Modified Tormek Tool Rest (MTTR)

[Fineline]

Wanted to fab something similar to Herman's Jig and wanted to have it in a single piece so I mod the Tormek Tool Rest. It looks ugly but is functional.



The scraper is just for show and the first sharpening I did on the MTTR was none other than the cleaver.



Perhaps someone has the tools to cut it nicely, else hopefully Tormek produces some.
I would be a willing beta tester

[mike40]

That looks like a great edge on your meat cleaver Fineline. My wife won't let me sharpen our kitchen knives for safety's sake, and while everybody is always saying that dull knives are the most dangerous, I have not found that to be entirely true. I do use the steel on them regularly and that seems adequate most of the time, but I do prefer really sharp kitchen knives, but it is safer (for me) to keep the wife happy. What Is that item in your first photo?

[Ken S]

Nice jig, Fineline.

You are a step ahead of me. I cut a Torlock platform in half, not realizing what a constraint the locking screw would be. In order to get a fine enough angle for a knife using the platform "backward" (projecting the longer face toward the stone), the locking screw runs into the stone. I tried switching to a metric 6m thread small bolt. That was a lot closer, but only worked marginally well. Cutting off half of the platform, but leaving most of the locking area, like you did, is the better choice.

For those readers who may not know, the reason for the narrow platform it to allow a small knife to lay against the platform while sharpening either side. This is not a problem with a single bevel knife. The full size platform will work with a small double bevel knife, but must be repositioned each time the side being ground is changed. Clumsy and time consuming! The platform works very well with larger tools, its intended purpose. It is quite versatile. It just does not do small knives very well.

The small platform jigs, like Herman's HK-50 or your MTTR are quite useful. They work differently than the Tormek small knife jig, which is also quite useful. I think the logical choice for a well equipped Tormek user is not which one, but having both. I do not believe we have seen either jig reach its full potential at this point. I think modifications to the platform jigs could be used for sharpening things like lathe bits and left handed drill bits. Those left handed bits might not have the finesse of right handed bits with the Tormek DBS-22 with its four facet grind, however I would choose sharp but primitive over dull any day.

Does the homemade jig eliminate the need for the Tormek small jig? I think not. Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for a post about a new simplified method of knife jig setting. I have the process worked out and have successfully used the prototype. I just need to get up to speed with the photographs.

Fineline, if you are interested in the history of the platform jigs, do a member search for Mguitars. He posted the original problem with small knives which got the whole process going. Mguitars only posted a very few times and has since been dormant. Herman, Ionut, and I all posted answers. Once you find Mguitar's post you can read through the threads. I think it is an interesting story and certainly a very good example of how the input of several forum members can solve problems.

Incidentally, Herman's machete was not part of the original parameters. Clever thinking outside the box, Herman!

There is more to write, however this post is already too long. Hopefully Herman will post.

Good work, Fineline.

Ken

[Ken S]

Good post, Mike. You have found the key to your safety, a happy wife!

A sharp knife requires much less force to cut than a dull knife. In that regard, a sharp knife really is sharper. It won't score any points with your wife, however, a clean incision wound made with a sharp edge is usually cleaned by the blood flowing through it.....

Stay safe.

Ken

[Jan]

Thanks Fineline for posting your MTTR jig. It is inspiring!

1) I admire your edge, it is great! Do you have a special trick for it, or is it supported by high steel quality of the cleaver? I have usually some difficulties to keep the same edge width form the point to the heel.

2) Is your cleaver really so broad that it could not be sharpened in the knife jig?

[Fineline]

That looks like a great edge on your meat cleaver Fineline. My wife won't let me sharpen our kitchen knives for safety's sake, and while everybody is always saying that dull knives are the most dangerous, I have not found that to be entirely true. I do use the steel on them regularly and that seems adequate most of the time, but I do prefer really sharp kitchen knives, but it is safer (for me) to keep the wife happy. What Is that item in your first photo?

Before I came to this forum, I also thought sharp knives are dangerous. It's good to see it from a different perspective but I think it also depends on the context.
The item in the first photo is the Fein supercut scrapper for removing silicone. I haven't used it yet and as usual, I have a number of tools which I bought just in case but ended up just sitting there

[Fineline]

Nice jig, Fineline.

You are a step ahead of me. I cut a Torlock platform in half, not realizing what a constraint the locking screw would be. In order to get a fine enough angle for a knife using the platform "backward" (projecting the longer face toward the stone), the locking screw runs into the stone. I tried switching to a metric 6m thread small bolt. That was a lot closer, but only worked marginally well. Cutting off half of the platform, but leaving most of the locking area, like you did, is the better choice.

For those readers who may not know, the reason for the narrow platform it to allow a small knife to lay against the platform while sharpening either side. This is not a problem with a single bevel knife. The full size platform will work with a small double bevel knife, but must be repositioned each time the side being ground is changed. Clumsy and time consuming! The platform works very well with larger tools, its intended purpose. It is quite versatile. It just does not do small knives very well.

The small platform jigs, like Herman's HK-50 or your MTTR are quite useful. They work differently than the Tormek small knife jig, which is also quite useful. I think the logical choice for a well equipped Tormek user is not which one, but having both. I do not believe we have seen either jig reach its full potential at this point. I think modifications to the platform jigs could be used for sharpening things like lathe bits and left handed drill bits. Those left handed bits might not have the finesse of right handed bits with the Tormek DBS-22 with its four facet grind, however I would choose sharp but primitive over dull any day.

Does the homemade jig eliminate the need for the Tormek small jig? I think not. Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for a post about a new simplified method of knife jig setting. I have the process worked out and have successfully used the prototype. I just need to get up to speed with the photographs.

Fineline, if you are interested in the history of the platform jigs, do a member search for Mguitars. He posted the original problem with small knives which got the whole process going. Mguitars only posted a very few times and has since been dormant. Herman, Ionut, and I all posted answers. Once you find Mguitar's post you can read through the threads. I think it is an interesting story and certainly a very good example of how the input of several forum members can solve problems.

Incidentally, Herman's machete was not part of the original parameters. Clever thinking outside the box, Herman!

There is more to write, however this post is already too long. Hopefully Herman will post.

Good work, Fineline.

Ken

Thanks Ken. I will check out Mguitars and keep us posted on your prototype.

[Ken S]

Fineline, we all have tools purchased "just in case". Many of mine are still waiting to make their debuts........

However, I know in my logical mind that when the debut finally arrives, it will be when the hardware store is closed (and perhaps not in my lifetime).

Ken

[Fineline]

Thanks Fineline for posting your MTTR jig. It is inspiring!

1) I admire your edge, it is great! Do you have a special trick for it, or is it supported by high steel quality of the cleaver? I have usually some difficulties to keep the same edge width form the point to the heel.

2) Is your cleaver really so broad that it could not be sharpened in the knife jig?

Thanks Jan, No special tricks. It looks better than it really is in real life. Since this is the first time using the MTTR, I tried various ways of holding and guiding the cleaver. Due to the length of the cleaver, it is not easy to keep the knife flat on the narrow platform.
Yes, the cleaver is too broad for the knife jig. Before the MTTR, I used the knife jig and instead of resting on the usual adjustable rest, I rested it on the tightening knob. However, I have to flip the knife in the jig to sharpen the other side. Not convenient and that's why I did the MTTR.

[Fineline]

Fineline, we all have tools purchased "just in case". Many of mine are still waiting to make their debuts........

However, I know in my logical mind that when the debut finally arrives, it will be when the hardware store is closed (and perhaps not in my lifetime).



Ken

Ken, we certainly think alike in this regard. The agony of waiting till the next day to buy that 'just in case tool' when I should have bought it is sometimes painful. There's where a multi tool really helps.

[Ken S]

Fineline and Jan,

Among the ideas I have not yet tested is using the smaller T4 wheel on the T7 to sharpen cleavers. (I admit I am in the rare position of having access to both.) The shafts are the same diameter and thread. All you need in addition to the wheel is an extra spacer washer. The one which comes with either model Tormek will do. (The washer between the shaft and the grinding wheel). The washer fills in the gap between the 40 and 50mm grinding wheels. It is available as a spare part from Tormek dealers. If you go this route, I would order the washer at the same time as the wheel to save on shipping costs. The wheel fits perfectly; I just haven't sharpened my cleaver with it yet. I will try it soon and post the result. For most T7 users, the cost of an extra SG-200 wheel, around 110 USD, would seem excessive. For someone who sharpens cleavers on a regular basis, it would seem a logical solution.

Fineline, would the regular full size platform work with your cleaver? I hope you are planning to purchase another platform and leave it in one piece; the full size version is very useful. It would certainly support the longer blade. Herman sharpened a machete with his HK-50 (50mm wide platform). Maybe experience factors in.

Ken

[Fineline]

Fineline and Jan,

Among the ideas I have not yet tested is using the smaller T4 wheel on the T7 to sharpen cleavers. (I admit I am in the rare position of having access to both.) The shafts are the same diameter and thread. All you need in addition to the wheel is an extra spacer washer. The one which comes with either model Tormek will do. (The washer between the shaft and the grinding wheel). The washer fills in the gap between the 40 and 50mm grinding wheels. It is available as a spare part from Tormek dealers. If you go this route, I would order the washer at the same time as the wheel to save on shipping costs. The wheel fits perfectly; I just haven't sharpened my cleaver with it yet. I will try it soon and post the result. For most T7 users, the cost of an extra SG-200 wheel, around 110 USD, would seem excessive. For someone who sharpens cleavers on a regular basis, it would seem a logical solution.

Fineline, would the regular full size platform work with your cleaver? I hope you are planning to purchase another platform and leave it in one piece; the full size version is very useful. It would certainly support the longer blade. Herman sharpened a machete with his HK-50 (50mm wide platform). Maybe experience factors in.

Ken

Hi Ken,
Yes, I have a spare original platform. It won't work with the cleaver as the platform is too wide and will hit the handle. It has to be 50mm or less, just like Herman's jig. I actually cut mine to about 48-49mm to allow more clearance. With a narrow 50mm platform, I'm sure experience counts. After trying out several variations to hold and guide the cleaver to make sure it stays flat on the narrow platform, I've settled on one but then again, so far, I've just sharpened 1 knife on the MTTR.

[Ken S]

Keep up the good work, Fineline.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Nice work, Fineline. The greatest shortcoming of your jig is the fact that the platform is too far away from the bore that holds the Universal Support shaft. If that dimension could be reduced you'd be able to grind at very small bevel angles.

I don't suppose you could cut and weld it?

I wonder why Tormek won't produce this jig. It would sell.

[Fineline]

Thank you Herman.
Unfortunately, welding Aluminium is beyond me.
Allowance has to be made for the handle thickness so depending on the thickness,
there is a limit to how much the platform height can be reduced.
Nevertheless, a reduction would reduce the angle like you mentioned.
Incidentally, I did a rough measurement and it could go somewhere around 10 degrees but
I find that at very low angles, there is a tendency for the edge to 'slip' along the wheel circumference.
I haven't tried at such low angles though.