Messages

TGB,

Your points are well taken. It may surprise you; however, I agree with you. In my own sharpening, I use a set of three DMT diamond cards. Each is epoxied onto a piece of steel 2" x 8" x 1/16". This was a piece of 2' steel from my local hardware store cut into thirds. These are placed into older square edge jig (s).

I fully credit Wootz for conceiving the idea o using diamond plates to keep grinding wheels true and graded. I consider my minor modification a small improvement. Wootz' premature passing was tragic in many ways. Who knows what concepts Wootz would have developed with a longer life.
believe both truing and grading are developing concepts. I do not believe either Wootz' concept or my modification will prove to be the end all.

I often do not know the experience level of the members involved. Some members, like you, are obviously more skilled than the majority of the membership. I suspect most members are still using the stone grader, many using it very infrequently. For some, I believe these suggestions might be a step up in their technique. I encourage more advanced posts like yours. It will help us all grow.

Ken

This topic is an expansion of my TT-50 topic. The same concept of average cutting efficiency can be applied to the stonegrader. It works in both keeping the stone coarse and fine. Again, I recommend watching the Pressure online class linked here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/7laP_ysnMwo?si=FzjiYp79vs5zLKfS

Ken

I have posted before about my preferred TT-50 technique. I learned this by "resharpening" a turning skew. I set the jig according to the booklet recommendations and soon realized that the skew did not fit the standard specs. Instead of just resetting the skew to match the existing specs, I decided to regrind it to the Tormek jig specs. Bad move. It created a lot of time consuming work. The one bright spot was that I became fluent with my TT-50. I should have just shifted the skew gradually, correcting it over several sharpenings.

This experience helped me develop my mental bar graph of using the TT-50. Imagine a bar graph where the horizontal axis represents use time of the tool. The vertical axis represents the cutting efficiency (sharpness) of the tool. The tool begins with 0 time and 100% cutting efficiency. As the tool is used,  the cutting efficiency gradually decreases. Eventually, the TT-50 is used to restore the stone to 100% efficiency. Combining all the points lets us arrive at an average cutting efficiency.

If the TT-50 is used more often, the average cutting efficiency is improved. This principle is shown in the online class on Pressure. Done frequently, only a very light cut is needed, perhaps only half a number on the micro adjust. Wear on the grinding wheel in minisculs. For heavier or prolonged use, efficiency can be improved by leaving the TT-50 preset in a second support bar.

Here is a link to the Pressure online class. There is much good information in it.

https://www.youtube.com/live/7laP_ysnMwo?si=FzjiYp79vs5zLKfS

Ken

When I purchased my first Tormek in 2009, in the US, "the Tormek" was the T7. In hindsight, like Integrale, if the T4 was available, it would have been quite adequate for my needs, either blue or Bushcraft version. No complaints with my faithful T7.

John, one of my pet ideas over the years has been using a single ball bowling bag to carry my T4. (It also works with a T2 or T1.) I think it makes an ideal way to carry a mobile Tormek. My Brunswick bag cost around thirty dollars US. I wish it had been available in blue with gold trim, the colors of Sweden and King Magnus III. In my humble opinion, that would have been really classy. However, my black bag is perfectly functional.

I removed the grinding wheel. I placed the wheel in its cardboard box. The box fits in the bottom of the bag. The T4 sits on the wheel box. A plastic food container would provide more water protection, but a sealable baggie would also work with the box. i lent my T4 to a friend for an extended trial run. I was surprised by how much my humble bowling bag held. Several jigs, truing tool, stone grader, etc., protective plastic cloth, extension cord, more etc.

The neckstrap makes carrying very convenient. I can even imagine using public transportation for mobile urban sharpening.

Ken

The phrase, "including, but not limited to" is a legal phrase which can also apply to the Tormek machines. Tormek marketed the smaller, 200mm diameter wheel machines as being for hobbiests. With no disrespects intended toward hobbiests, I believe the improvements introduced with the T4 go well beyond the hobbiest realm. In fact, the machined zinc top designed to limit the heat of the T4 later became the primary difference between the T7 and the T8. The old "thirty minute duty cycle" is a leftover from the certification test for older models with all plastic housings which retained the motor heat. The machined zinc top of the T4 (and T2) acts like a radiator and disperses the heat. It also provides a three bundred percent precision improvement in the alignment of the main shaft and support sleeves.

The standard size of dry grinders in 200mm wheel diameter or "eight inch" in the US. Many old timers like me are still using fifty year old smaller six inch grinders. While the reigning champ is still the 250mm grinding wheel, the T4 "hobby" wheels are the same diameter professional eight inch dry wheels, and the Tormek wheels are thicker.

The Tormek 200mm universe is still evolving. A major step forward was the introduction of diamond wheels. These were first introduced as the DWF-200 and DWC-200 for the T2. Within a half hour of the arrival of my T2 and DWC, I discovered the DWC was also a perfect fit for the T4 and greatly increased its "horsepower". The switch from the DWS wheels to the DW series made flat grinding using the side of the wheel possible and added the extra fine wheel to the lineup. (The slanted composite honing wheel of the T2 also fits the T4.) In my opinion, the T4 wheel evolution is still not completed. I hope Tormek will eventually introduce a SB-200 blackstone.

Still underdeveloped markets for Tormek are older users and users with smaller workshop space. A T8 is a lot to carry for us senior citizens. A T4, especially with its grinding wheel removed, is pleasant to carry and requires less shop space. In a larger shop with a permanent space, this is not a problem. For a senior or an apartment dweller, this could be the deciding factor between a Tormek and going back to bench stones.

I am not advocating the T4 regular or Bushcraft for everyone. There are certainly situations where the T8 is the logical choice. High volume professional sharpening or situations like regularly sharpening larger drill bits certainly favor the T8 size machines. All of the jigs work with the T4, although some heavier applications favor the T8.

When the T4 was first introduced in 2014, I remember posts suggesting the T4 as a "starting" Tormek, with intentions of eventually "upgrading" to a T7. I don't recall many posts from users who eventually made that switch. Some, no doubt, coveted the "big engine V8"; however, I suspect most realized that the T4 was quite capable of handling their needs.

Incidentally, except for the color and marketing, the regular and Bushcraft models are identical. Neither is limited to hobby use.

Ken

Tormek IT replied that according to our hosting service, we had an attack by a botnet. That is way above my paygrade, however, we are hopefully done with it.

Thanks for being alert, guys.

Ken

Mike,
I have experienced the same failure rate today. I sent a status update request to Tormek IT. I will post any updates.
Ken

test

the forum appears to be working again!

Ken

Well stated.

Ken

I have two suggestions:

The first is to use the standard leather honing wheel. use the KS-123 set up jig to set the grinding wheel and the leather honing wheel. Use one support bar in the vertical position for grinding. Use a second support bar in the horizontal position for honing. The KS-123 makes this set up very fast. There is no need to remove a wheel.

The second suggestion is to devote some time to learning how to hone free hand. This is the  way the Tormek instructors work. While this skill may require some time to learn, once learned it will serve you for a lifetime.


Ken

I agree with Sir Amwell. In my opinion, the use of CBN wheels dry evolved from one vendor being fed up with warranty complaints from customers carelessly leaving grinding wheels in the water troughs when not in use. I think Tormek reluctantly went along with dry use to placate the dry customers. The Tormek is a wet grinder.

I have watched very skillful Tormek users work with almost no spillage. I believe excessive spillage is largely caused by overfilling the trough. The Tormek instructors use their machines with ACC in the online classes. If users can afford several diamond or CBN wheels, the cost of ACC should not be a problem.

Ken

Done. Thank you, Tormek IT!

Ken

Rich,
As a thrifty person, I understand wanting to squeeze all of the juice from a grinding wheel. However, I would interject another point of view. The late Terry Beech was one of the most prolific Tormek knife sharpeners. He was also one of the thriftiest. His mobile shop was an ancient VW bus. His Tormek was an ancient model he purchased used. In addition to his local sharpening he also coached sharpeners. Here is a link to his obituary:

https://montereybayfarmers.org/market-news/the-sharpest-guy-at-the-market

He routinely replaced his grinding wheels once they were worn to 220mm, because beyond that point they became inefficient. Surface speed is circumference x RPM. Below 220mm he felt the wheel slow down interfered with grinding efficiency.

Ken

I learned how to drive with a stick shift on a VW Bug in the 1960s. It was great fun, and met all my driving needs. I won't disparage all the improvements over the years; however, if I was still driving, that VW would still fulfill my needs.

My sharpening needs have always been simple. I sharpen only my own tools and knives. My kitchen knives are Victorinox and Henckel. Other knives are an assortment of basic SAK, Mora, and Buck. I have no desire to own more exotic higher priced knives. I fully acknowledge that my sharpening needs might change if I sharpened more exotic knives or sharpened professionally. I don't see that happening.

For my needs, the SG is all that I need. ( I have noticed that the Tormek instructors on the online classes almost universally prefer the SG, although they have full access to any of the Tormek grinding wheels.) Gradual wear in the SG is really not a big deal. Nor is using the stone grader to adjust the grit. Foro forty years, that was the only choice for Tormek users and just accepted, just like manual transmission. The SG offers advantages the superabrasive wheels do not have. The wheel can be reshaped with radiused corners, something I recommend for general use. Surface damage can be repaired as well as bringing up fresh grains. The SG has a lot to offer. For those needing to sharpen harder steels frequently, the SB offers these advantages in a wheel designed for harder steels.

Ken

In my opinion, the leather and composite wheels were designed for two different purposes. The leather with honing compound was designed for working with wet sharpening, the "traditional Tormek technique". The composite honing wheel was designed for the T2 and later T1. They were designed to work in commercial or home kitchens where water and honing compound would be undesirable. Tormek later added a composite honing wheel for the T8. The smaller composite wheel also works with the T4, which is essentially the same machine as the T2.

I have both honing wheels. I admit this is overkill for my simple needs. I also have two T8s, each with a different boning wheel. For someone starting out, I would recommend the SG wheel and leather honing wheel with PA-70 honing compound. After gaining proficiency, feel free to spread out if you feel the need.

Ken