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#1
Knife Sharpening / Re: ceramic knives with the S ...
Last post by cbwx34 - Today at 03:44:19 PM
Quote from: Ken S on Today at 04:55:10 AMThis surprised me. Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/u1mMoXjHWcQ?si=gAGpWFrQJulJnGBt

Ken



I'll give it a little credibility...

I have a cheap KitchenAid ceramic knife, so I gave it a shot.  I graded the stone fine, wiped out the trough, then put in some fresh water.  After a dozen or so passes per side, I checked the water...

You cannot view this attachment.

... and there was a little improvement in sharpness, although nothing spectacular.  (The only way I've seen a real improvement in sharpness on a similar knife was with a diamond belt on a Worksharp.) Thinking about it, I probably should try a bit of honing... even though a burr isn't created, it might help refine the edge.

As mentioned above, I'm sure quality plays a part.
#2
Tormek T-1 and T-2 / revisiting a firestorm
Last post by Ken S - Today at 03:16:30 PM
I inadvertantly caused a firestorm when I posted my idea that I thought a knife only side job sharpener might be better served with a T2 instead of a T4 or T8 as his main machine. Without any evil intentions, I apparently dishonored a sacred cow.

I respect the critical replies. They are based on good, solid Tormek experience. However; I don't always agree with them. A primary criticism was that the T2 can only sharpen kitchen knives. (To be fair, as a specialty machine, it is specifically designed for chefs to maintain their knives.) As an old hand with sharpening chisels and plane irons going back to oilstones, fine tooth mill files, and sandpaper on glass, I am quite sure I could sharpen chisels and plane irons with my T2. I freely admit that the T2 is no match for a T4 or T8 with these tools. How often do chefs sharpen woodworking tools?

Most youtube videos show a knife being thoroughly abused before being sharpened. Although the T2 survives this cruel and unusual punishment, how often do we see a good chef actually abuse his knives, the tools of his trade, like this? Yes, the T2 is really designed for knives to be regularly maintained. Why would a top professional want it otherwise?

"Only knives"? Not so. The two Tormek videos demonstrate sharpening other tools which are part of every kitchen such as food processor blades and rotary blades. Especially with food processor blades, I don't know of any other jig controlled method of sharpening these.

The more recent video (Johan and Hugo) includes some things not in the first video. The wheels used originally used were DWF, as opposed to the more recent DF with side diamonds. I reduced a bolster with my DWF, although the newer DF does this more conveniently using the side of the wheel. The newer video also shows some user modifications to expand the range of the jig.

I believe through field use the T2 is evolving into an even more useful machine. I leave it to the reader to decide if he wants to include it in his sharpening kit.

Ken
#3
This design allows for use of the side of the grinding stone, but certain angles would not be cut using that approach.  For example, the single point cutters used on metal lathes have a cutting edge angle along with a rake angle.  
#4
Knife Sharpening / Re: ceramic knives with the S ...
Last post by tgbto - Today at 11:13:57 AM
A little info about the knife would help.

The edge looks kinda shiny which is odd for a ceramic blade, but I lack details and might be completely mistaken.

Also, my experience with those hard blades is that they will chip on a very tiny scale instead of being sharpened. So it might be that tiny shocks against the SG might somehow grind the edge, but again, that edge looks very refined to me. I am yet so see that kind of polishing even on a stock ceramic knife.

On the other hand, I have a supposedly "tungsten carbide" knife, that I can sharpen on the SG because it actually consists in microscopic tungsten carbides embedded in a soft matrix. The matrix gets abraded, not the carbides. Maybe some ceramic knives are made in a similar fashion.
#5
General Tormek Questions / Re: Goniostat for the Tormek
Last post by Rimu - Today at 09:38:52 AM
Very cool idea. I look forward to watching it develop.
Would some of this not benefit from using the side of the wheel for a completely flat grind?
#6
Baz is great. Love his vids. He is across town from me.

This surprises me as well. Nice to know though. Thinking about it, it will depend on the ceramic and its hardness. No doubt like steel, they will vary in hardness depending on composition.
#7
Knife Sharpening / ceramic knives with the S G
Last post by Ken S - Today at 04:55:10 AM
#8
Knife Sharpening / Re: New angle jig KS-123
Last post by tcsharpen - Today at 03:58:11 AM
Quote from: John_B on Yesterday at 08:23:49 PMGreat to hear. I have 2 support bars so for knives I will be setting one for honing and one for sharpening. I will use my jig for setting the projection distance on each knife. Going this the new KS-123 won't be used too much unless someone wants a different angle.

I also have two USB, the one on the honing side in a MB-102.  When switching knives, I set the projection, then I've just been setting up both sides with the KS-123 since it is so quick, then on to sharpening.  So far with the knives I've been doing I've not been able to maintain the same projection between knives with the KJ-45.
#9
Let me echo the sentiments of the consensus of the posters, practice makes perfect. I am relatively new to the Tormek but it was not long before I was getting good results but it did take a while to get my eye in. As with anything the experts make it look deceptively easy, and indeed it is but it does require some practice observation and as Ken says discipline.   
#10
Quote from: Ken S on Yesterday at 02:42:36 PMJohn, I have not read anything from Tormek cautioning agaiinst using ACC

You are correct. From Tormek's description "Anti-corrosion concentrate won't harm your regular grindstones if you have it in the water, so you can keep treated water if you want to switch between a diamond grinding wheel and a grindstone, and then back again."

Having said that I do recall where one user noted that the dried compound did tend to clog the wheels but it can be easily remedied.