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Right again, I forgot about the split.

Out of curiosity, have you checked with Tormek that they won't consider it a patent infringement on their SVM-45 and/.or KJ-45 ?

And if not, would it be less expensive overall to just go all the way and may an entire jig from scratch, free from compatibility constraints with the KJ ?

Pretty sure you're right, which is why (paraphrasing) "centering doesn't matter" is repeated.  Basically, just remaking an SVM jig from KJ parts.

Ooh damn, you're right. I don't know the price point for this but postage included it might well make it an expensive SVM-45.

Wouldn't that kind of adapter with the right fit do the trick for le$$ if one doesn't care about centering ? Saw off the end of the KJ before the middle stop, glue it inside the hole, use an embedded M8 nut as an adjustable stop ?

Hi,

I'm not sure I got it right but from what I can see in the video, One jaw (the one with the threaded cylinder) is fixed relative to the shaft of the jig, while the other (the "shorter" one) moves. so it would seem that it negates the advantage of the KJ over the KVM, namely to have symmetrical clamping. But maybe I'm wrong.

I believe that an efficient way of solving this is one where the plastic part of the clamp is similar to the KJ, but threaded at the end (as the KVM one) and an adjustable handle is attached. Probably with an additional nut on the far side to solve the problem where the handle rotates while sharpening. As it is a fairly obvious combination of both the old and new design, I'm not sure this would be patentable though.

<edit> And for reference sake, a design for 3D-printing that was uploaded a few weeks ago : See on printables.com . It seems more or less to follow the same idea.</edit>

I will also concur with the advice to stick to the SG for knives : the SJ has a tendency to leave an edge with much less "tooth", so you might achieve nuclear fission for the first few femtometers of the stroke, but after a few contacts with the cutting board you might endup with more of that dreaded slipping feeling on softer vegetables. In my experience, the ungraded SG (or fine graded SG if you want a more refined edge) followed by a thorough honing on the leather wheel with PA-70 compound will work wonders.

Moreover, the claims by Tormek that a knife sharpened with the SJ won't require honing is simply untrue, at least on standard soft to mid-hardness knives. The SJ will leave a burr, that might not be visible even under a microscope, but there *will* be soft metal at the APEX that you will want to hone anyway.

I would also second the MB-102 as being the single most important accessory. That or the longer USB if you want to properly sharpen anything longer than 8".

https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Sharpening-Supplies-Left-Handed-Sharpening-Stones-W453.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24I-APR
 

"LMAO technology"

What laser do you use?

The IR one is the Atomstack R30 V2.

I do have reservations with engraving lines on a chisel, if they are part of a quick setup scheme. Multiple sharpenings will shorten the chisel, thus making the lines inaccurate. Bevel angles also seem iffy to me. If obtained from the knife manufacturer, are they chosen for best cutting or minimum customer complaints. I think I would rather rely on the sharpener's experience.

The use for chisel I'm not sure about. It takes about 5 seconds to engrave a fine line on the back of my chisel so I'll see how it goes. I don't use them often, but the idea would be to always reference to the line that is closest to the handle.

For knives, I - most of the time - don't use manufacturer angles. I agree they're often chosen for minimum customer complaints with customers who have no idea how to maintain knives, and so the cutting experience is significantly degraded. Even for Shun knives where 16° seems a perfect choice, I slightly changed the angle to 15 dps so I can quickly resharpen a bulk of 15 dps knives without having to change projection distance. I mostly use 12.5, 15 and 18 dps. Knowing what angle to input to the calculator allows to get a burr in a couple of passes with minimal material removal. I use the knives library of my beloved TormekCalc spreadsheet when I'm not sure what angle to set, then engrave it when I'm done.

Hey everyone,

I thought I'd share with you my findinds pertaining to laser engraving. I started with a 5W output 455 nm, and I managed to get sub-par results by coating the blade beforehand (sharpie, mustard, painter's tape...).

I recently acquired a USD 400ish 2W 1064nm IR head, and the results are amazing. I can engrave knife blades with the sharpening angle or with their owner's name. I can also put a straight mark on a chisel right where I want. It can also mark plastics (preferably light or dark as the result is kind of greyish), so handles can be marked too.

It might be a nice addition to a premium sharpener's toolset. Mine is an open-frame one, so quite bulky, but there are also portable versions that will engrave up to 70x70 mm.

Cheers,

Nick.

There are 3D-printed parts that work wonders too.

See https://www.printables.com/search/models?q=tormek%20drip%20tray

Perra, this is brilliant !

Along with the fascination of precise instruments, we should sharpen in temperature controlled rooms and wear gloves to eliminate transferring body heat to our tools. 

Ken

(Just kidding. . .)

Such as plunging our one-yard measuring rod in a bucket of ice and water as part of approximating the speed of light on Mount Wilson ? As well we should.

2 (french) cents in the discussion : there's a french word called "pansement".

It is usually used as a synonym for what I used to call "band-aid" in the US, or "dressing" such as after surgery. But it is also a synonym for "plaster", for which there is another french word sharing the same latin origin : "emplâtre".

Cheers,

Nick.

As far as a tool for the angle setting process, I would recommend a mechanical dial caliper, rather than vernier. 

Rick,

You're right, obviously. But there's something I always found fascinating with having sub-1/10th mm precision with such a basic tool.

Ken,

I hope this is only temporary and you will get better soon.

As far as the Tormek is concerned, I have no doubt you will find a solution even with the heavyweight T-8. You should probably begin by how you need to sit to feel comfortable and relaxed. Your choice of stool, chair or the like is the critical item in my view, more so than the Tormek installation. It should also accomodate the fact that your Tormek will need to be quite close to your body to avoid stress to your arms and back.

Then I'm sure your DIY skills or your favorite contractors will find a very basic table to lay your T-8 on at the perfect height using a minimal amount of real estate, and your rotary base on top of your rubber mat will work wonders.

Cheers,

Nick.

If I may, the newest MB-102 will be both a cheap FVB as well as a useful addition to your lineup. The US-430 is a must for knives. A nice pair of vernier calipers will come in handy with the software.

The way I see it, I don't mix SG/SJ stones with the diamond ones. They have very different scratch patterns, they require ACC if you want to use them wet, require much lower pressure, ... They will have an interest if you want to sharpen carbide tools or need constant wheel diameters for your process. You're talking about scissors, they're not to be sharpened with diamond stones unless you want to destroy the wheel real quick.

SG250 to DF won't refine much, and change your scratch pattern. If you're into polished edges (which are usually not recommended for most kitchen knives, outdoor blades and scissors), that might do more harm than good. Also, there are mixed experiences with paper or felt wheels on standard-steel knives.





 

+1 for the WSKO for quick deburring. The leather belt with Tormek paste does wonders.