Jig handles .. self-locking ??

[Rem]

G' Day, folks.   On page 54 of my manual that came with the T8, there is a picture and the following caption: "Earlier design with locking screw. (The new design is self-locking)".    This is in reference to the knob that rests on the universal support bar. 

I don't get that it is "locking" in any way.   It's a little stiff to turn, but that's about it.    Is this all they are referring to (stiffness), or am I missing something?    Would appreciate your comments.  Thanks.   Rem

[Jan]

Rem,

the goal of the locking screw of the earlier jig design was to fix the adjustable stop against rotation around the jig axis. The self-locking design refers to a rubber O-ring placed between the jig axes and the adjustable stop. Methinks it is not fully adequate replacement. 

Jan

[Rem]

Thanks, Jan.   That's kinda sorta what I figured.    And yeah, I think "locking" is a bit of an overstatement.   But so far so good.   Thanks again.  R

[Ken S]

The choice of words in "self-locking" may be unfortunate. Certainly the new design is not locking. If it was, we could not adjust it. I have both models, and have not known either to slip. For our purposes, if the jig does not slip, I would think that would be adequate.

Ken

[Rem]

Thanks, Ken, and yes .... I basically agree with your comments.   It has not been a problem for me.   Being totally new to all things Tormekian, I just found it confusing.  I kept looking for some sort of "self-locking" mechanism to kick in. 

Hey, it doesn't take much to confuse the old guy.  I can barely find my way home anymore.  R   

[Ken S]

Rem,

I don't use my knife jigs in the traditional Tormek method. I actually use four jigs plus the small blade tool. I leave one regular knife jig, with the small blade tool attached set for paring knives. I have one of the former long knige jigs (the 100 mm length) permanently set for slicng knives. The 145mm long knife jig is set for chef's knives. The jigs are preset to hold the knives at 139mm protrusion. I try to adjust the jigs as little as possible. Often no adjustment is necessary is needed when switching between knives of the same type.

I set the distance between the universal support and the grinding wheel with my notched wooden kenjig. Once set, there is no need to change this. The anglemaster and black marker stay nearby in the drawer. Once the initial set up is done, I don't need them.

The second regular knife jig is for a future project making a second kenjig to use the jig without the small blade tool.

I made up a cardboard kenjig to use with Robin Bailey's oversized universal support for my Chinese vegetable cleaver. I made this, like the other kenjig, for fifteen degrees. The cleaver works better with a more acute angle; I need to replace that kenjig.

Base your opinion of the new knife jig on your actual usage experience with it.

Ken

Ken

[Rem]

Base your opinion of the new knife jig on your actual usage experience with it.

Ken

Ken

Hey, Ken .......    Thanks for your thorough coverage.  Much appreciated.    Just for the record, I have no issues with the knife jig.  My original post was simply to seek clarification of the terminology used in the manual.  My only complaint, if it even rises to the level of a complaint, is that it seemed misleading and confusing ....  for me.  This may not even be an issue for most of you.  Perhaps when they do the next reprint of the manual, they will elaborate a bit on this particular issue.  It's not a problem for me.  I find it works well, especially now that I am not expecting it to do something it isn't supposed to do.   It's all good.   I will not be smashing it with my baseball bat. 

By the way .....  a big ol' Happy Canuck Thanksgiving to the whole bunch of you.   It's about 12 degrees F here this morning.   BOO-YAH  !!!!!!   R   

[Ken S]

Rem,

There is a saying in Maine that they have " ten months of winter and two momths of rough sledding."

Ken

[Rem]

Yeah, same idea here.   Two months of walking nekked back to the house from the sauna, and 10 months of having to wear a parka. 

That's probably a mental image you won't want to dwell on.         R

[Ken S]

A more interesting image!

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Adjusting the handle of the knife jig is not as critical as it used to be, before the advent of the Micro Adjust on the Universal Support.

[Ken S]

Good point, Herman. The microadjust is really a micrometer for the Tormek, and makes many operations more accurate. In my opinion, it is one of the principle advances in the Tormek.

Ken

[Ken S]

While studying a related topic, I took my knife jigs apart. From that study:

The new style adjustable stop, the one which uses an O ring and has no locking screw, is the only one available in spare parts for any of the three knife jigs.

All of the shafts look essentially identical in dimensions. All have a cavity to hold an O ring.

My bore comparison measurements with inside calipers of the old and new adjustable stops indicate the same inside diameter.

I do not understand why I can not reassemble the jigs with the O ring in place. If this was possible, the older jigs would work with both the newest O ring and a locking screw. The conversion cost would be only $1.95 US. Using an English idiom, this would be "belt and suspenders". It would provide the latest innovation and the security of a locking screw.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

I will see when the new handle and o ring arrives.  Until then, I swapped the jig, so he isn't down if he needs it.  I had a spare that I had ordered for the restaurant.
I did notice that on the handle of the jig, there is a spot that looks to be a marked, drill spot for the thumbscrew, and my father compared the screw to the one that goes in the end of the Universal support bar, and said it was the same size.

[Ken S]

The locking screws for Tormek jigs and the universal support use a standard metric 6M  thread (6mm outside diameter with a 1mm thread pitch). I have experimented with different shape replacement knobs, looking for more arthritis friendly knobs. A well equipped hardware store should have a selection of metric plastic threaded knobs. (I suggest bring a jig with you to the store.)

I don't have arthritis problems yet. Any feedback on the new knife jig adjustable stop from other members with seasoned hands?

Ken