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Welcome to the forum, Uncle Build.  Good question. Email digital photos of your jigs to Tormek support (support@tormek.se). Support can identify them for you.
Or, you could post photos on the forum for us to identify.

If you register your tormek on the website (tormek.com) you can downloadthe latest online edition of the handbook. No charge for any of thesechoices.

Ken

Welcome tothe forum, Jim. I would suggest the Original T8. The included SG-250 and leather honing wheel are "the weapons of choice" for almost all of your sharpening list, being a second, but very usable choice for high speed steel turning tools. Study the Tormek online training classes. You will find that the experienced Tormek training staff all prefer the SG-250.

Do not become enamored with the 50 warranty of the black edition model. The machine itself is identical with the blue Original T8. Tormek is ontinually innovating. You will not be using today's Tormek fifty years from now any more than you will be driving today's auto fifty years in the future. Today's Tormek will probably still be working then; however, fifty years of innovation will make it obsolete.

Don't handicap your progress with more than one grinding wheel.Masterthe SG-250 first.

Start with chisels and plane irons. A 3/4" chisel can teach you a lot, and the jig comes included with the Original T8.

Keep us posted.

Ken

Rolsen,

You present a logical case for many Tormek owners. Not all of us are under time pressures. A home sharpener or someone with a not very busy farmers market set up might reasonably question the cost effectiveness of another $78 scissors jig. A high volume sharpener or someone under time constraints might feel differently. A sharpener with a T2 might be happy to find a jig compatible with his machine.

I would recommend that anyone looking to purchase a first scissors jig opt for the new one. I do not foresee the older jigs being substantially discounted.

Ken

Rich,

There is something to be said for "very easy to use". You are obviously a T8 sharpener. I am pleased to know that Tormek also caters to cooks who want very sharp knives they can sharpen themselves with equipment very easy to use. Good choice.

Ken

If you have a T2 and would like to use it to sharpen scissors, check out the new SC-60 Scissors Jig.

Ken

John,

With my "busy" retiree schedule, I was able to watch the live class. I have also watched it a second time this morning. However; I feel handicapped by having neither the jig literature nor the jig to get a better feel for it. So, this reply has a higher than comfortable guess factor.

I appreciate the improved set up features of the new jig. To me, the primary advance is its compatibility with the T2. While the primary focus of the T2 is knife sharpening in commercial kitchens, increasing the scope to include scissors seems a nice improvement.  At this point, I cannot tell how useful the platform of the new jig will be as a platform, especially with the T2. (This may be a useful addition for Rich Colvin's 3D designed tools as shown in his Sharpening Handbook.)

I suspect there is much yet undiscovered potential with the new jig.

Ken

This may be a good time to remind everyone to register their Tormek machines on the Tormek website. The service is free, and extends the regular warranty from five years by another three years. Registration is simple and well explained on the website. registration also allows access to the latest online edition of the handbook. I have found it very to have the handbook loaded onto my ipad. The online handbook is available in sixteen languages at no charge to registered owners.

Don't overlook Tormek support (support@tormek.se). Things which we users might possible encounter once, support handles on a daily basis.

Ken

Welcome to the forum, Dillon.

Your problem is generally corrected by removing the leather honing wheel and roughing up the rubber drive wheel a bit with abrasive paper to create more friction. This is covered in the handbook and several online classes. The good part is that I don't recall anyone needing to do it more than once.

Please let us know either way, whether it works or not.

Ken

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Ken
 

Those of us who follow my posts may realize that I generally lean toward Tormek products and technique. However, I try to remain open minded. I was an early convert to Herman's Homemade Small Platform. I purchased my first Frontal Vertical Base from Wootz (KnifeGrinders) long before Tormek introduced the MB-102

I have never liked using dry wheels on a T8.

I think we have two issues here:
    1) The use of a second grinding wheel on a Tormek
    2) The use of that wheel dry.

I have no problem with Slipakniven. I purchased several items from Slipakniven and have no complaints about their service or the quality of their products. For anyone wishing to use a second wheel, I would recommend also purchasing their threaded nut and plastic extra tray and mount. I would not use any wheel dry with a T8 and recommend using ACC.

Ken

Herman,

I can imagine uses for many jigs incorporating the Torlock. It could be applied with the universal support bar, with the support bar for the T2 and T1, and with the MB-102 Multi Base. It could be incorporated into a drill bit jig for smaller bit sizes. With interchangeable top pieces, it could add precision sharpening of metal lathe bits to the scope of the Tormek.

I can see great potential when the Torlock is combined with 3D printing and home shop machining.The Tormek has come a long way since Torgny first imagined it for sharpening his father's carpentry tools.

Ken

I am familiar with three different designs of small platform jigs. The reason for a small platform is being able to sharpen the full length of both bevels without needing to reposition the jig. I have made several using Tormek's larger platform. While these worked reasonably well, I disliked having the higher center of gravity. A friend made me two small platforms similar to Herman's jig based on the scissors jig. These work much better. Both of these designs utilize Tormek's patented Torlock. which locks the jig more securely with less pressure than a straight bore.

Rich's 3D jig works very well. Although it does not utilize a Torlock, it is a clever one piece design. Whether one chooses to purchase it readymade through Rich or Do It Yourself 3D printing, the simple design is very cost effective.

I have long advocated having a small platform jig as part of every knife sharpener's kit. Rich's 3D printed version does this in a very cost effective way.

Ken

As an aside, years ago, when I was testing CBN wheels (Diamond wheels had not been introduced then), I tried going directly from my 80 grit CBN wheel to my leather honing wheel with PA-70. After longer honing with full pressure, I achieved a respectable BESS reading of 135 with my chisel. I then sharpened another identical chisel with SG-250 coarse, then fine, then leather honing wheel with PA-70. This produced BESS 100, a noticeable improvement with possibly less wear on the leather wheel. I filed the direct 80 to leather wheel under "possible, but not practical".

Ken

Herman,

My apologies for omitting your small platform from my post. I intended no slight. Even though Ionut actually made the first prototype, I credit you with making the first working model which is still in service.

I would like to update my post by including a very recent variation on your small platform. Rich Colvin sent me a 3D printed version of the small platform. It strikes me as a very practical use of 3D printing for the Tormek. Rich plans to share the plans on his Sharpening Handbook. I believe he also plans to make completed platforms available at a very reasonable cost in both 40 ad 50mm widths. This strikes me as a logical development of a very good idea.

Ken

Good point, Herman. a couple suggestions Plan ahead by making sure your knife is always sharp and honed before going into battle and, whenever practical bring a pocket diamond stone with you.

Ken