BESS Tester

[Josu V]

Hi!!

I took time thinking of buying one PT-50B BESS Tester.

My customers don´t demand me BESS score information. I use indirect metods to calibrate the sharpening (slice of paper, cut hair on air, etc...); but I have a lot of curiosity about the BESS score I get on different knives
Does any one knows if there is an official importer of BESS tester in Europe???

I can buy it in USA, but the custom costs are very high, and I also think in possible repair or warranty...

Can anybody help me?

Thank you very much

[Even]

Hello.
I ordered directly from edgeonup, and got it delivered to Norway with no problem

[RickKrung]

Are you familiar with the BESS Exchange?
http://bessex.com/forum/

A lot of outstanding information and people there. It was founded and is administered by the owner of EdgeOnUp, Mike Brubacher.  Great guy, very approachable and entertaining.

As Evan says, they can be ordered directly, but I also know they are sold by Amazon.  Maybe there is an EU version of Amazon where you can get one. 

While your customers don't know they want you to have a BESS tester, they will know that you produce sharper, more consistent edges once you have one.  I recommend you read post #18 in this thread on the BESS Exchange, by grepper, extolling the virtues and benefits of using a BESS tester.  I could not say it this well, but then grepper is a much more experienced and better sharpener than I.

I also recommend (to all) that you get one of these 60X hand microscopes https://www.amazon.com/KINGMAS-Microscope-Magnifier-Universal-Smartphones/dp/B00PQ9XV2E.  A very recently deceased BESSEX and Tormek forum member, Mark Reich, turned me on to them over a year ago.  Besides the BESS tester, it is the single most valuable tool I use for assessing progress and condition of edges during sharpening.  I examine the entire length of every edge, multiple times. I am able to see burrs long before I can feel them. 

I've used these without the clip on holder mostly.  I only recently discovered the clip on thing.  It actually works for taking photos, which surprised the heck out of me. 

Here are two photos I took using it, using the clip on holder.  One is of a nick on the apex of my Leatherman tool and the other are the 1mm hash marks on my Mitutoyo digital calipers. 

Rick

[EOU]

Sorry for the delay in responding directly to your question Josu V but it took a bit to pass muster with the Tormek Forum. Your post comes to us via one of our customers and a Tormek Forum participant. It is a simple matter for us to service Europe directly and to do so at a savings to the customer. There is little to be saved in customs duties, VAT etc. by establishing a distributor there because the distributor must pay the same duties and taxes as well. Of course those fees are added to the price of the product. We charge only $35.00 for air freight to Europe. Tell us via email which products you wish (and shipping instructions) to order and we will forward a proforma invoice and upon approval by you - we follow with a PCI compliant credit card invoice via email to you. Takes about 5 days to get to most European countries.

We apologize in advance to Tormek and the members of this forum for this commercial announcement but hope that you understand that we are attempting here  to provide answers that Josu V and others may be interested in.

Mike Brubacher (mikeb@edgeonup.com)

[RickKrung]

Mike,

Great to hear from you directly on this forum.  Thank you for answering Josu's question directly. I welcome your participation here, even though you are a commercial vendor.  I hope you will monitor the at least the knife sharpening forum, where the tester is most often discussed.  I know you participate on the BESSEX with very little commercial bias.  I commend you for that.  I hope your busy life allows you to "pop in" here occasionally. 

For the record here, Mike is a very knowledgeable and friendly fellow.  I enjoy his contributions on the BESSEX.  Mike is very approachable and will answer you questions in the same informative manner as he has done with Josu's.  He provided a direct email so, if you feel you do not want to ask commercial content on the forum, I know he will respond to direct email.  I've done it a good bit in the past. 

I also highly recommend that, if interested in knife sharpening matters beyond Tormek, the BESSEX is a great forum.  That is another way to interact with Mike, as he is a frequent poster there. Several of our fellow Tormek members are regular participants as well. 
http://bessex.com/forum/

Rick

[Josu V]

Hello.
I ordered directly from edgeonup, and got it delivered to Norway with no problem

Thanks for your answer Even

Are you familiar with the BESS Exchange?
http://bessex.com/forum/

A lot of outstanding information and people there. It was founded and is administered by the owner of EdgeOnUp, Mike Brubacher.  Great guy, very approachable and entertaining.

As Evan says, they can be ordered directly, but I also know they are sold by Amazon.  Maybe there is an EU version of Amazon where you can get one. 

While your customers don't know they want you to have a BESS tester, they will know that you produce sharper, more consistent edges once you have one.  I recommend you read post #18 in this thread on the BESS Exchange, by grepper, extolling the virtues and benefits of using a BESS tester.  I could not say it this well, but then grepper is a much more experienced and better sharpener than I.

I also recommend (to all) that you get one of these 60X hand microscopes https://www.amazon.com/KINGMAS-Microscope-Magnifier-Universal-Smartphones/dp/B00PQ9XV2E.  A very recently deceased BESSEX and Tormek forum member, Mark Reich, turned me on to them over a year ago.  Besides the BESS tester, it is the single most valuable tool I use for assessing progress and condition of edges during sharpening.  I examine the entire length of every edge, multiple times. I am able to see burrs long before I can feel them. 

I've used these without the clip on holder mostly.  I only recently discovered the clip on thing.  It actually works for taking photos, which surprised the heck out of me. 

Here are two photos I took using it, using the clip on holder.  One is of a nick on the apex of my Leatherman tool and the other are the 1mm hash marks on my Mitutoyo digital calipers. 

Rick

Hi Rick. Thank you very much for your answer too.

I know the EdgeOnUp forums. I read in this forum every week, and I agree with you about the very interesting topics discussed there.
I also like to find regular people in this forum.

Casually,, I have the same microscope. It cost me $ 2 and has become one of my usual tools. Highly recommended.

Mike,

Great to hear from you directly on this forum.  Thank you for answering Josu's question directly. I welcome your participation here, even though you are a commercial vendor.  I hope you will monitor the at least the knife sharpening forum, where the tester is most often discussed.  I know you participate on the BESSEX with very little commercial bias.  I commend you for that.  I hope your busy life allows you to "pop in" here occasionally. 

For the record here, Mike is a very knowledgeable and friendly fellow.  I enjoy his contributions on the BESSEX.  Mike is very approachable and will answer you questions in the same informative manner as he has done with Josu's.  He provided a direct email so, if you feel you do not want to ask commercial content on the forum, I know he will respond to direct email.  I've done it a good bit in the past. 

I also highly recommend that, if interested in knife sharpening matters beyond Tormek, the BESSEX is a great forum.  That is another way to interact with Mike, as he is a frequent poster there. Several of our fellow Tormek members are regular participants as well. 
http://bessex.com/forum/

Rick

Hello Mr. Mike

Thank you very much for write directly in this thread; It is very nice of you.

My next steep is to send an email to you and talk about this theme in private mode.
Bess Tester will be my next tool.

Thank you very much to all for your attention.

[Hannsi1957]

i have the tester since a few month.

best decision ever
finally a comprehensible sharpnestest
because of same prerequisites for everyone results are comparable

cheers Hanns

[Ken S]

Add me to the BESS fan club. Mike, you have given knife sharpeners some fine measuring instruments!

Ken

[bill clancy]

I'm a fan of the BESS tester too! It seems to be the best way to objectively test sharpness. My favorite is to test a knife dull, then after I've worked it over. I'ts all about the delta!

[Josu V]

Reading your answers, I´m starting to be impatient...

In this moments, the Bess Tester PT50 is in Spain´s Customs 
Hopefully it doesn't cost me too much money.

Regards

[casher50]

I also am a BESS fan. I have a PT-50A and use it often. I have found that checking each blade in between 3 and 5 spots on the blade (tip, half way to center, center, halfway to heel and heel) and averaging the results gives me a better idea of overall sharpness and helps identify problems. Testing blades that are 3 inches or so long I only check the tip, center and heel.

[RickKrung]

I also am a BESS fan. I have a PT-50A and use it often. I have found that checking each blade in between 3 and 5 spots on the blade (tip, half way to center, center, halfway to heel and heel) and averaging the results gives me a better idea of overall sharpness and helps identify problems. Testing blades that are 3 inches or so long I only check the tip, center and heel.

Hmm, five test locations seems like overkill to me and wasteful of the test media.  I only do the three, no matter how long the knife is. 

But...  I also visually inspect the entire bevel on each side with the Kingmas 60X hand microscope https://www.amazon.com/KINGMAS-Microscope-Magnifier-Universal-Smartphones/dp/B00PQ9XV2E

The ones I first used did not have the clip-on attachment and that is still the way I use them.  I have taken some surprisingly detailed and clear photos using the clip-on thingy on my iPhone, however, so it does have some utility.  The photo of the knife edge is self explanatory.  The second photo is of the 1mm graduations on my Mitutoyo digital calipers.  For such a cheap (in all regards) device, it takes very very surprisingly good photos. 

Possibly, the reason I feel comfortable with just three BESS readings is that I have visually inspected the entire bevel on each side and feel the three readings are representative enough. 

Rick

[smurfs]

Reading your answers, I´m starting to be impatient...

In this moments, the Bess Tester PT50 is in Spain´s Customs 
Hopefully it doesn't cost me too much money.

Regards

Josu,

I have read numerous articles about the problems people experience with Spanish customs. Hopefully I am not misquoting but I read some 800-900 thousand parcels from the US and China (main imports from outside the EU) go unclaimed every year due to them getting lost in the system, overbearing bureaucracy, systems that don't work and people just giving up. To me it seems like a 'legalised' shake down to extract every cent due, even when the value of goods is under the duty free threshold.

If there was ever a reason to set up an EU distributor (outside of Spain) for BESS machines and consumables, this would be it.

I feel your pain.

Smurfs

[jvh]

I also am a BESS fan. I have a PT-50A and use it often. I have found that checking each blade in between 3 and 5 spots on the blade (tip, half way to center, center, halfway to heel and heel) and averaging the results gives me a better idea of overall sharpness and helps identify problems. Testing blades that are 3 inches or so long I only check the tip, center and heel.

Hmm, five test locations seems like overkill to me and wasteful of the test media.  I only do the three, no matter how long the knife is. 

Hi,

just a question... did anybody try another testing media? I mean eg. fishing line for multi-point edge testing, not for final sharpness test.

[cbwx34]

Hi,

just a question... did anybody try another testing media? I mean eg. fishing line for multi-point edge testing, not for final sharpness test.

https://www.australianbladeforums.com/vb4/knife-grinders/39974-replacement-bess-certified-test-media.html