New Tormek LED lamp

[stevebot]

If you buy a Tormek T-7 between June 1st and June 30, 2015 you get an LED lamp which fits on top of your machine.  Stig, Will this lamp be offered as a separate product?

[Ken S]

 A bright LED light would certainly be useful. I hope I don't have to buy another Tormek to get one!

Ken

[grepper]

I think you can purchase the light separately for $665.00 US.  It comes with a free Tormek T7 that fits on the bottom of the light.

[Elden]

   I believe there is something that is called Google, I think that is right. That might not be spelled correctly, maybe it is Yahoo instead. Beats all what will show up if the proper words are inserted sometimes. LED worklamp, perchance?

[Stickan]

Hi,
We don´t sell it separately.
The base on the lamp is fitted for the top of the T-7 and makes it a bit special.

Regards,
Stig

[Ken S]

I hope the decision not to well the LED light is actually a decision not to sell it separately until after the sale. If the light is not eventually sold separately, it would be the first Tormek accessory not to conform to the company philosophy of having all jigs and accessories available for older Tormek models. This is especially frustrating in that it appears to be a marketing decision rather than a technical difficulty.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

From the image I saw of the light, I think one of those arm lights with the magnifier lens might be a better deal for those of us with pre this T7 fixture.  Have both light and a magnifier, verses just a light that you hold behind your item.

[Rob]

I have two magnifiers on a clever bit of metal that goes behind my ears and rests on the bridge of my nose :-)

[Ken S]

Sometimes I post before I know the whole story. The lamp is not a Tormek product. Like the promotional ax or knife, it is a promotional item only. my perception that Tormek had deviated from its philosophy of making any new (Tormek made) jigs or accessories fully compatible with older machines is still intact. My error.

Having older eyes and working in a shop with general fluorescent lighting, I do think the lamp would be a useful addition to the lineup in the future.

Ken

[Jimmy R Jørgensen]

I use this kind of lamp. both zoom and light i one

[Herman Trivilino]

I have the same type of lamp mounted over my Tormek. I use it to check my progress when I'm sharpening. One of my favorite uses is checking to see if I've raised a burr everywhere along the edge. To do this I wipe the knife (or tool or whatever) on a rag and then look at it with the magnifier to see if threads have been snagged all along the edge.

I also have a 40X dissecting microscope on the bench to take a closer look at the edge itself so I can see just what's going on with the bevel.

[Rob]

I love the idea of having a microscope in your workshop....leave nothing to chance :-)

[Herman Trivilino]

One of the things I see with the 40X microscope is the damage done to the edge by a steel. I use a steel because it's a quick way to refresh an edge. But a steel will work for only a while and then the knife will have to be sharpened. The steel effectively reduces the edge angle, and eventually the edge becomes blunt. I've seen similar damage caused by those devices where a knife is sharpened by running it through a slot. I remember the first one I ever saw. It was on the side of a new appliance called the electric can opener. It did nothing to sharpen a knife.

[stevebot]

I found a magnetic sewing machine LED light on eBay that works, sortta. I am sure it is not as nice as the Tormek light.  I hope it becomes a product.

[Rob]

One of the things I see with the 40X microscope is the damage done to the edge by a steel. I use a steel because it's a quick way to refresh an edge. But a steel will work for only a while and then the knife will have to be sharpened. The steel effectively reduces the edge angle, and eventually the edge becomes blunt. I've seen similar damage caused by those devices where a knife is sharpened by running it through a slot. I remember the first one I ever saw. It was on the side of a new appliance called the electric can opener. It did nothing to sharpen a knife.

Have you any light to shed on ceramic "steels" Herman?  I've mentioned this before with my global knives.  I used the T7 to put a proper edge on my chefs knife some time ago and went very carefully, fully jigged etc. Then I started using a regular steel to just tickle the edge back before each use.  That worked really well for several months and then one day it nicked the blade and when I looked closely, the blade had a really sloppy raggy edge.  I think the steel had been folding, folding, folding until eventually it seemed to almost leave a burr like edge which was very untidy (although due to its tooth it did still slice quite well).

Then my family got sick and all that kind of horseplay stopped for several months.  Meanwhile I had been bemoaning my lovely global chef's knife being damaged in this way and my brother piped up with, you need a ceramic for that hard Japanese steel and promptly bought me one for Christmas.  I've been using it ever since and it is way better than the old traditional steel.  Why would this be?  I haven't done anything to the knife and yet the ceramic appears to have brought it back from the brink!  It's still not as sharp as a decent sharpen on the Tormek but it is pretty good.  Do you think the ceramic provides sufficient "cut" to restore the edge to something respectable?  I wish I had a microscope!