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Messages - John_B

#1
I also have too many knives. Some time ago I separated them into sets and placed them in rollups. I have a traveling set that I take with me to friends and family occasions where I am almost always asked to carve meat  or poultry and sometimes help with prep. A second sharp but less expensive set is for cooking outdoors. My best knives are in the kitchen in wooden blocks. There I have a chefs knife, slicer for bread and roasts, filet knives for breaking down meat, a couple utility knives and paring knives. Additionally I have a Japanese Usuba,Honesuki and a cleaver. Another slicing tool I use often is a mandolin. Especially useful for paper thin slices in quantity and short time.
#2
I limit my customers at around 10 total and they each bring around 6 knives more or less. It would be easy to increase but I don't have the desire. I also try and limit sharpening for this group to the colder months when outdoor activity is limited. I have had a few Shuns that had chips out of them but nothing with larger chips like you see on the internet. I also have had a couple of broken tips that needed reprofiling to fix. By my standards most of the knives they bring are moderately dull but not damaged. Since my group is so small I have worked with them on knife use, care and maintenance so the knives don't return as dull as they were the first time. I am also lucky in that none of my customers have cheap knives and no supersteel ones. For the most part I see Wusthof, Victorinox, Zwilling, Shun and Global. I manage with the SG-250 and guided honing as described in Wootz's book.
#3
I second Ken's recommendation. When I bought my T8 years ago I also bought the hand tool kit. I see the new kit also has the angle setting jig included which I find invaluable. Don't buy extra wheels until you identify a real need. I am still lusting for the diamond wheels but have not bought them yet.
#4
General Tormek Questions / Re: Sharpening Open House
September 02, 2025, 09:45:21 PM
I will probably go to this event. The big debate is whether to get up early and arrive by 10AM or to go up the day before and make a day of it then get up and go to the event. I am thinking we would enjoy the second option more.
#5
General Tormek Questions / Sharpening Open House
August 30, 2025, 10:04:53 PM
#6
General Tormek Questions / Re: Why so quiet?
August 30, 2025, 09:56:23 PM
Perhaps it is the waning days of Summer. Everyone is trying to squeeze in activities before the weather changes. Additionally it is a holiday weekend in the US and many take extra vacation days to make it longer.
#7
General Tormek Questions / Re: Vadim Kraichuk
July 22, 2025, 08:29:38 PM
Stephen, the software will no longer work on IOS devices. The software allowed you to set your desired sharpening angle and another for stropping based on the type of steel you are sharpening. I now use the KS-123 for sharpening and stropping with outstanding results. When going for more sharpness I do a second strop on another Tormek wheel with 1µ diamond spray.
#8
Knife Sharpening / Re: grinding angle software
July 19, 2025, 09:31:59 PM
The KS-123 does greatly reduce the need for calculations to set USB height. However, some owners like using the calculations and/or do not want to invest in the KS-123.
#9
Knife Sharpening / Re: Knife Jig Prototype
July 07, 2025, 11:35:52 PM
I need to check out the local college and see what tools they have available.

Anyone else have any ideas on where4 do it yourself machine shop equipment might be had?
#10
I add a couple of drops of Dawn dish soap in my water. I wonder how a bit of CLR would work in tour case?
#11
The only STL file I have seen from Tormek is for Tilt Feet. There are many STL files for different things that individuals have developed; they take some research to find.

https://tormek.com/en/products/accessories/tf-2-tilt-feet
#12
Knife Sharpening / Sharpening Serrated Knives
May 31, 2025, 10:38:25 PM
I came across a video (not Tormek related) on a cheap and easy way to sharpen serrated knives. I have an older serrated bread knife that is used at least daily and often more than that. Over the years I have noticed it's performance on sourdough bread worsening. I tried the method shown in this video and based on my sample of one it worked remarkably well. My serrations are scallop shaped. I would be interested to hear your experience using this method if you try it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jfpij6MvpY
#13
I deburr most knives at 1.5°-2° greater than the sharpening angle. This is what Vagim recommended in his book on sharpening and deburring for most steels. Is this a micro bevel? If so it has worked well for my knives and my customers.
#14
Lucky for me my customers don't sharpen anything, some have actually said they try and use the steel after I gave them some training. I think many of the chips come from inattention or poor handling. They also forget and throw several together for hand washing. I'm making progress, none use dishwasher any more.
#15
I only sharpen knives from a select group of customers. I don't want it to turn into a job. The knives I sharpen are mostly European, French and Japanese with a few Dalstrong or Chinese knives. None are super steels. Most of the knives have only been sharpened by me so I rarely have much to do. The worse I get are chips from careless use.