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Hey Folks,

A new member posted a comment that Ken S responded to that got me thinking that it might be fun (and perhaps educational) to hear about the various flubs/bloopers that we've experienced. Especially when getting to know our new machines.

While mine is not all that funny, looking back at it I have to laugh at myself so...I'll start it off with my lame excuse for a blooper.

As some may know, I'm about a month into my Tormek experience and I'm getting ready to be a sharpening vendor at a Farmers Market.
With that in mind, I'm wandering about my shop, garage, kitchen, neighbor's houses, etc..looking for things that I can try to sharpen.

I came across a Woodsman Pal. It's got a somewhat curved edge as well as a hook at the end.  The backside of the hood needed to be ground flat. Like you would with a chisel. No problem I thought. My mighty Tormek was made for this.

So I go to flatten the back of the hooked part of the blade. It's going along rather well. Albeit somewhat slow.  So I'm pressing a little firmer than I had with the chisels. It's progressing and finally it's all nice and smooth.

I go to wipe off the part of the blade that I was focusing on and there's this red substance on the blade.  What the hell?
I wipe it off again. And it's still there.

Bewildered, I go to grab a clean shop rag and when I reached for the rag, I see that my index finger was dripping blood. Not gushing. Just dripping a bit.
I guess for some reason I figured that my skin was tougher than metal and would be unharmed while the stone had other ideas and tried to sharpen my index finger between the first and second knuckle.

Oddly enough, it was never even the least bit uncomfortable while it was happening.  Just the cool water running over my finger.  Never even thought about it grinding away at my skin.


Like I said earlier, it's not nearly as entertaining as Ken's post but still...
It's been part of my learning curve.

I have laughed dramatizing it in my mind, not because of what happened to you, it is to remember all the times I cut myself in the process of sharpening, anyone would think that manipulating a single blade of a scissor with a 60 ° angle should not be something dangerous .... because it is, it can be as sharp as a razor.

Tormek already thought about this when he sent us the Band-Aids as part of the sharpening kit.

Fernando, I have to correct my statement in reply #28. My Excel script works for all Tormek machines with standard USB and Tormek knife jig. Sorry for confusing you.

Jan

Ok, thanks for the clarification, I plan to use that utility all weekend, to see how it goes ...

I would be most appreciative if those of us who have this ability would send me a pm or reply to this topic mentioning your languages.

Thank you in advance,

Ken

(Spanish)
Con mucho gusto puedo colaborar con el Idioma español, que es mi idioma nativo, Mi ingles no es el mejor, pero.. a favor puedo decir que tengo un buen conocimiento de las palabras y los temas relacionados con el afilado.

(English)
It is a pleasure to collaborate with the Spanish language, which is my native language, My English is not the best, but, in favor I can say that I have a good knowledge of the words and the topics related to the sharpening.

my stone also came convex on the side of the coarse grain, but I do not have how to make the change and I do not think it requires what I do to use that side ...
in last I can easily buy here a carborundum stone "silicon carbide" that costs 10 dollars here

Initially, I thought that it came on purpose, because of the work for which it was designed

You are welcome, Fernando! 

I am pleased that it is useful for you. Please keep in mind that the script works for T7 machine only.

Jan

Umm I have is the tormek T-8, and as I have seen there are slight differences in the measurements, but that would affect the final result .

Ken, the most simplified version of an Excel spreadsheet entitled "KENJIG_wheel_support_distance_1" is available for download at the following address:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ypbtaxgycgoyls0/KENJIG_wheel_support_distance_1.xlsb?dl=1

Jan really thank you very much for sharing this valuable material

Cukka and Fernando,

I would like to understand your situation. From what you write, I gather that there are no Tormek dealers or agents in your countries. Are you prohibited from purchasing something like a Tormek from a dealer in a nearby country? I realize that international tariffs and shipping costs can be very expensive. I know that I am very fortunate having several Tormek dealers in my home state.  I would like to be aware of the the market conditions of our members.

I look forward to your replies.

Ken

Hello Ken

In my case, I live in Colombia, and I only have Mexico or Brazil, and none of the 2 exports to my country, and it would even cost more than to bring it from the USA

When I have to buy and bring from the USA my basic rule is to multiply the value by 4, so my T-8 tormek if I want to bring it to Colombia using online purchase, you get them for 719 dollars plus tax the basic version of T8, I have to pay 2876 dollars to have one here in Colombia, and those are happy accounts, I have seen over COP 9million "Colombian pesos", "+ - 3200 dollars" the price of a T7 tormek, so in my particular case having a T8 is Really a great effort, no matter that I had to pay over 150 dollars at the airport and an endless amount of things.
The problem in general is that here you have to pay large customs taxes and it's not just a tormek, you do not ask me, but in Colombia the price of any car is double what it costs any American, and the minimum monthly wage It's 279 dollars, you can already get an idea of ​​how this complicates everything.
Having a Tormek here where I live is a luxury. 
Why did I decide to acquire it? because for me dreams have no price

Hello to everyone!

I got my T4 from Dictum.de, it seemed the more convenient way. I sent an email checking whether it would work out and after receiving a confirmation I went ahead and ordered online. Sure enough my package was waiting for me at the hotel when I got there. No problems with delivery and everything was fine, only one small problem they forgot to include the invoice with the package. Well, I needed that invoice to get stamped at the airport so I can have a tax refund and being already weekend there was nobody to send it to me by email. The invoice did not reach me on time before my flight  and now we are working together with Dictum to solve the tax refund problem. I don't want to bore you with this.

I got the T4 with the truing tool, hand tools kit and the Japanese stone and the total weight did scare me - 16.5 Kg.! Luckily I was traveling with a friend. He took the hand tool kit and one of the stones. I tried desperately to fit the Tormek box in my luggage. Had to tear the box at one side and it fit with difficulty bulging my Samsonite. Of course I didn't trust both of the stones ( SG-200 and SJ-200) in the luggage and we took them each in our back packs. I was worried they might not be allowed in the cabin but it went without a problem. So at the end I managed to bring a Tormek T4 with some extras by plane. I don't know how to feel: be proud of myself or feel pity for my country

I read your comment completely, not at all boring I must say, I identify a lot with you, because in my country I can not buy anything from tormek, fortunately a cousin traveled to the US and could do me the favor of buying me the T8, before going we consulted in several places and we focused on a place called woodcraft, I gave him the cash before traveling, and I think it was the best, because the rest was a nightmare for my cousin, like you, had many problems to keep it in the suitcases, if a T4 was problematic the T8 is more, in summary my cousin with a tone between joke and serious told me, "I do not go back to buy something like that", could bring everything but unfortunately for luggage handling issues At the airport the water collector arrived broken and bent, without the possibility of buying a spare in my country, I got down to work, and with a heat gun and epoxy glue I was adjusted to perfection and operated correctly.

I hope you enjoy your tormek as much as I do, this kind of experience and the effort required makes us appreciate it more 

The stylists are very jealous with their scissors to a large extent because of the cost, to the stylist who sharpens them I have seen that the cheapest scissors go from 200 dollars, and some can exceed even 1000 dollars, and I hear terrible stories about them. bad experiences, for example, that in their first sharpened damaged and disheveled because the person sharpened them with high-speed machines that ended up undamaged metal and scissors did not maintain the edge for a week after that, or that some They sharpened manually and by mistake the scissors fell to the floor and were obsolete.
As I said "aunsell" the cost is a very important factor, and as "Ken" says tormek is a tool of general purpose, my very personal opinion is that the stylist scissors are very spoiled and demanding when it comes to sharpening.

I totally agree with Ken about "The Tormek is a great general purpose tool."

In my case, I sharpen scissors gardening, tailor and stylist, and I can say that with the tormek and the standard stone I can sharpen the gardening and tailor getting excellent results, but the stylist still can not sharpen with my tormek , the edge that leaves the 1000 grain is not enough, besides that the amount of material that eliminates is greater, unless you get the sj-250, for now the stylist are the only ones that I finish with a mechanical machine of controlled angle, for the stylists I must reach a minimum of 4000 grain and even settle the edge with chrome oxide, I do not know anything about the work of a stylist in their day to day, but many tell me that it is enough to adjust a little more the scissors so that they get tired of the hand in a single day, we do not notice it because we have each scissor for a very short time, and it does not allow us to appreciate the consequences of one type of edge or another, but they know it, and that is what makes them choose to sharpen the scissors with you or someone else, in my case now that I have been sharpening scissors for a long time, I should not eliminate much material, maximum 1/3 of a millimeter and the edge should last a minimum of 4 months working daily.
hope in the future that this hoby gives me to buy the sj-250 

This topic is very interesting, I sharpen scissors for stylists, and I can tell you that each one has different tests, that if all the tests before using them, some close them to the ear and listen to the noise they make when they open and close and they can swear to decipher if the scissors cut well or badly, others have told me, "the short scissors moving only one of the parts", move only one finger to close and open the other part remains fixed, and the tests grabbing the scissors by one of the handles and release the other and hope that the scissors does not slow down in the path, it should close completely without the fall being free only gradual, and the vast majority only use dry and wet hair, although many say if you cut hair Dry will not have problems with wet hair.
Between the scissors of tailor and the stylist, I think they are more demanding in terms of edge, that of the stylists.
almost all of his scissors are at 60°

Is it a matter of holding a quiz? A question on wits?
If you need an exact answer, it's best to use:

http://ermak-laser.ru/services/lazernyj-uglomer-ermak-50/

http://www.catra.org/pages/products/kniveslevel1/lgpm.htm

http://www.catra.org/pages/products/kniveslevel1/lkep.htm

Or use the method as in this video:

https://youtu.be/3ICnxj6TDjs

Yours faithfully Fedor.

It would be great to have such a tool

Thinking that the sand detached from the stone, breaks with use, would not even be useful to make some kind of honing paste, a little thicker for other uses, like axes or something?

There are titanium alloy knives available that can take & hold noticeably smaller edge angles, but they are meant for kitchen use.
A few years ago i did a review on a titanium Santoku model alloyed with various ceramic particles for wear resistance:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/forever-titanium-hybride-knife-ght-16-cera-titan.1255619/#post-14378583

And currently i'm doing another review of a titanium Santoku model alloyed with pure diamond particles for wear resistance:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/forever-diamond-titanium-knives.1508000/#post-17319368

Btw: both knives are made by the same Japanese manufacturer.

Thank´s for sharing the info.

Fernando,

You are probably correct. If we err, it is better to err on the safe side. With the leather honing wheel, I am more concerned about the honing compound. I have never seen statements about how safe it is for direct contact with food. Perhaps some of the members who work with restaurants will comment.

I always wash my sharpened knives with hot soapy water before drying and returning them to the knife block.

Ken

Ken, you have treated 2 interesting topics for me, regarding the burnishing compound and the process of cleaning the knives after sharpening.

Of the sharpening compound I only saw that it is made with aluminum oxide that is not toxic, but I do not know if it is mixed with mineral oil or what is the liquid with which it is mixed, so I will wait for someone with more knowledge illustrious

As for the cleaning after sharpening at least in my case, first use alcohol 96° especially to remove the mark made with the Sharpie on the edge, and then if I go to wash it with soap and water ... but I am curious that you say that you wash it with hot water before you store it, I do not know if it's for hygiene, but ... and it's just a doubt ... would not it have a long-term negative effect using hot water on a knife that has been tempered?