Madsen's Shop & Supply Inc.

Silvey Razur Sharp II Square Chisel Grinder

The Razur Sharp II Features: Reversible 110v motor that keeps chrome edges clean and the grinding burr on the inside of the cutter A linear sliding, twin chain holder providing positive and smooth feed Adjustable diamond tipped dressers and slide adjustments that allow the grinder to be set up with the angles you want Fast and naturally positioned feed arm that allows chains to be ground quickly and accurately Adjustable tripod stand Flex mounted work lamp with standard bulb socket

Overview

Like the Silvey Swing Arm grinder, the Razur Sharp II is "value priced." Both machines are actually very similar. The biggest difference is the Swing Arm employs a swinging arm in its design. The Razur Sharp II uses a slide instead. Both machines share many parts and operate in much the same way. From our perspective, there isn't a lot of difference in these two machines. Some will argue that the RII's slide mechanism is more accurate than a swing arm. Others like the "play" in the swing arm and use it to hand-tune the alignment of the wheel's corner to the corner in the cutter tooth.  Whatever camp you are in, both machines are very similar.

One difference between the two designs is the swing arm self compensates (mostly) for wheel wear. On a Razur Sharp II,  it is necessary to loosen a bolt and  slide the chain holding mechanism to adjust for wheel wear. This is not a big job, but something that must be done occasionally to retain accurate angles.

The arch shaped chain mount is another feature shared with the Swing Arm grinder. It is a simple and effective way to hold the chain, but since it is held on an arc, it affects the grinder's consistency.  The orientation of the cutter tooth relative to the grinding wheel changes as the tooth is ground shorter. This can be compensated for by raising and lowering the grinding wheel, but not many operator's do it. Silvey's more expensive machines are designed differently. The length of the cutter tooth does not have to be compensated for and does not affect the cutter's grind on either machine.

On a Razur Sharp II, the way a cutter tooth is fed into the grinding wheel is also similar to the Swing Arm machine. It feeds the cutter tooth across the face of the grinding wheel. Compared to a  machine like the  SDM-4 or Pro Sharp, this tends to erode the corner of the grinding wheel. The affect of this feed characteristic can be minimized.  Sharpening cutter teeth in two passes is one way. This allows the operator to remove most of the cutter tooth damage in the first pass, and then give it a finish grind on a second pass using a freshly dressed grinding wheel.

The Razur Sharp II uses the same wheel dressing mechanisms as the Swing Arm grinder. These "economized" dressing mechanisms do not shape the wheel as accurately as those used on the SDM-4 and Pro Sharp. While these are not as stable as those used on the more expensive machines, an operator can produce a workable wheel by  making light passes and dressing in the right direction.  This reduces deflection and improves the shape and finish on the grinding wheel.

Our Advice

We rate the Razur Sharp II as an equal to the Swing Arm grinder.  If you own a Swing Arm and are considering an upgrade, skip the Razur Sharp II and consider the SDM-4 or a Pro Sharp. The Razur Sharp II is so similar to the Swing Arm, we doubt you would find the difference between the two machines worth the cost of upgrading.

Both the Swing Arm and the Razur II are good "value" priced grinders, but if you have never used either machines and are weighing the differences between them, buy a Swing Arm. One reason not to follow this advice is if you have experience using a Razur II or if your mentor uses one. We have sold hundreds of Razur II grinders over the years and many pro saw users have experience using them. Familiarity has value, and in this case, it is probably worth spending the extra money on a Razur II.

Click here for an illustrated parts list of the Razur Sharp II grinder.