Messages

...snip...
That said, how do I remove the excess of material towards the grip? I found a video on YT where someone repaired a similar knive by grinding away the excess metal with a belt sander before grinding the blade. I don't have a belt sander, can I use the standard (coarse) Tormek stone for this?

M.

PS. I now can add pics, this is the knive I want to sharpen.You cannot view this attachment.

Unlike yourself, I started with a belt grinder.  I use mine quite frequently for different needs when sharpening.  I have a 1x30 variable speed Rikon, but there are a ton of different units out there.  They can be pretty inexpensive and would quickly deal with that particular issue you're having.
If you're just sharpening your own knives it may be overkill , but you will find other uses as well.

A belt grinder could be an excellent option, if you do enough sharpening and need the heavier metal removal often enough.  I have two, a Viel 1x42 and now a Vevor 1x30.  I also have diamond and CBN wheels for my T8 and a Rikon slow speed bench grinder.  All cost a good bit (but not nearly as much as a Tormek) and all perform reasonably well. 

One note of caution, belt grinders can generate a lot of heat quickly, so to avoid ruining the temper, I highly recommend one that is variable speed.  I have just recently been using the Vevor 1x30 and it can be slowed to the same low surface speed as the Tormek grinding wheels.  It can also be reversed (through programming steps) to be able to run edge-trailing.  This machined, while running about $200 USD is one of the cheaper options (to diamond and CBN wheels) and is extremely versatile, being usable for general purpose grinding of all sorts of things.  It does generate that annoying grinding grit debris, however. 

However, I think the least expensive and appropriate for the occasional heavy grinding is a traditional high speed grinding wheel mounted/adapted to a Tormek.  There has been a lot of discussion on this forum, since at least 2010 about mounting Norton 3X (blue) grinding wheels of either 64 or 80 grit.

They can be quite aggressive, run in the water bath just like Tormek grinding wheels and trued using the Tormek truing tool.  At 1" width, and (at least in the USA) an arbor hole that requires custom sleeves to adapt to the Tormek 12mm shaft.  Ken S and I have been strong proponents of this method. 

If you do a search here for "Norton" or "Norton 3X" you will find so many posts, it may be difficult to find one specific to actually doing the adaptation.  It likely will require a bushing to adapt the arbor hole and some flange washers to take up space on the shaft, due to the difference in wheel width.  I machined both because I could.  Others have found creative ways, one being 12mm fender washers.  I think someone found an online source for an adapter.  Below is a photo of an 8" Norton 3X mounted on my T8 and another of the bushing and flange washers I machined.  Here is a video of truing a 10" no-name grinding wheel on my T8.

The reason I ask is that I am very happy with my current process of sharpening, diamond wheel then using the KS123 to set the same angle on the composite wheel as I suck at free hand honing, and a quick strop and I am good to go. Unfortunately, I have to take the diamond wheel off every time I strop which slows down my production. I contacted Tormek to see if they had any plans in the future for making a wheel the same 250mm as my diamond wheel so I didn't have to keep taking it off but unfortunately, they said no.

Looking on the internet, I found a company called SLIPAKNIVEN that sells felt deburring wheels that are 250mm so I checked on YouTube and found this video  https://youtu.be/-HBpsQn7frY?si=5Vz2_x34dnnYYCMC

It looks great and would solve a lot of my problems and was wondering if anyone has had any experience using one and the pro's and con's of them.

Thanks

I think there are multiple, confounding things going on here, both with your process and desires and with Vadim's video and they are interrelated and or multi-faceted (and I'm struggling to figure out where to start). 

1) set the same angle on the composite (for honing),
2) USB configuration, 
3) take the grinding wheel off every time, and
4) position of the honing wheel.

1) Same Angle:

After Vadim's game changing research on honing angles for different types of steel, it is clear that honing at the same angle as the bevel grinding angle is less effective than selectively and purposefully setting the angle 1-2º higher than the grinding angle is far more effective at removing the burr.  That is clearly shown in the linked video, but that is not even where he demonstrates it as effectively as in some of his other work.  If you haven't yet, get, study and understand Vadim's "Deburring Book".

2) USB Configuration:
You didn't say it, but is sounds like you are using the USB in the horizontal (front) slots for honing.  This was the standard Tormek method until Vadim invented the "Frontal Vertical Base" (FVB), which adds a vertical adjustment component to the front USB position.  Use of the FVB is clearly shown in Vadim's video and is key to, 1) lessening the conflict between the grinding and honing wheels and setting the honing angle to greater than the grinding angle.  The FVB has become such an integral part of using a Tormek that Tormek itself modified their (MB-100) Multi-Base to incorporate the same functionality as aftermarket FVBs (a highly unusual move for Tormek), in their MB-102 Multi-Base. 

3) Take the grinding wheel off every time:
The conflict between the honing and grinding wheels had been a long time problem, until advent of the FVB, necessitating removal of the grinding wheel in order to hone.  Using an MB-102 or FVB puts the USB at a higher position over the honing wheel and, depending on the knife, can eliminate or reduce the movement conflict with the grinding wheel.  This is still with using the leather or composite wheel for honing.  I am one of probably many that find it still works better to take the grinding wheel off every time when honing and for me it is just part of the process. 

4) Position of the honing wheel:
It sounds as though you want to put at 250mm honing wheel on the honing wheel side of your Tormek.  I think that will just exacerbate the conflict issues, even with the use of and FVB (or MB-102).  When I was using a 10" rock hard felt wheel for honing - it was mounted on the grinding wheel side of my T8, so honing was not done on the honing wheel side.  If you notice, this is exactly where Vadim has his felt wheel mounted.  Using the felt wheel in that position obligates changing the wheels every time.  It is inescapable.  One way to avoid this would be to have a second Tormek dedicated to honing. 

Looks like a really cool and useful tool.  As long as woodworkers have been dealing with that sort of need, why has this not been invented before?

I suspect the bump you removed in the rubber drive wheel had nothing to do with the drive, rather I think more likely it was from the machine sitting, unused for a long time, giving the drive shaft time to create a depression in the rubber.   

Keeping the knife jig collar against the support bar should come with experience.  I assume you are speaking of using it on the vertical bar, grinding edge-leading.  I wonder if you are exerting more pressure on the knife against the grinding wheel than is necessary, which could cause it to want to "travel with" the grinding wheel, pushing it away from the support bar. 

I received the new scissors jig as well, but have not had a chance to use it.  I've sharpened a lot of scissors on the old one and find it works quite well.  I got the new one because I have found other uses for the rest platform from the old version for making custom tool rests and the slick sliding surface can be a boon for some operations.  I even purchased a second platform some years ago for making modified rest platforms.

You cannot view this attachment.

You may not really be doing anything wrong, it just happens.  I use the drip trough extension that is intended for capturing spillage from long knives and a 3D printed drip tray attached to the front USB slots and still get water puddling below the machine.  To keep that spillage off my workbench, I have been using a standard, old-school (literally) cafeteria tray.  When using the Tormek ACC additive, I lift my T8 out after a while and pour the spillage back into the drip trough. 

I have encountered a similar issue about keeping the blade flat on the stone. The blade holder keeps hitting the post of the threaded part of the universal support bar. I am unable to slide the blade holder smoothly along the bar. What should I do to avoid this?

What is the configuration you are using?  Vertical/rear USB (edge-leading) or Horizonatal/front USB (edge-trailing), with or without an FVB?  Only happening when grinding or when honing on one of the Tormek honing wheels?  Photos showing when it is happening might help alot in understanding how/why this is happening. 

It has a 1/2" arbor bore, so it would need a bushing to fit the Tormek 12mm shaft.  That is a difference of 0.472" vs 0.500", or 0.028" total and 0.014" wall thickness tube.  Good luck finding that.

You may also want to try using less pressure when sharpening and honing. A more delicate touch is also a good skill if you ever move to the diamond wheels.

I agree strongly with this ^^^^ ... and watching closely the little hump of water pushed up as the blade contacts the stone (edge-leading), which should be as uniform as possible all the way across. 

I wonder if that flattening stone wouldn't wear with use in a way similar to the Tormek grading stone.  I would opt for using diamond plates.  While they may wear out, they won't ever get uneven like the grading stone and possibly that flattening stone. 

Hi, how are you? I can't find it. I saw a link to a knife sharpness chart here on the forum. It looks like a test. How to check the sharpness of a knife when you don't have a device. I remember there being mention of cash register tape -?Bess and cigarette paper- ?Bess .....
Thanks.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Peaceful skies.

The chart you seek can be found in Vadim's book, "Knife Deburring".  Amazing and informative book.

It is also in the BESS PT50 series manual.  See below, PDF file and a JPG image

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Is the blade worn something like this?
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/BPWKJC/an-old-chefs-knife-which-has-been-sharpened-until-the-blade-is-worn-BPWKJC.jpg
It would be useful to see a photo of your knife to be able to advise you better.
"A picture is worth a thousand words" as they say...

Danny

Yes, or what is sometimes referred to as a "Bird's Beak", like this.

...snip...
And finally, I have read about the FVB, I was waiting a bit to buy one because I didn't need one enough to purchase one. It never occurs to me that the the MB-102 can do that job.
...snip...

Yes, Tormek had the MB-100 initially.  They modified it to add the vertical holes to hold a USB in the vertical position, to provide the functionality of an FVB, thus the MB-102.  An astounding move on their part as they have not incorporated user's concepts much in their highly guarded patents, etc., but much welcomed by their user communities.   

...snip...

It could almost work like this. The problem is because the resting plate is so wide, the second scissor kind of touch the plate (closing the scissors).

To fix it, I put a piece of wood on top of the plate. While the scissor is open 90 degree, it can go as far as the stone.

To be able to have a proper angle, I also had to thicken the piece of wood.

...snip...

Very interesting and curious. 

One curiosity is, why do you not use the standard scissors jig platform rather than the Tormek SVD-100 Tool Rest? It has at least two advantages, 1) plastic sliding surface for easier movement and 2) allows getting the support bar closer to the grinding wheel, providing more support close to the wheel. 

You cannot view this attachment.

An obvious answer could be that it is wider than the SVD-100 which makes the interference at the wheel worse, which is your primary issue (red ellipse in image). 

You cannot view this attachment.

I see two things you could try, one being most likely to solve the problem, the other may help with this, but many of us have found to be a huge help in other ways. 

1) Modify the platform jig, whichever one you use, to remove material to eliminate the interference.  It could be as simple as using a hacksaw to cut away the entire side of the platform.  Or it could be just removing some of the underside that slides on the USB so that the platform can move/slide over further before is stopped by the USB.  I did this a couple way.  Sort of the first option was to cut the scissors jig into two pieces and modified them to provide narrower platforms.  The second is shown in the photo with the several jigs, lower left corner one.  It is also shown, more elegantly with by the cutaway on the underside of the drill bit platfrom, which was done on a milling machine. 

You cannot view this attachment.

You cannot view this attachment.

The other thought, that goes to needing to elevate the work with the wooden block, is to use the Tormek MB-102 and a USB to achieve that elevation, yet allow you to use jigs and platforms directly on the USB bar.  This sort of device was originated by the late Vadim Kraichuk of Knife Grinders of Australia, known as the "Frontal Vertical Base" (FVB), in part to provide clearance of the knife and jig during honing.  The functionality of the FVB has since been incorporated into the modified Multi-Base, MB-102.

You cannot view this attachment.

Any marker will do.  I prefer Sharpie markers. 

Be forewarned, using markers on sharp edges will ruin the tips, whittling them down to little nubs.  So, only use markers you are willing to have damaged and made unusable for other purposes.