Problem with knife sharpening

[Jernej]

Hello!
I was given 3 Solingen knives to sharpen. My Tormek T-3 has been working great so far, but I can't sharpen any of these knives. No matter how long I grind, change the angle, switch from abrasive to fine... I can't put an edge on those knives. They can't even get that teethy, rough sharpness, they just feel DULL.

Any tips please?

[Jeff Farris]

Turn your grader so that only the corner of the grader engages the stone. It will cut more aggressively. Lean into it and really cut into the grindstone. Stay at it until you can feel the abrasiveness with your fingers. My guess is that you're dealing with a very hard piece of steel and your stone is glazed over.

[Jernej]

UPDATE
I can't sharpen ANY knives with the Tormek. My F. Dick kitchen knives were ableto cut a single page of newsprint after sharpening, but now, they are dull. Nothing happens, nada... But the polishing wheel works OK. Still, I can't sharpen knives with it.

[ionut]

There are two reasons for it based on your explanation, as Jeff said the stone is badly glazed, it gets glazed faster when you mostly use it graded fine, or you are not establishing the correct sharpening angle. I assume is not the angle but you should double check, the edge marking is the easiest way. If the stone is glazed and you can't restore it with the stone grader, use the truing tool and take just a little (less than a adjustment wheel gradation) and true the stone. The stone should be clean with no dark marks on it before sharpening again.

Ionut

[Jernej]

Can you describe the edge marking technique?

[Jeff Farris]

Ionut is suggesting that you mark the bevel of the knife with a waterproof marker, before sharpening, so that you can easily see if you have the bevel matched to the grindstone.

However, that won't help if your stone is glazed.

[Jernej]

The stone was obviously glazed. It works fine now, I've just sharpened my Emerson and shaved with it. Thanks for the help.

[Herman Trivilino]

Were you able to deglaze it with the stone grader, or did you have to use the truing tool?

[Jernej]

Were you able to deglaze it with the stone grader, or did you have to use the truing tool?

I was able to deglaze it with the stone grader.

[Joe]

I think my stone may be glazed over as well.  Which corner of the grader should I use to try and deglaze, the coarse or fine?  Thanks.

[Jeff Farris]

Use the coarse side to deglaze, then use the fine side to condition the stone before sharpening knives.

[GIPPER]

I'm not familiar with the term "Glazed or glazed over".  What is it? What causes it? and How do you prevent it?  Gipper

[Robbo]

I'm not familiar with the term "Glazed or glazed over".  What is it? What causes it? and How do you prevent it?  Gipper

Glazing occurs when the particles on the wheel wear out and the wheel becomes clogged with metal particles.

It is easier to see on Alox wheels than the Tormek.

To clean or deglaze the wheel use the coarse side (edge) of the grader using a fair bit of pressure on the SG (standard) wheel but the fine side on the SB (black) wheel.

I find the SB glazes quicker than the SG.

[Jeff Farris]

...
I find the SB glazes quicker than the SG.

Less so with the harder steels the SB is designed for. In normal tool steel, the SB does glaze faster than the SG.

[Robbo]

...
I find the SB glazes quicker than the SG.

Less so with the harder steels the SB is designed for. In normal tool steel, the SB does glaze faster than the SG.

Agreed Jeff and I should have added that.