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Sorry, just noticed you said you have a T4. I should say that I have a T8 and this may not be exactly the same for your T4.
Danny

Not quite sure if you are having a problem with the rubber drive wheel or the leather covered honing wheel, or both...

I mounted my rubber wheel on my lathe and sanded it smooth no problem. There was a little dent in the rubber. This was caused by the motor block bar resting on the wheel when unused for a long time.

For the honing wheel, It is not a good idea to remove the leather (if that is what you mean?)
You can just sand the leather down in place over any bumpy bits, usually near the joint. If you do it mounted on the machine, careful with the dust, it can be a little messy. Using a block or flat piece with 120 grade or 180 should be fine.

Danny

I too am interested if somebody finds a good replacement for the knife grinders app

I have been getting by since Vadim died by keeping an old iPhone with the apps on it, dedicated for just their use and disconnecting it from the Internet so that the iPhone will not update rendering the apps obsolete for the newest software

I think I have a version of the software for my PC but I haven't used it in ages and have a new computer and I am constantly worried that something will happen to my dedicated "knife grinders" iPhone and I will be crap out of luck

I use the Calcapp app for all my sharpening needs - Knives, chisels, plane blades etc. I find it very quick and repeatable. I only have one KJ-45 jig and have no problem getting a consistent 15° for all my knives. Just a simple measure of the projection for the knife with calipers, put that measurement in the app and bingo, simply adjust the height of the USB. Rinse and repeat...
Also, it is very repeatable. I can do the same knives one month later and find the bevel angle is very, very close to the previous sharpening. I usually use the marker anyway just so I see how close it is to previous session sharpening and it is pretty much spot on.

Just got an email alert

New product from Tormek.
https://tormek.com/en/products/accessories/tf-2-tilt-feet

  

I know I have said it already      but the Calcapp is just so useful and very easy to use for knives, planes and chisels (and others!)
Very accurate, easy to use, reliable and repeatable. Sorry, I am not on commission! Just enjoy using it.
Danny

Yes, much more difficult to measure such a small part but you should be able to guestimate it, maybe by just putting the bevel gauge on the tip at a slight angle so it doesn't contact the top end of the bevel???

Hi Danny,

Many thanks for your reply.

- How you measure your angle ?

I measure the resulting bevel angle using either my Veritas bevel gauge or my Axminster Tools gauge.

Many thanks, Hugh

Hi Hugh, thanks for getting back to us here. I think we are a bit intrigued as to what may be the problem.
When you say that you "measure the resulting bevel angle using either my Veritas bevel gauge or my Axminster Tools gauge" it was not exactly what I meant when I was trying to get info about how you measure it. What I meant was - what part of the bevel are you measuring? i.e. if you are measuring the bevel from apex to the other end then the measured angle will be greater than the real cutting angle.
See this crude drawing I just made to try to illustrate what I mean:


The green line is the real measure of the angle and the red one is not an accurate measure due to the shape of the curved concave bevel. This could account for the higher angle you are "seeing".

Sorry if this is just me repeating myself but you didn't mention if you were going over the whole bevel or not when measuring... As I said this would be more slightly pronounced using a T4 with the smaller diameter wheel.
I won't say it again, I promise

Danny

.....How you measure your angle ?

Cheers,

Nick.

To me, this question is very important. it may be a good part of getting to solve your angle problem. It took me a while (mentally!) to get what was happening with the finished angle. What confused me was the curve on the bevel.

In order to measure correctly, we need to measure just the angle at the bevel tip (even though it is not easy) as that is where the cutting edge is.
If we measure over the whole bevel, the angle will be greater as the concave curve sweeps up away from the tip. Not sure if it is 5° difference or not but that will also change if you are using a T8 or T4 due to the wheel diameter difference.

The second picture in this post shows what I mean.
https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?msg=31650

I know you are using the anglemaster now but I must say that I ended up using the Calcapp to get the desired angle and I have to say I use it for all knives, chisels and planes now. It is extremely accurate. I haven't used the AngleMaster for a very long time.

https://connect.calcapp.net/?app=qq0pg0#/

Big thanks to member cbwx34n for this.

Danny

This video was posted lately

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pYi7P1ynw0

It shows a method (and gives an explanation of how it works) to renew the edge of the chisel.

Danny

[Calculator method is the most precise method to set actual grinding angles. It's also the most reproducible at the cost of being somewhat cumbersome.]

...

Principles & Assumptions:
-    Calculator method is the most precise method to set actual grinding angles. It's also the most reproducible at the cost of being somewhat cumbersome.
-    KS-123 is easy to handle and - with proper and careful handling -  sufficiently reproducible...

Just to add my two cents, I have to say that I find the calculator method (Calcapp by Cbwx34)

https://connect.calcapp.net/?app=3fp8xu#/

extremely easy, reliable and repeatable. This goes for knives and chisels, planes etc.
Each time I resharpen my knives, I set the angle very quickly to 15° with this and it is pretty much bang on from the previous sharpening.

I have not used the KS-123 so can't comment on that but I don't see any need personally, having the app is very easy.
It did take me a little moment to get used to using it but it is pretty straightforward.
Danny

the Tormek PR-250 would appear to be a dedicated knife sharpening machine 
https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/tormek-pr-250-mit-stein-sg-250-220-1220356278/

https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/tormek-pr-250-mit-stein-sg-250-220-1220356278/#image_gallery_fullscreen
https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/tormek-pr-250-mit-stein-sg-250-220-1220356278/#image_gallery_fullscreen

looks to me like the extra long support bar
https://tormek.com/en/products/accessories/us-430-extended-universal-support
would be suitable but maybe the position of the holes is not the same as the modern machines???

I think Tormek support would give best advice, like Ken says.

Marcin Belgium delivers to Denmark and appears to have them in stock
https://coutelleriemarcin.com/en/collections/tormek/products/tormek-tc-800-tc800-case

Hi! Been using T8 about 6 months. Often pleased with the results but I have one big problem. Some knifes, havent yet seen the exact pattern, gets a wierd shape of the blade after sharpening. Same problem both with KJ-140 and 45. Please see attached images. Can someone point out what Im doing wrong?

I think it is quite common for many kitchen knives to have this shape already. Probably due to sharpening on a honing steel (or sharpening steel) like these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Ko80KH3O8

Unfortunately, a lot of users use these mostly in the middle and the tip of the knife and very rarely right at the heel. Over time the knives end up like the ones in your photo.

Did you notice or check that the knives with this problem were like this before you try to sharpen them on the Tormek? You can use a straight edge or just look down carefully into the light to check.
The Tormek will not get rid of this with normal style of sharpening. You either need to spend more time on the heel as others have said and/or grind the heel part down on a grinder with coarser grit first. If you do this, be careful not to let the blade get hot.

Danny

Hi DT,
I ordered a 200mm leather wheel from Shleifjunkies and have been using it for knives ever since. I am very happy with it.
I mounted it on another machine so that I dont have to remove any wheels and it works perfectly.
Details with photos on this thread here if you are interested:

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?msg=38933

Danny

...It is square (within my measurements tolerances at least) on both of my T8s...

The wheel on my T8 also seems pretty square to the USB as well as I can measure it.