Messages

Fernando, amigo,

Hace quarento y seis años de que he estudiado la lengua Español en la universidad. Qúe lástima que durante estos años se me ha olvidado tanto. Desde que la mayoria del forum habla Ingles, es mejór escribir en Ingles.

For those of us who do not speak Spanish, It has been forty six years since I studied Spanish in university. What a shame that during those years I have forgotten so much. Since the majority of the forum speaks English, it is better to write in English.

One delightful subtlety missed in this English translation is the literal meaning of the verb olvidarse, to forget. Literally "the Spanish language forgot itself to me." I like that better than actually forgetting in English.

As much as I value and enjoy Spanish and other languages, for the benefit of efficient communication, I suggest we use English whenever possible.   

Ken

Hi ken, thanks for the friendly and funny comment, I really wrote it in Spanish unconsciously. 

I am partially agree with crusty, although it is true that titanium is softer than steel, titanium knives are usually not pure titanium, 2 things, first is the type of titanium alloy, and second the process of tempering the metal, in what I do agree is in the 20º of sharpening angle, although if the knife is very soft, as well as "45 HRC" which is how titanium knives are used for diving, it is better to go the 25º "50º in total" so that the edge stays longer, i have already sharpened many and personally I have seen a good useful life of the edge with 25 degrees for the case of titanium knives for diving.

I think the sharpening angle will depend a lot on the type of work that you want to give.
I hope the advice is useful for you.

I have prepared several leather honing wheels over the years. I no longer accurately what oily substance I used. I bought a jar of mineral oil from the drug store, enough for several hundred honing wheels. I used this for at least one wheel. I recall using 3 in 1 light oil for one and another brand of light oil for another. My point is that the leather honing wheel works with a variety of oils.

I have not added oil, just honing compound. The Tormek is a hearty and adaptable species.

(good question)

Ken

Ken precisely the mineral oil sold in pharmacies is "usp" grade that has several uses including as a laxative, or as johnson oil for babies both are usp grade, allowed in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, because they are not toxic for the human being.

I think that if we are going to use a substance to sharpen knives that are going to have contact with food, it is good to know that it has no contraindications. 

 

I think the tormek sharpening station TS-740 would be a good reference
They were not random measures, they are based on ergonomic studies to facilitate the work

Height: Between 750 mm to 830 mm (29½ "and 32 2/3").

https://www.tormek.com/usa/en/accessories/sharpening-station/ts-740-sharpening-station/

I do a lot of online surfing for Tormek information. I found this yesterday. It covers some solid basic technique. I found the comment made by Shannon especially telling: " I guess I have avoided using it [the stone grader] too much for fear I would grind down the wheel prematurely." I think this statement typifies a very commonly held mistaken idea which hinders many Tormek users. Regular use of the stone grader causes no more than minimal stone wear, and is essential to good Tormek techniquel

Ken

The article helped me to take into account an important step when honing a knife.

We have frequently discussed the learning curve in the past. I believe the flexibility of the Tormek allows the user to choose the amount of learning curve to suit his needs and wishes.

A Tormek user who wants to keep his home workshop chisels and planes sharp using the standard SG grinding wheel has only a short learning curve to master. Adding the family kitchen cutlery, his pocket knives and scissors adds only a little more learning.

Adding a larger variety of tools, including tools with different steel, adds to the learning curve. Adding the more stringent customer expectations and volume of business definitely increases the skill level required, as does using multiple grinding wheels.

Harnessing the exciting potential of the three diamond wheels and multi base will certainly require more skill. We will have to learn new techniques as well as developing a lighter grinding pressure. We will have to factor in flat grinding in addition to our traditional shallow hollow grinding.

We have choices. A sharp tool is a sharp tool, whether it is sharpened using the latest diamond wheel or the standard SG. The basic technique and SG grinding wheel have served Tormek users very well for decades, and will continue to do so. While this path remains a viable option, it is no longer the only path. Today's Tormek user has choices which were only imagined not too many years ago. We live in interesting times.

Ken

Totally Agree.

Part way into this video, you will recognize a Tormek knife expert with some solid advice.
Enjoy!
Ken

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cSUT0k0Vd-Y

Gracias por este buen dato.
Thanks for the info.

that's a doubt that I also have, how often mineral oil should be used on the leather wheel, it just says that the compound should be used roughly every 5 sharpened, initially tormek gives us a limited amount, but it does not if it is the only thing that is needed as initial treatment of the wheel and does not require more in the future, or is only the initial treatment but we must apply it regularly according to the state of the leather, I was investigating a lot about the mineral oil, because in my country they sell nothing of tormek and my purchases I make them online, and I come to the conclusion that I can use pure white mineral oil, usp grade, I bought it to have a reservation, although I do not use it yet ...

Fernando, you have already become accostumed to the Tormek water cooled dust (and spark) free working environment. It can become habit forming; I have not used my old dry grinder in years.

Ken

I have 2 bench grinders but I never use them for sharpening, always sharpen by hand with 2 non-electric machineries, one for folding knives and the other for scissors and large knives.
for the only thing that uses an electric machine was a mototool to make the fileworks of the knives that I make or personalize, like these kukris that I made some time ago.

["clean and hygienic process"]

I have used the tormek-t8 recently, and as I have read in the forum and in the manual, I have dedicated myself to training, although not with chisels, I have only trained with knives
I still do not use it to work with knives other than mine, but I must say that I have noticed some changes in relation to my old way of sharpening a knife.

In a single sentence I would have to say that it is a "clean and hygienic process"

My most sincere congratulations to Tormek team for this tool.

Good review!

Everything ending up in the water, is definitely a plus.

So, do you have a preference of the wheel into vs. against the edge?

Thanks for the update.

Although with both processes I could achieve a good edge, I could see that when the wheel moves against the edge less burr is produced, and removes metal faster, although also notice that much more abrasive material is removed from the wheel in comparison to the other method

I am definitely sharpening with the wheel against edge.

I read a similar problem recently.
I think you can read this:

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=3493.0
https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=3512.0

I hope it is useful

["clean and hygienic process"]

I have used the tormek-t8 recently, and as I have read in the forum and in the manual, I have dedicated myself to training, although not with chisels, I have only trained with knives
I still do not use it to work with knives other than mine, but I must say that I have noticed some changes in relation to my old way of sharpening a knife.

In a single sentence I would have to say that it is a "clean and hygienic process"
Before, without having to name brands, I made a manual sharpening with controlled angle mechanical tools, both for folding knives and knives
and I can not complain, the result I got was too good, but on the one hand I had to be cleaning the stones, then applying water or oil according to the type of stone, in some cases dismantling and turning the knife on the machine to sharpen each side.
at the end with the table full of steel dust, and dust from the abrasives, or oils from the stones and other substances ended not only with black hands
if not with the arm tired after many sharp, a good edge if, but the process was not clean, and as I said, with some knives could last up to 40 minutes to finish it

Although I am still in training mode, and I can not consider that I already have a skill, I must say that with less than 20 knives I have already taken the rhythm of the machine.
I have noticed the difference of sharpening with the wheel in favor and against the edge, and fortunately I have achieved good results from the first edges, initially with angles between 18 and 25 degrees,
Yesterday evening after sharpening 2 more knives from my own kitchen at 20 degrees, in less than 15 minutes, and after unplugging the machine draw the water etc.

Look at my hands ........... and they were clean, it was something I had not stopped to look at, I smiled and said, those who invented this machine knew what they were doing.
I can take longer than before calculating the edge angle, I still do not use the kenjig, but the process in general is much faster and cleaner.
I thought that sharpening to 1000 grain would still be very coarse for my taste, but the result after the leather wheel is already very good.
There is no dirt on my table when I finish working, more than a couple of drops of water because of my lack of experience, every time there is less.
I went to sleep earlier than usual, bored by not having anything more to sharpen, but happy with the results obtained so far

My most sincere congratulations to Tormek team for this tool.

I am currently with the learning curve of the use of tormek T8, so I am not using it even for the public, until I feel safety and good results with sharpening.

But before tormek, I used a manual machine with controlled angle "I prefer to avoid publishing the brand", in which I sharpened regularly Western kitchen knives at 20 degrees, 40 degrees in total. and up to 1500 grain, always hand honing/stropping with chrome oxide on balsa wood and after on horse leather, the other was the stylists scissors for sharp according to the model between 55 and 60 degrees, up to 4000 grain honing/stropping in the machine only with horse leather with chrome oxide .

I hope now with tormek to start sharpening knives, and with time to get the Japanese stone and the accessory for the scissors, it will be a gradual process.

I have read Wootz's comments on commercial vs professional sharpening, and I definitely apply on the professional, because my previous limit of knives before tormek was 20 weekly cutting tools, "knives, folding knives and scissors", I try to do well , so it lasts between 40 minutes and 1 hour per piece " I know it's a long time, but it's a hobby not my profession", time that I want to reduce with the use of tormek, without ever thinking about having a commercial sharpening, just increase the number of pieces that I allow to sharpen per week, or apply to some local restaurants that request to sharpen more than 20 knives at a time.

Good day.

Fernando,

Do not ever become so involved with the technical side of sharpening that you lose the joy of restoring tools to sharpness, and back into usefulness. Making a good tool useful again not only honors the tool itself, it honors the maker and those who have used it before.

Never be in such a rush to complete sharpening that you neglect to feel nourished by the sharpening or settle for a job half done. There is satisfaction in a job well done. While always striving to advance, be not fail to enjoy the state of your art today.

Ken

I appreciate your recommendation, thanks

Welcome Fernando. ¡Me gusta mucho su historia! Your command of English is great. If you used a translation program, it did well!

I try to use simple words that are easy to understand, but I still have to search for one or another technical word in the dictionary, I do not know all of them, LOL