Messages

My all plastic IKEA kindergarten table is (don't know real name) 19 inches high exactly.  Works fine for me and it never will rust.  I can sit down and watch TV.  It is important that the Tormek not obstruct the TV because sometimes grinding takes a while.

More important than bench height, I have a lot of lighting 490 watts of fluorescent lighting in my "shop" which is a multipurpose office/shop/my own room in the house.

For me, working fast and efficiently to save money are not a goals when I am doing my hobby.

Speaking of original grind angles, I am not impressed with my new Sabatier chef's knife.  The sharp edge was not a smooth curve from the factory.  There were some straighter curves connected by sharper curves.  I am going to regrind that knife a little bit when I get the chance.

The high carbon (capable of rusting) metal was beautiful though.  Very sharp and easily honed.  I would buy it again.  Plan to buy a few more next year.

I think I read somewhere that the parts that gets blunted are the tips of the serrations.  Therefore, if you don't care about maintaining the shape, just sharpening the knife like a regular knife will sharpen the tips and solve your problem. 

Just sharing.  Not advocating.  Have not actually studied the problem and I don't know if this is a true fact.

I like to maintain things, that's why I've never bought a serrated knife unless forced to (like buying a set of knives).

When I was a kid, we cooked just about every meal from raw material.  Sometimes we butchered a chicken and butterfly it - cutting to the left and right of the backbone and flattening it.  Fish heads have to be cut off and descaled.  The butcher leave bone and fat on the meat and it had to be trimmed.  The family was big and everyone was growing and there are aunts and uncles who help with cooking.  Ground beef can be made in a jiffy by chopping. 

Knives were sharpened regularly and put to hard use 3 times a day at least.

It was not done for fun.  We don't hate it, but it was just another chore.  We had just one knife for everything.  and a few small paring knives.  That's it.  You wait your turn when cooking - until the other person finish with the knife.

Under that circumstance, a more robust angle would eliminate multiple sharpening.

Now I am older, I buy boneless this and that and the kitchen knives rarely sees a bone.  I don't take apart chickens.  So I enjoy a sharper and more delicate blade.  Also, I have multiple knives for different situations.  I have three chefs knives, one cleaver, one axe, filet knives, a tin snip for really cutting something hard.  I sharpen each to different angles depending on how I use it.  I only cook for fun.  If I am tired, I go out and eat something cheap.

Now I use sharper and more delicate angles on most knives saving the axe and tin snips for big jobs that hardly ever comes.

What the others posters say is really true.  There is no right angle.  It depends on your personal usage, how much fun you are getting from a sharp knife, how much use, how many knives you have.  Have fun and experiment.  That's the luxury of owning a Tormek.

There is an angle guide in that Tormek Anglemaster.  It is all those slots on the side of the rectangular card part of the Anglemaster.

Or you can buy an Angle Guide.

Of course, if the knife has been sharpened too much, the original angle would have been ground off so you will never know by measuring.  Maybe there is an area of the blade that has not been ground too much, like near the handle.

Assuming you still have enough of the original angle, you can use the market method to set the stone.  But this is not the answer to the original question - which is determining the angle.  But, once you set the stone and you know the contact points, the Anglemaster should give you an idea of the angle.

I wouldn't worry too much.  I saw a video of how some name brand knives are made.  The final sharpening was done freehand so there will be some descrepency in angle from blade to blade even with the same manufacturer if they are freehanding the final angle.

Is the wheel mounting hardware generic?  I don't have a lot of experience with machines - that's why I ask.  I wonder if buying a diamond wheel would make life easier.  Are such things available?  Just thinking about this situation.

I got a nick on my 12 inch chef's knife 10 years ago.  It always cut through lobster like butter.  Then I bought a 5 pound lobster and the blade chipped.  I guess a 5 pounder is very different from a two pounder.  Of course, now I have to eat rabbit food to keep an eye on my health so this problem will not come back.

Everytime I use the Tormek (last 5 years), I try to spend as much time on the Chef's knife as possible to grind the knife down, I still don't have it in the shape I want.  It is a long slow process .  A low speed grinder with the Tormek support is certainly on my mind for this winter - just for fun.

Everyone,
Thanks for the good advice on polishing.  I'll give polishing a try on a grinder.  I've previously polished using a dremel but it is too small so I don't achieve a smooth look over a large area.  Much appreciated. 
Rhino

I would agree with all of you.  It seems logical that the smaller the protrusion, the smaller the amount of the universal arm has to be raised, the less chance any bend in the support or anywhere becoming untrue due to the length.  When I think about it, all rods are bent, just that they are bent within spec.  The less a rod is raised, the less the error.  The more a rod is raised, the more the error is amplified.  Also, everything deform under stress.  A short protrusion will deform less.

Can you use a grinder for polishing too.  I want to polish the knives I scratched up while sharpening.  Can I put a cloth wheel on a grinder and polish?  Or is it better to buy a separate polisher?

I am not a shearer.  But you sparked an interest and I did some web research.  I think a shear is a big cutting blade, with multiple fingers and a complex form, that has to be ground flat to interface with another blade.  The second blade also has to be ground flat. 

In other words, you need to grind a 2.5 inch by 2.5 blade completely flat to it can interface with another 2.5 inch by 2.5 inch flat item. Since the comb is in industrial work, it can get quite dull, and a lot of grinding is necessary.

From the machines I see on the web, it appears they are all really heavy duty for making thousands of grinds fast and accurate.  The shaft for the grinding wheel looks like it is one inch in diameter and the nut is 2 inches in diameter.  Therefore, I expect the machines to be really really rigid.  Also, since they are using sandpaper, dressing the machine is not an issue.

Based on the above, I don't think Tormek is suitable for this.  This is only my opinion.  The grinding stone on the Tormek does not have a flat surface except on the side and there is no way to dress the side if it goes out of flat.  You can make anything work, but the time and energy required (at least for me) would make me just hire a pro with a dedicated machine to do this.

I think the 3 inch adjustable height refers to the screws on the legs.  For those of you wishing to make it taller, just get longer screws (within safe limits of course) or get screws attached to bigger wheels.  I would be afraid to roll it around for fear of tipping it over - it will be the end for the machine and any grinding wheels.

Poking around, I noticed that there is a 40th anniversary machine - I actually prefer the green color. 

Also, there is a metal stand for mounting the universal arm to a grinder.  No blocks of wood required.  This may be interesting - too bad I don't have a need for a grinder other than Tomek.

$800 is a bit much for my budget.  I am not saying it is not worth it - it depends on how much disposable income one has. 

But I would need to see it first - at least.  An alternative is to buy a tool chest with wheels at any of the hardware stores.  The type that has a top chest sitting on top of a bottom chest with wheels.  Maybe the bottom chest can perform the same function.

Also, if I had more than one grinding stone, I would prefer to put it in a drawer to protect it from nicks, dings, and accidental drops although I can see hanging them off the side so they can dry.

I agree.  Wheels would be a great feature.  I don't have a lot of space.  I also like to wheel the stuff to the family room to do it in front of the TV.  I think we are not supposed to discuss prices - but what is the official suggested retail price without discounts?  I haven't come across any info.

Thanks Rob.

By the way, I would put myself into the older member category.

Jeff,

Thanks.  I haven't thought of that.  I'll especially like the idea of cutting small circle in paper.  I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Eric