NEW TO EVERYTHING

[DAVID OLIVER]

I recently purchased a T 7 to use for knife sharpening. I have a question about the japanese waterstone wheel. Can I use this wheel for knife sharpening and does it eliminate the use of the leather honing wheel. I am new to all of this so forgive my question if it is stupid.
David Oliver

[Ken S]

Welcome, David.  Sorry that I can't answer your question (I don't have the SJ stone...at least not yet).    Questions are not stupid.  They  reflect inexperience.  That's something we all have to varying degrees, and (hopefully) it lessens with time.

Do watch Jeff's knife video, and be careful with the coarse stone.  There is an old story about grinding wheels making chef's knives into paring knives.  We recently saw on this forum that the coarse Tormek stone can turn a Swiss Army knife into a pen knife.  A sharp pen knife, but still a smaller blade.

Careful and regular practice will carry the day.

Ken

[DAVID OLIVER]

Thanks for the response I wont try to sharpen anything my wife is fond of.

[Ken S]

David,

This is probably an unusual sharpening recommendation.  I do most of the chopping part of the food prep at home, and my wife does the stove work.  I'm no professionally trained chef.  However, I do find it enjoyable using good (and sharp) knives on a daily basis.  Over the years I have also spent a lot of time using dull knives, so I appreciate the difference.  I believe the daily hands on use of knives adds another dimension to understanding how and why to sharpen them.

A side benefit is my chopping lessens the cooking workload for my wife, so I eat better.

I hope you enjoy the journey from being new to everything with your new Tormek to becoming an old hand.  You will have to learn some things through trial and error, but having a fine and versatile tool will help.  I believe this forum can also be beneficial.

May your journey be as fulfilling as the destination.

Ken

[DAVID OLIVER]

Thanks Ken, I hope I get good enough at sharpening that I actually have to worry about cutting my finger, believe me as of now I have no worries about cutting myself, I have a better chance of winning the lottery and I dont buy tickets

[Ken S]

Semper paratus, David.  Keep a box of bandaids nearby......
Actually, a sharp knife will cut cleanly and the spilt blood should clean the incision.  (I was a first aid instructor in the last millennium.)

Ken

[tb444]

For knife sharpening you should keep the stone graded fine, unless you doing reprofiling chip fixing. I have the sj 250 and don't think it would benefit your kitchen knives much unless you have very high end knives.
If you do have knives with high quality steel that would benifit from going to 4000g then you may find that you get better results freehanding on bench stones. No disrespect to the Tormek, on standard kitchen knives, the fine graded wheel followed by the leather wheel does a quick, accurate and good job.
The time where i do like the sj 250 is with my hand plane blades and chisels, being A2 steel these are also much better at edge taking that the standard 440 stainless seen in kitchen knives.