The need for speed

[John S]

I need to reduce my time on each knife.  I am slow. I want to see if I can make some money sharpening knives eventually.

About me:
I am still at the stage in my sharpening skills that I do it for free to get practice. I have sharpened about 75 knives already. I have watched many videos on YouTube.

The task:
I fly and tow at my glider club. Last weekend I brought my equipment to a club fly day. I invited any member to bring knives and I would sharpen them for free.  I sharpened about 20 kitchen knives that day.  No serrated knives, just plain knives. A few pocket knives too.

My equipment:
A Tormek T8 with stock wheels
Four SVM-45 jigs
One large knife jig
Front vertical base
Software to set angles.
Half speed 1x30 belt sander and belts of most every grit.

I own but did not bring:
Buffer motor with a set of paper wheels
Tormek T4 with stock wheels

My concern:
It took a long time to grind the abused knives. I need to get my time per knife to 1 to 2 minutes per knife.

My Technique:
I set the grind and strop to the same 20dps.  I batched the knives on my five jigs at the same length (139mm).  It still took me a few enjoyable hours while flying activities commenced.

All 20 knives were very good edge when finished. Some of these knives were in horrible condition when received. One owner said the knives she brought had not been sharpened in 20 years. I really had to take away allot of metal to get a consistent edge. No broken knives were brought to me.

Other notes:
I do know that the stone can be made to three roughness ratings.
Right after flattening
Using both sides of the stone grader. 

Questions:
Can I speed up sharpening with what equipment I have?
Add a T8 custom?
Go with different wheels?
Add a second wheel my present T8?
Use the other non-Tormek machines I own?

I am open to your suggestions.

John

[Ken S]

John,
Please check your PM box.
Ken

[cbwx34]

I need to reduce my time on each knife.  I am slow. I want to see if I can make some money sharpening knives eventually.
...

Read the first post in THIS THREAD

(Then visit his site for more info).

[RickKrung]

...
I fly and tow at my glider club. ...

I am envious.  I ground-crewed at Torrey Pines in my youth, but have never flown in a glider.  Completed ground school in the Air Explorers but could not afford flying lessons at that point in my life.

...
Use the other non-Tormek machines I own?
...

In my experience, the standard stone and honing wheels can be used effectively if a decent bevel already exists.  Often not the case, as you noted.  When I did farmers market sharpening a couple years ago, I used a standard 8", 64 grit grinding wheel (Norton 3X) on my T8 to re-establish bevels.  Meant a wheel change, which slows things down, but still way faster than trying to use the Tormek SG or SB stones.  I wanted a belt sander, which would have eliminated the wheel change.  Heat is your enemy when using even a half speed belt sander.  I now have a variable speed, DC motor driven 1x42 Veil belt sander which I slot to barely moving to avoid the heat.  Still works lots faster than a Tormek wheel or the Norton.

My 2¢

Rick
BTW, I have never made a profit sharpening.  I am too detail oriented and too much a perfectionist.  Now, I only do it for satisfaction and helping others, even though I do accept payment.