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I have these. They work great! I know the guy who designed makes them. Excellent craftsmen and a good guy. Well worth the $8.

We are expecting a lot from one relatively inexpensive knife jig. We expect it to accurately grind both bevels of knives with quite a range of thicknesses and blades which are are not parallel.I think Wootz is moving in the right direction by dedicating four jigs to achieve this goal.

I believe the final solution will be one or perhaps a series of more advanced, self centering jigs. This will be a demanding order for Tormek. I would guess it will sell for a much higher price and in considerably smaller quantities if Tormek decides to go forward with such a jig.

I do not see such a jig being a practical investment for the hobbiest of part time sharpener.
I would like to be wrong.

Ken

I just wish they would figure out a way to use the jig that comes with the T-2, on the T-8. To me that is a true jig.

#1 - wow, that's just awesome. You must have genuinely been curious about these jaws to go through all of that!

#2 - Interesting idea. Did you try it the way I suggested and was it offline? Was there any method that yielded an offline grip? I want to be certain I did indeed resolve the issue and didn't just get lucky on this one, before moving to another knife. Your setup is great!

Ah, that makes sense...

I figured it out. I was not clamping the knife down with the top screw all the way down first. On the jig it says, "1" on the big knob, the "2" on the front screw, and "3" on the other side of the black knob. So, I was going in those steps to clamp it, which is very difficult. I always thought that was odd...Anyways, someone mentioned holding the clamp tight on the knife, tightening the front screw down as far as it would go and then tightening the black knob. Did that and it eliminated the angle difference. Phew!!

I also put these $8 pads that my buddy Pratt makes and sells, on the clamp jaws, which might have helped a little too. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adhesive-Felt-Pads-for-Tormek-Knife-Jigs-Improved-Grip-Blade-Protection-2-Sets/192808509934?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Thank you. I know it's hard to tell, but I can tell, which is what matters, right? :-) Haha I tried to get a pic from the tip looking down the edge, but my camera wasn't having it. I'll continue to try though.

Regarding the tips to make it sharp, there were quite a few since I was a total newb to sharpening. I've learned a lot in the past few weeks. I would say the tips that helped the most was how to strop (I was going too deep/hard, too fast on the leather) and to use the 1k stone on already beveled blades - and to raise the burr across the entire blade on both sides. I plan on detailing my experience from day 1 once I get this bevel figured out. I've already started drafting it.

BTW, thanks to many on this forum as well as a few guys on a Facebook group, the edge is super sharp. I know a lot of folks look at this and say, "if it works, don't worry about it", but I'm a perfectionist. #NeverSettle 😎

This is a crude representation of what the bevel looks like from the side.

I have calipers I can try to measure with. It'd be hard though. In person, it's definitely noticeable looking down the edge. One side is short and the other is long. Really terrible looking.

other side

A question from Texaspro inspired an idea. It is borrowed from sharpening skew chisels. With skew chisels, the amount of skew by setting the skew amount to a perpendicular line drawn on the grinding wheel. To draw this line, lower the support bar until it touches the grinding wheel. (Be sure the grinding wheel has been trued.) Using a fine point Sharpie marker, draw a line across the grinding wheel, using the support bar as a straightedge.

Set the jig to the desired bevel angle. With the knife jig with the knife mounted onto the support bar with the sharp edge touching the line. Without moving the grinding wheel, flip the jig over. If the knife is set symmetrically, both sides of the blade should touch the line.

This may be easier to see if the the support bar is raised to hold the knife at a right angle to the grinding wheel.

Ken

Thanks for the feedback Ken. However, I already know that my 2.5mm wide blade (Benchmade Mini Griptillian) in the SVM-45 is not the same on both sides. I am trying to figure out why and how to fix it. Unfortunately putting shims in the jig or grinding the jig down as Wootz suggests, is not applicable on 2.5mm wide blades (his method is more for under 2mm or over 3mm, from what I understand).

To be perfectly clear, the problem I am having is an uneven bevel (one side is higher than the other). No matter what I try, the angle is always different on one side as opposed to the other, causing the bevel to be higher on one side.

Is there a solution for this or am I just screwed? I can't be the only one that has this issue...Are people just saying, "oh well"??

The hour run or soak time seems overkill to me, HOWEVER, I always leave my Tormek long enough for the stone to complete its absorbtion. I fill the water trough first and let the Tormek idle while placing the tool in the jig. Two minutes should do the trick, adding more water gradually as needed.

Incidentally, in case you have not already encountered it, get a turkey baster and a couple empty plastic jars. (I use peanut butter jars.) The baster makes removing water from the trough "a treat" as our UK friends might say. This simple trick will eliminate most of your water spillage. It's an idea from another forum member.

Ken

So you're taking the "stone" water out with the baster and re-applying it onto the stone? I have heard of guys keeping the "slurry" and using it for preservation of the SJ.

BTW, fellas, thanks a ton for all your help. This community is fantastic. I'm obviously a newb and you guy have treated me with dignity and grace. A+

There's been a couple of threads that talk about the SJ wheel chipping while truing.  I found one HERE... I thought there was another, but can't find it right now.  But may have to be something to solve before  you true another SJ stone...

Also, I suggest chamfering the edges... just like done on a regular waterstone.

Thank you. Good info there. Thanks again Tormek Community!!

I also had someone tell me on another forum to let it either run on the wheel or soak in water for an hour before truing. Seems excessive, but for a $400 stone, I'll try it.

BTW, I went super slow.

Also, I see now that it is not uncommon. Fortunately, it was a quick exchange. New stone should be here later today. If it happens again, I'll chamfer it. That could actually be useful on some exotic blade shapes, now that I think about it.

Quick update: I'm returning the stone and ordering a new one. Something must not have been right from the start...

Fired up the Jap stone today and after polishing for about 3 - 4 mins, I noticed of my marker mark was not being removed on the heel of the knife, but was everywhere else. I checked the truing and the right side was out of true. I've only used this stone one knife...So, I looked in this forum to make sure the truing tool can be used on the Jap stone and saw Mr. Farris had said, "yes". So, I took a tiny bit off the top. Once I got to that side of the stone, I could hear and feel the raised portion much more. It was working great, but at the end, there was a pop and I saw chunks come off. This is what it looks like now...What now?