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...batch of ten knives, are all ten of them long enough to require removing the grinding wheel?

If using the USB to hone then, yes, definitely. For manual honing of couse it is OK at an angle to avoid the grinding wheel but it is just not so accurate (for me anyway) even with a lot of practice.

...If the removal/replacement time is a real problem, extra knife jigs are less expensive than a second machine. Two or three spare knife jigs would certainly speed things.

Ken

Not sure how extra jigs might speed it up as you still have to mount each knife in a jig regardless. Anyway as I said, I had the other very cheap machine anyway to use. Maybe if one gets a good price on a used T4 or even T3, it would make an affordable useful honing place.
Now, for me with this set up, it is very easy to grind knives and then quickly transfer to the other machine for honing without any changing of wheels and still keeping the knife in the jig to allow for angle accuracy.

Danny

  Thanks for your answers.

I am extremely happy with my T8 but there are limitations. The basic set up works extremely well for woodworking tools but achieving the same results with knives (and especially larger ones) is more complicated without some sort of adaptation.
Removing the grinding wheel to hone is just a pain to me.
On the T8 I couldn't find a satisfactory method for honing knives with the grinding wheel on. I asked the question about your technique in the hope that I had missed something   

I decided to use the slow drive on the bench grinder as I never used it for grinding at all. It was just there anyway. I did have to upgrade the machine little to run nicely but it wasn't too difficult. These machines are really not bad but quite poorly made in terms of accuracy.

Still, with a little effort I can now grind and hone quite precisely. I still use the Tormek honing wheel for chisels and planes.

As far as the FVB is concerned, I made one myself which I am very happy with. I must say that I have not had extensive use of it yet. I haven't really found  much need apart from sharpening a very wide cleaver which was difficult to grind on the usual side as the USB was hardly in the slots! I know I could get a longer Tormek USB to help but....
The FVB enables the USB to change its position dramatically - just pull out a bit and the USB is much further away. This allows the same angles for wider blades but much lower in the vertical slots to get a solid position. This means grinding away from you for a change but it works very well too.

Danny

I'm 100% with you on this, I even bought a T-8 custom dedicated to honing, so I just setup the FVB for honing and USB for grinding, adjust the projection distances, and I'm down to 3-5 minutes per knife if they've been ground to the preset angle already.

Exactly!

My separate honing wheel for any one interested. if the photo posting works!





Danny

[more]

Well, yes! I still have the spacer but...

I was asking how the FVB helps give more access for honing compared to the normal horizontal base whether or not the grinding wheel is on.

I tend to do a batch of all my own kitchen knives maybe 10 or so at a time once a week(ish) and I do not want to take the wheel off and then put it back on for each knife. Hence the honing apart on a separate wheel/machine without any obstacles at all!

I can just grind then hone quickly without any faffing around or changing any set up.

Danny

...I found that using the USB on the horizontal position for honing does not work in many cases.
The position you need is obstructed by some machine component.

Using a FVB breaks you free from that limit. I knitted my own which works a treat...

Would you mind elaborating on how the FVB allows better access for honing, espescially for longer knives?

I also made a FVB which works perfectly although I still couldn't get enough space for honing knives at precise angles. I find the Grinding wheel is still in the way.

I ended up with another solution which allows me to hone knives. I got a 200mm diameter leather wheel from Shleifjunkies (excellent service, BTW) and mounted it on the slow geared drive of my cheap bench grinder. I then made a new support for the USB so that I can grind on the Tormek and then hone efficiently on this wheel.
I use Calcapp (thanks CBW,finally got my head round using it!) to get the required grinding and honing angles and now I don't do the manual honing method at all.

If anyone is interested, I could post a photo to explain, if it helps.

Danny

...if I buy it in Sweden, will the handbook also contain other languages? For example, English or German.

Thanks

simple answer - No! THey are sold with the manual in the language appropiate for the country.

More nuanced answer - The handbook is available to buy separately (for under 30 euros here in France)
If you are in Sweden, is it not possible to visit the Tormek factory and buy direct? You may find that they will do the English or German manual for you.. No harm in contacting them to find out.
 
Out of interest, I bought my T8 from Germany not too long ago and therefore have the manual in German which I do not speak!
So if you want it maybe I could sell it to you - via ebay or something?? Let me know if that is of any use.

Danny

thanks, i am from belguim

If you do decide that you want the Japanese stone, see Coutellerie Marcin 189 euros...
I have not bought from them but they seem to be OK.

Danny
PS Je suis content de parler en français si cela peut t'aider..

It is not so easy to know exactly what the difficulty is that you may be having.

Personally, I am happy with the sharpness of my knives using the standard Tormek stone. I do rough grade if necessary, then fine grade followed by the honing wheel to remove the burr finally.

I feel that there a lot of user skill involved in learning to sharpen on the Tormek, especially for knives.

If you do want to use the finer 4000 grade Japanese stone after the original stone, you need to be sure that you keep the same angle.
 
There is a video here which demonstrates using both wheels with very good results. It is using a T8 machine but the idea is the same for the T4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChYeq7hNlJU

It may help you to decide if you want buy the SJ-200 stone.

Can I ask which country you are in?

Danny

Hello sfeuxy,
This may be stupid question but...
You don't mention it in your post but are you using the honing wheel with the honing compound to remove the burr fully after grinding on the stone?

This is equally important as the grinding step.
You say "so that my knives are perfect"
How are you measuring the sharpness you want/need?

By the way, the SJ200 stone is available here in France for 198 euros delivery included.

Danny

Thanks for the replies.
I am a professional craftsman and used to making/creating things with lots of measuring etc. No worries..

Me and Maths divorced along time ago. Just after I was introduced to calculus when at the time my main interest was fashioning things out of wood 

Using the calcapp for my chisels and planes was excellent - simple and quick after a little working out. Knives, I am working on!
Thanks again,
Danny

Anyone have any idea if or when the new Tormek knife jig will be available to buy?

Just for Perra.. Are you making your jig for sale to others??
It does seem just too complicated for me to make.
It would be useful for me (and maybe for others) to know.
 
Not sure yet if I really need to get one for myself. I only really use the Tormek for my own tools and knives and for some of my neighbours' knives. I am still getting to grips with trying to use the Calcapp from cbwx34. I am not sure I have it all worked out but it seems pretty straightforward.
In general, I am someone who finds it a lot easier to learn from a demo than a book! My brain just glazes over with all the maths based methods some people here use.

Danny

880.00 ??

Are you in the US?

Hello,
I have been using the original T8 for about 6 months and I am very happy with it for chisels, planes and knives. I can't tell you about the diamond wheels though. You'll have to wait for some others to reply about that.
One thing to check is what jigs you will need. The Black edition does not come with the SE-77 jig for chisels and plane blades. The Original T8 does. If you need that jig then you will have to spend a little extra on that.

Danny