Messages

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i thought the laser would help when lifter to keep all of the blade edge cutting from the same spot on the stone, to keep the same angle.
Am i misunderstanding this part?

The knife jig maintains the position on the stone.  Yes you could use a laser if you want to try and manipulate the position, but the constraints (design) of the KJ-45 wouldn't make that practical IMO.  The laser is most useful if you want to freehand sharpen on the Tormek.

The more curve in the belly/tip area, the less practical lifting is... as tgbto mentioned, that's where trying to pivot or rotate a bit to maintain the angle (or bevel width) comes into play.

hello

I have been using this off and on for awhile - I just do my home knives -

I have an APEX sharpener but it took so long to do a knife especly mirror polish.

however becuase i dont use this daily i have a few issues i need help with.

T4-

1. Curved end of blades my angle is off  is off (im lifting like the videos show)
Where you clamp the blade in relation to the belly/tip area can affect the angle.  So, for example, if the angle is too shallow, try clamping closer to the belly/tip area.

2. when trying to grid I get different lines through the grind because i cannot possibly follow the exact line every time  when lifting (above)
I'm not sure why you're not following the same line if you're using the jig?  If you're lifting the handle, make sure you don't rotate and/or twist the handle to follow the curve.  Lift only, at least while learning.  Also watch the water flow over the blade... it will tell you when you reach the curve, and as you lift the water help guide the movement.

3. honing is difficult without a guide
My suggestion if freehand honing, is to start at a lower angle than you sharpened, then slowly raise the angle.  When you reach the edge you will hear and feel it.  Hone at that angle, or slightly higher. Tormek also has a class on honing: The Basics of Honing

is there a jig that can help with the tip/round parts? 
Is there laser that can be projected on the wheel to help cutting in the same spot? i know this is still prone to varying degrees of error but its would definitely help
There is, but I guess I don't understand the need for this if you're using the knife jig.

is that an jig for the honed side to match the angle?
There is the Front Vertical Base (FVB) or Tormek's MB-102 (that incorporates an FVB) that allows you to mount a Universal Support Bar (USB) so that it's in the same position for honing, and you can set the angle and hone the same way that you sharpen.  It's demoed in this video:  MB-102 Multi Base...

Honestly, to me it sounds like you just need practice.  But I tried to add a couple of tips that may help.

Sort of off topic of the USB measurements but....
you are saying that a worn down 250mm wheel (blackstone, say) would be OK to mount on a T4 if someone wanted. I ask as someone was wondering if Tormek had plans to make a 200mm blackstone.

Daniel

Yes you can mount a worn down 250mm stone onto a T-4.  For example:

Using 250mm stones on the T-3 / T-4

I sharpen my knives on the Tormek with good results.
But scissors: No
My steps:
1. Use sharpie to set the angle
2. Grade my stone to 220
3. Sharpen with at least 10 passes for each blade
4. Feel for burr. If no burr then sharpen more
5. Use the separate blades and close method to debut

I tried to sharpen 5 scissors and got bad results on all. They got sharper but not close as the sharpness of new scissors.

All my scissors are cheap Ikea one. Some normal and some children sized.

Any tips? Have I over sharpened my scissors?
Do the quality of the scissors has any effect?

Based on the steps you listed, I would grade the stone and finish at a finer grit.  I usually leave it in it's "neutral state" which is between 220 and 1000, but if I had to grade it to sharpen scissors, I'd use the 1000 side.

Here's an oldie but goodie video that might help...

... and Tormek's more recent live class...

... which may offer some additional info.

Both have legs which are 145mm long.  The difference is in the top bar

• US-105 = 305mm
• US-103 = 295mm

As noted, the US-103 is 10mm shorter to accommodate the 200mm grindstone which is 10mm thinner than the 250mm grindstone.

10mm difference in length???

250mm - 200mm = 50mm

The width of the stone... 50mm vs 40mm

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A quick note on a design choise (which I am not sure is wise): the (grey) sliding platform is more or less self-locking inside the (blue) support. One has to flex it a bit by pressing down in the middle so it slides easily, then release it so it locks back in place, and the (red) back thumbscrew is just here to secure it in place and prevent bending. I might have to play with tolerances and/or add a bit of teflon or the like on the outer surfaces in contact with the support so it slides more smoothly but still locks without significant radial play..
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Guess I don't see the need for a "sliding platform"... the Platform should accommodate just about any size knife without the need for this?   

Ken, I understand your point.

But again, I think this is one of the points where the fact still shows, that knife sharpening is what I call an afterthought for Tormek.

Maybe they should think of a "Premium Knife Sharpening Edition", with the knife jigs, new angle setter instead of the AngleMaster, MB-102 and US-430 instead of US-10x.

And of course a redesign (or return) to a more knife specific machine...




... one need only look at the post count in this forum to see where the interest lies.

p.s.  If you live in France, there's a T-4000 on eBay... 

It may "rough it up" a little, but the SJ stone is so soft, the affect would be short lived.  I would also add that they don't consider the SJ stone as having "adjustable grit".

However, although the Tormek website says you can use the 1000 side to clean the SJ stone, Tormek in one of their online videos recommends not using it at all...

https://www.youtube.com/live/0htKSoTBjoI?si=QxZbSzyv_tyW__7d&t=3121

Instead, they suggest to use a scotchbrite pad, or as tgbto said, a rust eraser (which is what I use also.)

Through search I've only seen one or two posts on this over the years.

Long story short I desperately want a Blackstone equivalent for my T4 and the after market ones just don't cut it when it comes to Tormek and quality control.

Any chance they are going to release one? We already have 8in diamonds and Japanese wheels.

Would any T8 user be willing to sell/send me a worn down T8 Blackstone?

Thanks!

I can't find it now, but someone from Tormek posted that they had no plans to make an SB stone for the T-4.

I'll third the... if you can afford it, put the money toward a US-430.

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I can not not find out what the difference is between the two, all i could find was that the 103 weights 74 grams and the 105 72 grams. I know that 105 is for the larger models.
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...Also the weight spec on Tormeks site might be wrong also.

For a bit of trivia, I was too lazy to get an accurate reading, but the weight of the USBs was in the 500s.

Now all we need is one for the SE-77

Rich Colvin has a jig he made for using with the SE-77 that you might find helpful...

Projection Jig for the TTS-100

I have also tested and evaluated the new KS-123 for some time and agree with Dutchman in his views. It is a simple and easy-to-use setting tool that we both had the privilege of influencing the execution of. Think it will become a "must have" tool for anyone working on knife sharpening with a Tormek. Håkan is extremely active in the development of new products and listens more than we think to ideas that we users bring to the forum. I had the privilege of meeting Ken on site at Tormek and can confirm that he has a great deal of experience and a burning interest in the art of sharpening tools in all different ways, and he is also a very nice man to be around. Continue to lead us in the jungle of knowledge.

I think all of you who wanted to buy my tool will be glad I didn't sell you one now that you can buy a similar "better" Tormek original tool instead.

I'm glad you got to provide input on their original design.

I purchased my T8 in 2022 and has ran great until a couple weeks ago when it started making a squeaking noise when turned on. It only does it for a second or so then goes away. I took the shaft off and cleaned it and put a little white lithium grease on each side of the shaft. The squeaking went away for a day or two but now it's back. Any idea what could be causing this?



Thanks

The motor's shaft may be slipping on the rubber drive wheel.  You can roughen the drive wheel a bit with some sandpaper, and see if that solves it.  (Also make sure the motor shaft is cleaned off.)

What is the best practice to try and ensure the KJ-45 (or similar) is holding the blade level?  In other words so that for the most part the blade is perfectly horizontal.  Do people use a guide or jig?  Just eyeball it?

Sorry, not entirely sure what you mean. If you mean parallel to the surface of the wheel then the contact with the wheel does that. In addition if the water is flowing evenly over the knife then it is contact the whole way across.
If you mean at right angles to the edge of the wheel then that is not really as critical so just eyeball it as you say.

I think you understood it better than I did... 

Yeah, if you mean level across the stone... watch how the water flows over the knife.

1) As a practical matter what is the maximum height of the USB to the top of the machine?  Based on some of the calculators it looks unlikely it would exceed 200mm but I am looking for real world correlation.

2) What is the best practice to try and ensure the KJ-45 (or similar) is holding the blade level?  In other words so that for the most part the blade is perfectly horizontal.  Do people use a guide or jig?  Just eyeball it?

1) Depends on the machine and which USB you have, but on a T-8 with the standard USB, you're pushing the limit at around 180mm on the vertical side.

2) Pinch the clamp closed so it "forms" around the knife, then loosely tighten the front screw, then the back one till it holds the blade in place.  That should keep it centered and straight with the clamp.