Messages

I'm glad we are all friendly......Great schisms and feuds have begun with issues like this.

Ken

Gipper,

Your post illustrates some common thoughts most of us share (myself included). 

If you have two dozen dull chisels and gouges, this probably did not occur since your last sharpening session last week.  We all want to jump right into the big project.  We want to build the blanket chest or highboy, but spending several hours of practice to become proficient cutting dovetails is not appealing.  Nor is regularly doing touch up sharpening.

Divide your sharpening into smaller units.  For example, try sharpening three or four gouges.  Dress your wheel with the TT-50.  Do your tool set up carefully.  Once you have your gouge fully sharpened, feel the edge.  As you are turning, as soon as you notice the edge being not quite as sharp as this, do a touch up sharpening.

This may seem time consuming.  However, how much time do you want to spend using dull or almost dull tools?

The good side of having two dozen dull tools to sharpen is that by the time you have all of them very sharp, you will be much more proficient, assuming you work smart.  If you do not have the DVD Jeff did on sharpening and using turning tools, you really should get one.  It will jump start your sharpening technique and hone your turning technique, also.

I believe most of us don't like the idea of regrading the stone regularly.  It's the nature of the beast.  If a stone is coarse enough to cut quickly, it won't be fine enough to polish an edge.  Try removing a nick from a chisel with an India stone; it will make regrading the Tormek seem pleasant and very quick.

We worry about wearing out our precious Tormek wheels.  Yet, how often do we jump in our cars to drive just a couple blocks, even though it contributes to shortening the life of the vehicle?

Ron Hock, in his excellent sharpening book, describes using the Tormek as almost "surgical" compared to using a dry grinder.  I think that's a good description.

Try to look at having two dozen tools to sharpen as an opportunity to improve your sharpening skills while restoring two dozen tools, not as a chore.  It could be satisfying.

Ken

Good question, and one worthy of a lot of serious consideration.

I am not a carver, however, the carvers on this forum don't post very often.

Here are my thoughts:

I can't imagine carving chisels being beyond the range of the smaller T3.  The eight inch (to start with) wheel is larger than most dry grinders.  The 50 per cent duty motor is probably more than sufficient, unless you have a very busy professional carving sharpening service (doubtful).

The plastic housing is probably plenty rugged for use on a bench where is is not moved frequently.

That said, the T7 comes with the stone grader and TTS 50 diamond dresser standard.  You will want both of these, so add about a hundred dollars to the cost of the T3 in your comparisons.  The more advanced water trough is more for long knives than carving tools.

My Tormek is a T7.  I tend to overbuy, so, if I was buying a unit today, I would probably buy a T7.  I would give very serious consideration to the T7.

I hope some of the carvers will chime in.

Ken

Good reply, Bob.  I'm glad your wheel is sharpening better for you. 

Have you sharpened anything besides knives?  I'm basically a chisel guy.  Past posts have talked about working with one chisel (1/2" or 3/4" or whatever you happen to have).  If I can't get a chisel right, I know something is not right.

Keep sharpening and keep posting.

Ken

I received a sample DVD from the Woodworkers Guild of America.  The EVE seems well done and informative.  The price is $12.95, which seems fair.  Future DVDs would be at "full price".  Shipping charges seem vague, as does the total cost.

Does anyone on the forum have any experience with WWGOA?

Thanks,

Ken

I agree.  One of my ongoing projects is planning a woodworking kit for my grandson. 

Ken

Hi, Herman. We have now doubled the number of sharp bread knives on the forum!

I have an old Ekco "sandwich knife" that I inherited from my parents.  It's probably older than I am and is still going strong.  Inexpensive, but well made in the USA.

Ken

Dan (and forum),

I have just ordered a copy of Ernie Conover's new plane book and DVD.  Ernie is an excellent teacher and an old hand at plane restoration "tuning".  His handplane class is most informative.  I'll post an update on the book and DVD after I study them.

Ken

My bread knife cuts noticeably better after the sharpening.

Ken

Way to go, Dan!!!

Steve and Jeff,

How about the approximate life expectancy of the average user?

I suspect our TT=50s will be included in our estates!

(Good questions, Steve, and good answers, Jeff.)

Ken

Dan,

Now that you are a year older and wiser, have you had the chance to try your new hand tool kit?

Ken

Carl,

Please post your results.

Ken

Bob,

Please post your results; that's how we learn.

Ken

Bob,

Welcome to the forum.

As a quick test, you might try using the coarse side of the stone grader on your stone.

Also, are you using the upper position of the support bar (stone turning into the knife instead of away)?  That should grind more quickly.

Don't get discouraged.  Your problem can be solved.

Ken