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The Tormek works because it's a tight tolerance machine. I know because I first tried a Tormek "copy". That bad experience actually caused me to shy away from Tormek for a couple of years!

I now have a T-7. It's great, but for my sharpening business, it's WAAAAAAY too slow.


Somewhat following Vadim's protocols, I am considering:


1) shaping the bevel/grind off nicks with my Viel S-5, at 30 degrees.
2) continuing on Tormek machine A with a 400 grit stone
3) setting apex on Tormek machine B with a 1000 grit stone
4) deburring on felt wheel on a half-speed buffer
5) de-rooting on Tormek machine C with a rock hard felt wheel


Such a proposed setup is of course faster, as I then don't have to keep changing three wheels. But 


will there be significant sharpening BESS score increase if three Tormeks are used?

I have on order also one of the LASER GONIOMETER MASTERs, but it seems to be held up indefinitely in shipping.  Vetako reports that due to COVID-19 things are not making it out of the EU.  It's been a month or more and there is no indication as tracking does not yield any useful information. I've given up on it at this point. 

Rick

Hi Rick,
at thze moment for example DHL dont send Packages to
USA
Kanada
Australia
Newzeeland

all because of covid-19

i have also orders here from customers from Kanada and Newzeeland. NO WAY
but we will test to send by FEDEX, they offer Transportaition anyways.
I know the owner of Vetako and will send him a Mail and ask to test fedex

cheers Hanns

Not sure about that. I just received a shipment from Germany via DHL. Took 3 days to get to Canada.

Looks like Knife Grinder's new rock hard felt wheel and second batch of CBN wheels are now available:

http://knifegrinders.com.au/11Shop.htm

I'm not sure if it is sacrilegious to say this, but how about using paper wheels instead for fast sharpening of budget knives?

BESS: 225, 245. Faberware kitchen knife at 20 dps. Handheld, no jig (and I'm lousy at angle control!)

I read it somewhere whilst doing my sharpening research. It might have been on Blade Forums. It might have been by the inventor of the Razor Sharp paper wheels. As I can't recall exactly, that's why I worded what I said very carefully  .   Otherwise I would have given the source.

That's also why I said it's probably  OK if someone makes it and uses it themselves. But all commercial  grinder wheels have a RPM rating. Has MDF ever been tested at high RPMs? Not that I'm aware of.

It's just my mechanical engineering training kicking in. Most people only ask, "will it work"?  We are trained to ask, "It might work, but how might it fail"?

You can save yourself a lot of money by making your own comparable wheels using 3/4" MDF particle board or 3/4" Melamine board which is used in cabinet making.

I've read somewhere that MDF could break off. So, one can make such wheels for their own use, but I think such possibility would discourage anyone from selling such items due to possible liabilitu.

In addition, Wootz has concluded that felt can hold diamond particles up to 10 microns. Might as well deal with one product which can carry a wide range of grits.

Looks like Wootz is carrying some new products:

1) a 250mm x 50mm rock-hard felt wheel with diamond emulsion. Looks to be a bargain price, as I was quoted $55 USD for shipping from the US to Canada by another supplier.
2) a device that, "DISCLAIMER: This is not a Tormek part, and use has not been evaluated by Tormek. If your Tormek machine fails for whatever reason, telling that you used it with the "RPM increaser" may void the warranty.

Still no kangaroo strops. Perhaps Wootz should also start raising kangaroos? (Ok, just kidding).

Respectfully, John, that does not answer my questions.  I repeat, what is new and different that makes it worth paying again for the 5th edition:

Any indication/information on what has been updated in the book? 

It is a great resource and I follow a version of his deburring process, but what I do is not in his book.  It would be good to know what is new and worth it before shelling out again/more for it.  There is nothing in the description on KG's web site that I saw.

Is he offering free upgrades to those who purchased the earlier version?  Didn't see that either. 

Rick

I bought the 5th Edition. Appendix II is "Sharpening Protocols for Common Knife Steels". It lists protocols (and "BESS readings from real sharpening sessions") for 48 kinds of steels, subdivided into four groups: Lower-end Knives, Mainstream Knives, Quality Knives, and Wear-resistant Knives.

Some of the protocols are only three steps. Others take seven. In short, Wootz is giving out a lot of his time and research for less than the price of two Starbuck lattes.

Personally I think he's way underpriced the 5th Edition. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

Looks like Wootz (Vadim) has updated his Deburring Book to the 5th Edition:

http://knifegrinders.com.au/11Shop.htm

An article about the pros and cons of CBN versus diamond wheels by Vadim ("Wootz") just published in Australian Knife Magazine: http://knifegrinders.com.au/Manuals/CBN_AKMarticle.pdf

Normally, I'd worry about the additional stress on the nylon bearing from hanging a heavy wheel that much farther out from it. But if that Kiwi sharpener has done this for two years with no ill effect...hmm, I wonder what Tormek's official position is on doing this?

Looks like that German company also sells their version of a US-430, but on steroids:

https://www.feines-werkzeug.de/werkzeuge/schaerfen-schleifen/tormek/tormek-zubehoer/4543/lange-universalstuetze-ws-500-fuer-tormek-t-8-t4

Anyone understand German who can tell us what their ad says?

Another happy user. I can see the plastic tip wearing out over time, but it's a great tool for what it is. Should be handy for farmers markets!