Messages

Thanks Ken. I'm going to watch that video. Peace.

I've been reading in the comment sections of various YouTube videos that there's something called a "jeweler's loupe" which may (or may not) be useful in the realm of knife sharpening. I may even be inclined to get one of these providing that it has a noticeable advantage over a cheap illuminated magnifying glass.

Here, to the best of my knowledge, are the three (3) most commonly used methods of testing a knife for sharpness after sharpening:

Slicing a piece of paper

Shaving the hair on your arm

Placing the newly sharpened edge of your knife against your thumbnail and seeing whether or not it "bites."

The paper cutting method is counterproductive imo because it has a tendency to dull the edge, and although I'm quite fond of the arm-shaving method (as it strikes me as being a fairly reliable method of testing a knife for sharpness) if you happen to be sharpening knives for a living like most of the folks in this forum then it won't take very long before you finally run out of body hair altogether.

Isn't there a better method of testing a knife for sharpness, preferably a method that doesn't involve a large cash expenditure ?

I spoke to a representative at Don Rowe.com and was told that it would be real easy to determine the correct size power inverter. All I need is the "locked rotor amperage" rating of the Tormek  T-8 machine.

You'd think that somebody at Tormek would be able to provide this key piece of information.

Thanks for sharing the great information.

Use your grinding wheel. Keep it trued and dressed. At some point in the future, it will wear out, as will your car and your body.

It's only been about a week since my Tormek T-8 arrived. I'm not exactly sure what the best method is for maintaining the grinding wheel so that I can get maximum life out of it. Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Hello and best wishes
I run a mobile set-up out of the back of my truck.
Use an AGM marine battery and a 2000 watt modified sound wave. 
powers my T8, Nikon low speed 10" paper wheel set-up, Viel 1x40, twice as sharp scissor set-up
Sometimes need more start-up amps for the nikon.  3 years and all still working well.  RIP Wootz.

Let's say that I only want to run my Tormek model T-8 and nothing else. Do you think I'm going to need such a big power inverter ?

My warmest thanks to everybody who responded to this thread, you've all been extremely helpful.

Hello everyone,

I'm a newbie Tormek owner who happens to be living in the USA where the standard power configuration is 110-120 volts. My problem is that I'm trying to size a power inverter so that I can run my brand new Tormek machine "off grid" from the back of a big old van. I already have a 400 watt and a 500 watt power inverter. The Tormek machine is rated for 200 watts. The question is, do you think my existing equipment is sufficient or will I need to upgrade to a larger power inverter ?