NEWS! New machine – Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener

[Hugo Öhman]

Dear Tormek Enthusiasts,

We are very happy to let you know we will be releasing a new machine – the first real knife sharpener for home chefs: Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener!
We have been working on this project for a long time, and now we are confident we have achieved a quality and function we are really proud of.

The Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener is a household appliance, for household use only, and will be pre-launched in Sweden in November. Beginning of next year, we will add chosen European markets and the USA.

In Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland it will be sold through 'Bagaren & Kocken' (https://bagarenochkocken.se/koksknivar/knivslipar/tormek-t-1-kitchen-knife-sharpener-silver-med-ekhandtag/#AXqby4L0-3k), and through our own web store - shop.tormek.com.
Hope you will like it!

Here is the official press release: https://www.tormek.com/international/en/about-tormek/news-feed/press-release-tormek-launching-first-real-knife-sharpener-for-the-home-chef/

[Ken S]

Hugo,

Thank you for posting. The forum audience is different than the typical marketing or social media audience. Essentially all of us own at least one Tormek. Many of us own more than one. Many of us have a decade or two experience with our Tormeks. We have a fair number of professional sharpeners in our group. Many of us use diamond wheels. We appreciate Tormek quality and innovation.

I can foresee some of our houses having either a T8 or T4 in the workshop and a T1 in the kitchen.

I hope you will post some more technical information and perhaps a more in depth video. Some questions which come to mind are:
      What is the wattage of the motor?
      How does the T1 differ from the T2? (dimensione, weight, etc)
      What is the grit of the diamond wheel?
      What is the grit of the honing wheel?

Thank you.
Ken

[Hugo Öhman]

Hi Ken,

No problem at all! We want you dedicated forum members to be the first to know any news whenever we have the possibility to inform you first. We are very grateful for your insights, and look forward to getting your feedback on our new household knife sharpening machine.

All specs are available on the product page under the Specifications tab: https://www.tormek.com/international/en/machine-models/tormek-t-1-kitchen-knife-sharpener/

However we have completely missed the grit size of the new diamond grinding wheel. We must have taken it for granted, since it is so clear in our own minds. The grinding wheel is a Fine wheel, which means it has a grit size of 600. Thank you for asking this, we will update the product page with this information.

The honing wheel is the same as for the Tormek T-2 Pro Kitchen. It will, however, get renamed to PW-160 Conical Composite Honing Wheel for both machines in due time (it currently holds the old naming of PW-160 Polishing Wheel for Tormek T-2 Pro Kitchen).

Hope this answers your initial questions.

Thank you again Ken, and as always, Stay Sharp!
Hugo

[Ken S]

Thank you, Hugo.

Now......finding a space in my kitchen!

Ken

[Elden]

I notice the continuance of the " recommended useage " of 30 minutes per hour.

From theTormek website (bold face type added):

Dimensions, packaging
Width: 325 mm (12 ¾")
Depth: 235 mm (9 ¼")
Height: 257 mm (10 1/8")

Dimensions, machine
Width: 204 mm (8")
Depth: 196 mm (7 ¾")
Height:181 mm (7 1/8")

Weight
Incl. packaging: 6.2 kg (13.7 lbs)
Machine only: 5.4 kg (11.9 lbs)

Color
Silver

Grinding wheel
Tormek DF-150 Conical Diamond Wheel Fine (600 grit)
Ø 150 × 18 mm (5 7/8" × 5/8")
Max 200 rpm

Honing wheel
PW-160 Conical Composite Honing Wheel.
Composite, ABS plastic
Ø 160 × 30 mm (6 ¼" × 1 3/16")

Material
Precision-cast housing in powder-coated zinc
Bottom in impact-resistant plastic
Handle in solid oak treated with hard wax oil

Motor
Single-phase, AC motor, 120 W (input power), 220–240 V, 50–60 Hz
Recommended operation 30 min/h
Maintenance-free
Quiet running, 45 dB
10,000 operating hours

Warranty
8-year warranty*, 5 years + 3 years with registration at tormek.com.
* 2-year warranty when used for professional or educational purposes.

[Ken S]

Elden,

Thanks for posting this information. I question whether any "thirty minute duty cycle", real or imagined, is an actual constraint for the T1. Tormek has specifically designed the T1 for home cooks. It is the most compact, lightweight, and quiet running of all the Tormek models. It is easily stored in a kitchen cupboard, cabinet, or drawer, and just as easily set up on a kitchen counter or table.

In fairness to Tormek, they are not pretending it is a heavy duty professional machine any more than General Motors is pushing my small SUV as a heavy duty hauling vehicle. As a sharpening junkie, I probably have more knives than most "home cooks". However, even if I might decide that the entire modest assortment required full sharpening on a given day, I'm sure I could sharpen the lot in a half hour. Sharpening four or five in a session at most seems more typical.

I think Tormek has discovered a good niche for the T1. As doing stairs becomes more difficult with age, the idea of a compact Tormek in my kitchen sounds very appealing.

Ken

[Ken S]

I have asked Tormek IT to change the category name of "Tormek T2" to "Tormek T1 and T2". Once this is done, I will move this topic to that category. Please direct any future T1 or T2 topics ro that category.

Ken

[tgbto]

I might be completely wrong, but I thought one of Tormek's main recommendations to get a "nice, even bevel" was to raise the handle away from the stone. How do you do that with a T-1 ? Granted, with the Nakiri shown in the video, it is a non-issue. But with standard chef knives ?

[cbwx34]

I might be completely wrong, but I thought one of Tormek's main recommendations to get a "nice, even bevel" was to raise the handle away from the stone. How do you do that with a T-1 ? Granted, with the Nakiri shown in the video, it is a non-issue. But with standard chef knives ?

You're correct, and it's probably why "To Pivot or Not to Pivot" is one of the more popular threads.

I'm in the "pivot" camp, so I don't see an issue with the T-1, instead, I think it would be nice for Tormek to come up with a pivot solution for the original machines.  (But as the other thread shows, there are ways to do it).

[Ken S]

In examining whether to lift or pivot the blade, we must be aware of context.  For many of us, our first exposure to this was from watching Jeff Farris' knife sharpening video.
This was and is a very valid point when using the traditional Tormek machines (T8, T4, etc) with the SVM jigs and universal support bar.

With the T1 and T2, the jigging is totally different. There is no lifting. The knife is pushed or pulled through a sleeve which does not move.
Contact with the curved part of the blade is maintained by raising and lowering the blade. Tormek describes the T1/T2 jig as having a single point of contact, where the blade contacts the grinding wheel.
Tormek describes the USB/SVM method of jigging as two points of contact, the blade to grinding wheel and the support to handle of the SVM.

The Tormek knife sharpening, advanced knife sharpening, and T4 bushcraft online classes describe repositioning the knife in the jig clamp to match different blade radii.

With the T2 and T1, a design priority was simplicity of use. A sharp edge could be easily obtained by a chef or restaurant employee with minimal sharpening training.
There was no clamping; the knife was just pushed through the sleeve. The machines were designed to handle standard restaurant or home cooking knives efficiently.

Thanks to Tormek support for providing this information.

Ken

[tgbto]

But isn't what you do with the T1-T2 in essence equivalent to what you'd do when pivoting the jig on a T7-T8 to stay on the laser line ?

If you lift, and/or (as I believe is explained in the advanced sharpening class) pivot backward on a T7-T8, then you're basically increasing the angle... Or said otherwise, shouldn't one expect to see a change in the width of the bevel at the tip when sharpening on a T1-T2 (or on any other constant-angle jig, for that matter), if the taper doesn't compensate for the curve ?

[cbwx34]

But isn't what you do with the T1-T2 in essence equivalent to what you'd do when pivoting the jig on a T7-T8 to stay on the laser line ?

If you lift, and/or (as I believe is explained in the advanced sharpening class) pivot backward on a T7-T8, then you're basically increasing the angle... Or said otherwise, shouldn't one expect to see a change in the width of the bevel at the tip when sharpening on a T1-T2 (or on any other constant-angle jig, for that matter), if the taper doesn't compensate for the curve ?

If I read your post correctly, again you are correct on both points... it's basically "pivoting", and the width of the bevel can change if the angle stays the same, typically on blades that have a noticeable taper from spine to edge, and/or heel to tip.  But most common kitchen knives don't have too much taper, so probably not too significant.  What's more important is to realize that it may take a bit longer to get the tip area sharp on the first sharpening.

As stated elsewhere, the goal of these sharpeners is to keep it simple, giving a decently sharp knife to someone who otherwise may not sharpen at all (or use something worse), and on a subset of knives - mainly standard kitchen knives.  Sharpeners who want more control should use the T-4, T-8, etc.  (I know you know this already... just pointing it out for those who may be looking at it).

[LarK]

On a side note: really think the tormek design team nailed the esthetics of this machine 👌😊
If I can ever justify the cost for one I would be willing to keep it up front for display in my kitchen. A big bonus is that my girlfriend could use it aswell 😊
Well done Tormek!

[Ken S]

CB has said it well:

"As stated elsewhere, the goal of these sharpeners is to keep it simple, giving a decently sharp knife to someone who otherwise may not sharpen at all (or use something worse), and on a subset of knives - mainly standard kitchen knives.  Sharpeners who want more control should use the T-4, T-8, etc.  (I know you know this already... just pointing it out for those who may be looking at it)."

The T1 and T2 are specialized machines for a specific clientele. They are designed to sharpen kitchen knives, the T2 for restaurant duty and the T1 for home cooks. They are designed to enable a chef or home cook to achieve sharp edges with a minimum of training and in in a minimum amount of time. Will these edges be as sharp or polished as a painstakingly produced by a skilled sharpener using a T4 or a T8? Certainly not, as even Tormek would say. Will the sharp edge be more than adequate? Certainly.

If an essentially untrained restaurant employee or home cook can produce these edges, I am curious to see what we can do with these specialized machines.

Ken