Quote from: tgbto on Yesterday at 11:04:33 AMI've just watched the video where Tormek demonstrate the use of the KS-123.
I don't know yet if I'm going to buy one, because I feel the calculator method serves me so well. Still it is quite appealing to dispense with measurements, especially the wheel diameter one. All in all, if I didn't have my vernier calipers already, the KS-123 would be the obvious choice. It is not very expensive.
I don't find it's necessary to measure the wheel diameter as accurately as once claimed. A simple ruler will suffice, and only needs to be updated periodically. I mark the measurement on the wheel with a Sharpie, and don't bother checking it again until the marking is worn off.
A few comments on the video :
- I would have loved to have a vernier on the jig itself. Not necessarily to chase one tenth of a degree, but rather to improve the overall precision. Maybe they could just add a few markings on the composite needle plate that would help with centering on degrees or half degrees marks.
I think the markings are adequate... it's pretty easy to judge "half degrees" if wanted. But really not necessary for its intended purpose.
- It's quite funny to see them still struggling with their explanation that earlier methods (AngleMaster, uncontrolled honing, ...) were "not complex, but more complex" but really you should buy the KS-123 (and the MB-102).
Tormek has always "struggled" denied that the AngleMaster didn't work properly on knives with a taper... so probably the reason they struggle now?
- Couldn't the KS-123 also be used in combination with the sharpie trick to measure the edge angle of an unknown knife ?
Yes, once you do the "sharpie trick" just set the Projection Distance (or "protrusion" as Tormek calls it) on the KS-123, "snap" it on the USB, set it on the wheel per instructions, and it will tell you the angle.
- The fact that the KS-123 can be used with the SVM-00 assumes that it is easy to center the blade with respect to the plane of symmetry of the SVM-00. Spoiler alert: it is not. so using it the way it is demonstrated with a sloyd knife is a recipe for disaster: one will most certainly alter the edge angle of the knife and make it assymetrical. If you want to use the KS-123 with the SVM-00, you should take the time to center the blade first, with careful and repeated use of the sharpie trick. If it were easy, it would be demonstrated by Wolfgang in his video about the SVM-00. On the contrary, Wolfgang explains how to not center it.
Obviously depends on the knife, but I've used the SVM-00 a bit (more when I used a Wicked Edge sharpener for some reason), and didn't think it was that difficult to set up a knife... does take a bit of practice though.
Of course, some of the above depends on your methodology... if "decimal point" accuracy is important, I think a calculator will still be the preferred way to set things up, as well as more accurate measurements.
Quote from: tgbto on Yesterday at 02:04:02 PMDutchman, what side piece are you referring to ?
I'm guessing the MB-100 portion where you sharpen on the side of the wheel.