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Along with the fascination of precise instruments, we should sharpen in temperature controlled rooms and wear gloves to eliminate transferring body heat to our tools. 

Ken

(Just kidding. . .)

I feel completely worthless now.

For me, it was ultimately far easier to simply elevate myself than somehow lower everything else I wanted to have surrounding me. 

My workbenches have several inches of travel in their adjustable legs plus more travel in their adjustable feet; fully lowered results in a surface height of 28".  My chair/stool has 10" travel (seat height range of 22"-32"); the lowest setting allows my legs to be fully under the benches, while the highest allows the seat to be 4" higher than the base of the Tormek!

Similarly, I think you should consider raising yourself up, rather than lowering everything else, especially since you're hoping it's a temporary thing.  If the sitting requirement reverts, you could simply push the chair/stool out of the way; everything is where it always was.

Links:

Chair/stool -
     https://tinyurl.com/2x23p849 | Mine ("Urethane Tall") has the upgraded 10" stroke option (for maximum height) and their standard 18" (diameter) chrome footring.  I also added their Deluxe Adjustable Arms, as well as their Urethane Braking Casters (they release when weight is applied, which keep it stationary while you sit down).  They also have optional bin boxes / water bottle / tool holders that can be affixed to help keep things within reach, as well as Desk-Height & ESD versions.

Footrest -
     https://tinyurl.com/456a9pcs | Dangling feet seems to hurt the back of my thighs, over time; though my stool does have footring, I prefer to switch back and forth often.

+1 Colvin FVB

Granted, relative newbie here, but now 2-ish years in (solely knife/axe/spear/harpoon/arrowhead etc sharpening), and I had thought before the first one even arrived the most sensible approach was T8, then aT8 custom for each additional wheel didn't want change (turned out couldn't, easily).

But after started using I immediately realized was wrong... also simply must have another T8 custom dedicated for honing... enter the T8 Black... the seemingly obvious choice for the one machine to run dry/not get banged up, for the next 50 years... beautifully perfect. Everybody know they want one... but yes it always a matter of justification somehow isnit it.

We all have different needs/wants and we're all just learning as we go, right Ken?  "Replacement" knife jigs, now nother new adjustable angle jig, plus new multi base/fvb coming too... Seems like Tormek not mind "the metrics" associated with all us Knife Sharpening nuts.  No offense whatsoever to chisels, however. I simply chose to start with an ulu in a brand new, bent axe jig; my chisels won't run away.

It didn't sound lame at all Jim!  Personally, I would just dampen it and use a jig/"bar", however you can, tohelp keep whatever angle consistent; I sure do, whenever possible.  Keep the diamond wheel and enjoy your Black! I sure have been. Danny, I agree with your much of your thinking here.  But II really could use a few more of the "old" knife jigs too!  For me, it simply seemed like keeping the machines identical would be the least recurring work.

Where do I start? (Remember, keep it short).


I'm trying VERY hard to follow all of this (not just this thread).  And I'm trying VERY hard to apply it all to thicker knives (3/16" to 3/8"); not that I don't have thin ones too.  And I'm trying VERY hard to understand exactly how the two new knife jigs fit in with all the knowledge I've read here and use them properly. And I'm gonna have to learn all things FVB (with either the new knife jigs or old knife jigs or both).


I can no longer do a lot of things I used to; physical limitations.  Shims? Can't do. Modify my own jigs?  Can't do.  That why I ordered two of each of the new knife jigs back in mid-April from UK. It seemed to me that even with what I saw in them (in pictures/descriptions), in order to maybe eventually do what I want, I probably need have someone take an "old pair" and a "new pair" and see if they can come up with a way to make a hybrid, of sorts, combining the best aspects of the "old pair" with the best aspects of the "new pair", even if that mean destroying them all "in order to fix them" and hopefully result in a single "hybrid pair" (with a full set of original jigs not to be tampered with, of course); the goal being a solution for "my thicker stuff" that provides me higher ease of use while also applying the collective knowledge found here.


I am still capabale of understanding an awful lot.  Yet, I am very much confused, I think.


Tormek, if you're listening... Love your stuff!  Thank you for such excellent gear!  Is there any chance can get, I don't know, XL versions of some of this stuff.  I not talking about what was it SuperGrind 3000 or something like that. (Well, maybe I would buy a couple of those too, who knows.)  And I not talking about special "accessibility" versions of things. (At some point, I may have ask myself if I should really be trying do this.)  What I'm talking about is knife jigs that work easily/correctly for all knives available in the market (the thicker stuff).  Not that what exists doesn't work in the right hands... that not what I'm trying say at all.  I guess I'm saying I have knives I keep wanting to meticulously sharpen on Tormek that I don't seem be able to the ways discussed on Tormek forum, with even the new knife jigs, and I don't have the FVBs yet (which is yet a whole nother factor).  So, it all tends to drive me back to other sharpeners that I know for fact I can do exactly what I want to do on (just MUCH more slowly), which is the exact opposite of what I want to do... I "bought into" Tormek for very good reasons, and I want be able use them sharpen everything... and I have not been let down at all by the quality of my purchases... but.  Now that I say all this, I guess I do have a little bit of disappointment in there somewhere.  But that not Tormek fault!  It not my fault either!  Guess I just want some aspects of this evolve faster (before I dead) because it seem it should be so simple... join the crowd right?


If any of that make sense to some of you whom I regard as experts and you have ideas for me, PM me.  Not trying to hijack the thread... back to that... Yes, KenS, I do need the KJ-140.  I need all the other knife jigs I bought too, as well as the few Tormek items I haven't yet.  And I especially need more knife jigs that are gen3, or gen4, or gen5... whatever.  This remind me of reading something like "everyone eventually free-hand".  Yeah right.  Can't do.  So, what's next?  Any of this make sense? Maybe I just having a moment of stupidity or my meds aren't working right; obviously these happen.  Maybe I need a robot that I can teach to freehand for me, with stable hands that can safely grip all thickness knives.  (That actually might be easier for me accomplish.)  If it eventually become self-aware and decide kill me, at least I know the knife will be sufficiently:  large, sturdy, and sharp as hell!  (I really not want suffer. Get it over with real quick like please.)

Never would have guessed I would end up with so many uses for box full of binder clips I saved for decades for some reason! Nice!

YESSS... now I get... twist tie to connect weight to clip... then pinch clip and use its tension grab loose end of string. Can also be used to get string in right place. That gonna be SO much easier than trying grab string with these fat dumb fingers!  I often have found very complicated things much easier to understand than some things that prove be so simple!  Thank you both! See, I knew was my fault...

And for the sake of clarity, I agree good convex could probably be achieved by right person with either jig however they can do it best.  However, I cannot.  No way.  That is why I must, at this time, stick with avoiding convex attempts on Tormek; rather, with something like TSProf K03.  It not a Tormek bash AT ALL!  It MY limitations!

John, could you please explain what you talking about a bit further? I not envisioning any of this, but really want to.  (Sorry... I playing a bit of catch up back to beginning of January posts.)  I have hard enough time just getting the little string in the right spot, and think I'm getting pretty consistent tnesion (in part due to the washer), but would really like to always get identical tension (such as always "hooking" the same weight to it and always tightening same as possible).  I do have binder clips / twist ties... just no clue what you're talking about... which I'm sure is proably my fault.  (And to whomever might suggest... yes, I do also have some of the pre-made test clips.)

Clearly I will not encourage my wife to shop more... but this excellent tip is exactly the type of thing I need much more of.  This community so helpful!  Thank you, john.jcb!  (Though I do have BESS testers, these days, trying to find yet another piece of paper annoys me more than carrying another jug of water.)

Dammit. Anybody know why some my posts end up double-spaced with line breaks between paragraphs removed?  Sorry!

There, I fix it. I would have never guessed that what the backspace key for.  Thank you. Clearly I was more interested in why it continues to happen to me here (only ever in this forum[size=78%]) than how fix each message after the fact.  Seems to only happen when I type a response within Notepad, then copy/paste the plain text into this forum's message box, attempting to avoid other oddities that occur when simply entering text there.  I'm sure no one else ever notice anything odd there. [/size]

On a practical basis, how many knives would really benefit from having a convexed edge compared with the shallow concave standard edge of a Tormek wheel?

Ken

Since this entire topic really resonated with me, I gonna come at this one from a different angle than many of you, no pun intended. My answer to KenS original question is: Many knives would benefit from that, but not all of them.  (Clearly, caveats apply.)

I not able debate the semantics to the degree some of you are able to yet, in this particular arena, but I've never much feared any arena enough (obviously by now), and over the years I've held my own in many.  I agree with quite a number of things said by many of you (dont recall seeing one I disagreed with, acutally) in this topic, yet I compelled to add the following. (Many people read here to learn and won't post; thank you to all who eventually find the courage to post.)

Having been handed an axe and file in front of pile of saw-cut wood before I was 10, I learned what I didn't fully understnad (or certainly couldn't yet verbalize at least) for maybe twenty years.  Convex edges are much better for splitting than chopping.  Don't trust me... if you haven't yet, try it; just be careful with the convex axe / chopping part especially if you coming down on it and rember keep the head out of way. (As far as slicing, I haven't tested that on BESS tester yet, but hope to get to that someday.)  I realize KenS questions was about knives but the same principle applies. It sure seems to me it actually is really that simple. I mean, I really learn lots from all you just reading here (you welcome for all times I decide stay stilent), but I've also learned lots from taking things out with me and using (not that you havn't) "other than the manufacture specify" over the years.  So for me, personally, the answer above seems obvious;  however, the less obvious answer is the next question:  On a practical basis, how many PEOPLE would really benefit from having a convexed edge KNIFE WITH THEM compared with the shallow concave standard edge FROM a Tormek wheel? 

(Clearly myriad possible scenarios exist and we not debate them all; this is of course a Tormek forum about sharpening thus all other answers to this topic already I NOT attempting compete with.) Roughly thirty years ago, I preferred putting convex edges on any thicker knives (which I guess would call 3/16" and up, these days) due to edge durability, but I had much more strength then. Fast forward, now I prefer to have a concave edge on larger knives than I used to. (In most of my own outdoor usage scenarios, I find that I chop, or cut cross-grain, much more often than split, or cut with grain; I know I'm only talking wood here, but if you want cut your potatoes and onions with a 5/16" convex edge knife, it's your knife, your food, your fingers, so I really not care what you want do at end of day. Matter of fact, I have a footlong+ one I might lend you if I can watch. Ping me.)

If I gonna have at least a hand axe with me, it probably weighs more, at least 25d minimum (for flat ones, others 30/35d depending), and highly likely convex than it's counterpart knife that might be nearly its equal, but might also be concave (or V of course) even at 20d; I can swing it easier/faster than axe and it can cut much more deeply with same energy and much less fatigue even with less weight since concave, but still got axe for bigger jobs. (But I'm an outdoor knife/axe enthusiast who can easilt fix the tools I can manage damage.  If you can't fix as easily, or don't want to as often, you might really prefer convex edges.)  If I taking just a knife, then it probably 25d, probably 1/4" thick, or more, and definitely doesn't have a concave edge; it either V or more likely convex, depending (there KenS word he was expecting) on the knife length/weight, since its increased speed and own weight sure seem contribute to its own damage as well as to what it hits. But I routinely grab something different from the last time out, aside from my favorite bag/belt/boot knives which are much more acute angles... and I'm very lucky to have the choices.  But there it is... I have repeatedly proven to myself over many hears I much prefer always having the choice of using a convex edge, or a V, or concave edge. I guess I think of it like a sledgehammer... when you need one and don't have one, well good luck. The larger you go the more possibilities become practical, including convex edges, especially at 25d or more, and it certainlyu more than worth it, IMHO. KenS, I skip the part about plans to transform sledgehammers with my old SG wheels in future. Wrapping up...

Specifically regarding doing convex edges with Tormek, that I'll leave to you and I comeback this in future; sticking for now with my other tried and true sharpening tools... not saying the capability isn't there... in case you can't tell from my other posts... so far I've been quite impressed with most of my Tormek gear... and, for some sharpening, so far, I'll avoid it.  As I said when I started  posting, I'm experienced with sharpening, but completely new to Tormek, as of roughly several months ago, so I'm still learning a LOT.  Thank you all for helping me with that!  Since you're discussing convex knives, I hope I raised more questions than answers, so you don't simply dismiss it (to encourage your further investigation of its usefulness).

Agreed; always much to learn (bout everything for that matter).  That's certainly why many of us are here.  IMHO, the smartest people are those who realize how little they know. 

CB:  To answer question, several of both plus sabre grind. I forgot about cross section image (and obviously was unaware of stated limits)... that explain why smaller for full flat grind.  I needed see that. Thank you.


Kens: No, but I certainly will.  Thank you.


General:  Maybe I should have look around more, but I know they're both very new jigs and when I ordered them back in mid-April they're wasn't much on net about them in a language I could read.  Was very surprised to find free shipping from UK so probably jumped the gun... was so excited to try them on the thicker stuff!

Just wondering...


How far do you prefer to seat knives with a spine between .25" & .375" thick in the KJ-45/140?  (I've been trying to do this for a couple weeks and it not working out too well.  I might be sticking them in too far and the stem seem to just push apart and the inside surfaces of the clamps not touch the knive sides well.)

Woke up from too short nap and for some reason, had immediate first waking thought I need stop saying "old tried and true", as I have never meant anything at all by it (or anything else, for that matter) ; rather, it simply been much easier way for me reference the LA-220 Leather Honing Wheel. With Rich's list now so close by, there simply no valid excuse for me call it this any longer.  They just so long tap into phone, that all.