and
when the glass is ground on it perhaps 10% of the diamonds are ‘tall’ enough to do the grinding. That is when it
feels very aggressive and fast. As the diamonds begin to ‘wear’, some points are actually breaking off and then you are
grinding on 20% of the diamonds, then 30%, 40%, and so on. Eventually the glass is being ground by the majority
of the diamonds and they are actually supporting the glass more than grinding it. It will feel sharp to your hand, but
not to the glass! The resharpening process actually breaks the diamonds and the process begins again ‘almost’ like new.
Never quite like new but a definite improvement over a worn disk.

****If there are smooth areas on the disk and you cannot feel any diamonds in the “bald” areas then the disk is not
going to be improved by resharpening.

Note: Most Important!!! This process is destructive to the diamonds (in a constructive manner) and should be done
only when the disk is in need of sharpening.