Tormek Community Forum

A post in another thread made me wonder... what is your preferred method for setting the sharpening angle on a knife?

I'm confused.  None of the options fit what I do, but when I selected "Other", expecting a text box in which to specify, none appeared and my vote was tallied without specifying. 

I use an app (Wootz's) but I also always check the angle with a sharpie marker and often adjust the angle according to what the marker indicates. 

I need a choice reading "it depends".

Most of the time, sharpening my 15° bevel kitchen knives, I just reach for my kenjig. However, as we all should know, the kenjig is powered by Dutchman's tables. Dutchman's tables are never far away. I took the time to really understand them, time very well spent.

The same top drawer where I keep my kenjig is also home base for my black marker, another staple in my sharpening kit.

I have Wootz' app on my laptop. It is very accurate and reliable. It is easy to use; Wootz has designed it well. My laptop replaced my photo darkroom and is my first choice for heavy word processing. I keep it upstairs. I don't mind the extra trip to use it, however, I have standardized my Projection, bevel angle, and Distance. Therefore, I rarely need its firepower. If I did more specialized sharpening, it would be my main stay.

Surprisingly, I even use the Anglemaster occasionally. I place the knife in the jig and measure the Projection. Then I remove the knife and insert a Substitute Target into the jig, setting it for the same Projection. My substitute target is a piece of flat metal 1.25mm thick with a blunt bevel. The thichness matches the milled area of the knife jig, assuring that the target is in the same plane as the knife edge. The substitute target gives the Anglemaster a wide, flat measuring surface. Two thicknesses of plastic gift cards or two old hotel door cards work just as well. Once the Distance is set, the knife is returned to the jig at the original measured Projection.

I confess that my pocket knife is usually sharpened freehand or just gets a quick trip to the leather honing wheel.

So, my vote would be "all of the above".   

Ken

Quote from: RickKrung on June 29, 2018, 08:04:12 AM
I'm confused.  None of the options fit what I do, but when I selected "Other", expecting a text box in which to specify, none appeared and my vote was tallied without specifying. 
...

Specify just as you did... here in the forum. (There's no option to add text in the answer).

Quote from: Ken S on June 29, 2018, 11:59:53 AM
I need a choice reading "it depends".
...

And I put Kenjig... just for you. ;)

"Preferred" is what I was looking for, although I certainly enjoy reading details of what is done when, like you did here.  (Creating a conversation is what polls are about). :)