I am thinking of buying my first Tormek grindstone, the T-3 model. Up untill now I have used up to 4000 grit Japanese Bench Waterstones, moderate sucesss, not brillient.
Questions: a) By using the T-3 would that be an improvement on the bench stones?
b) Would I get better results, after using the T-3, to finish off using the finer grit Japanese waterstones?
c) Is it a good idea to buy a second hand Tormek machine?--'wear & tear', especially with the grindstone? ('Penny wise--pound foolish'.)
Your expertise grately appreciated.
Thank You.
Well, if you've had only moderate success with bench stones, then the Tormek may suit you. I have the equivalent of the T-7 and don't have any experience with the T-3. I bought mine several years ago and it's a big improvement over bench stones.
The Tormek claims to have a 1000 grit stone when properly graded. Using the jig, you get a smooth bevel because the angle stays constant. Using a bench stone takes more skill to keep the angle constant. But, if you could pull this off, theoretically, you'd get a smoother bevel with the 4000 grit water stone. I doubt it'd make a difference on any of the knives I use, though.
A used machine can be a good cost-saver. Check the grind stone diameter to see how much wear it has. When my machine got old it was in need of a new grind stone and a new main shaft. These machines are made well and can be repaired quite easily. I would buy a used machine if it appeared to be well cared for and was available at a good price. Things I'd look for, in addition to the amount of wear on the grind stone, would be a good-running motor, and a main shaft that's not bent or rusty.
You can read about my repair adventures by following this thread: Rusty Main Shaft http://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=929.0 (http://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=929.0)
Hi Herman
Thanks for your info--and an interesting thread: 'Rusty Main Shaft'
Mike