Recent posts

#1

Tormek T-1 and T-2 / Re: Need help with honing on T...

Last post by Ken S - December 02, 2024, 07:55:30 PM

Ilikefood,

I am pleased that your knives are now sharper than ever before. Support agreed with my suggestion that there is room for an advanced honing class. They also stressed the importance of correct angle when honing.

I believe we are evolving to higher standards of sharpness in our hardware, steels, and techniques. I am curious to see what the coming years will produce.

Ken

#2

Knife Sharpening / Re: reorganizing my knife shar...

Last post by Ken S - December 02, 2024, 02:57:16 AM

Rich, I still have my older jigs. The difference is that they are now in a box on a nearby shelf instead of in a drawer in my work station. This is as much to declutter my mind as to declutter my work area.

This is a continuing growth process.

Ken

#3

Knife Sharpening / centering with SVM jigs

Last post by Ken S - November 27, 2024, 04:01:38 AM

The logical, easy way to center bevel grinding is with the self centering KJ jigs. However, for someone who only sharpens one or two very thick hunting knives and who has only non auto centering SVM jigs, Wolfgang suggests another method.
He mentions it in the KJ knife jigs online class linked here, starting at just after 6:00:

https://www.youtube.com/live/JFHqQg5wZEg?si=P0SphynZhYKs7LEJ

Wolfgang also mentions another reference to this in earlier lectures, although I have not been able to locate these references. (If anyone can find them, please post a link.)

The correction is just to take extra grinding strokes on the fixed jaw side of the knife bevel until both sides match.

Ken

#4

Tormek T-1 and T-2 / Re: Need help with honing on T...

Last post by ilikefood - November 26, 2024, 03:55:07 AM

The advice above worked! I played with my T1 quite a bit today, and finally got super sharp knives. Very excited!

I very much agree that the instructional/training videos could be better. Here is what specifically helped me:

I suggest you use your black marker on your bevels after sharpening and before honing. This should tell you if you are honing at the correct angle.

and also:

What I would try is honing *a lot more*

and:

You should be able to tell if you're hitting the burr by the difference in sound/feel it makes when you increase the honing angle. On the T8 composite honing wheel, the difference can be felt more easily when a few drops of water are sprinkled over the wheel before you start honing.

Before, I was using the marker method for honing, but in one place on the edge and just at the start, to roughly find the correct angle. This time I marked the whole length of the edge, made the honing wheel wet, and paid very close attention to how the sound changes with different angles. I started at a very shallow angle (not hitting the edge yet), listened for how sound changed when I increased the angle, and verified where the marker was rubbed off. This allowed me to find the correct angle all along the blade, checking multiple times. I made multiple passes, marking the edge each time, and eventually I got a feeling for what the correct angle feels/sounds like.

Making the honing wheel wet slows down the honing process, so it's harder to mess up, and that really helps. It's also much easier to see where the edge is contacting the wheel and where it isn't (as the edge scrapes off the wetness).

It also helped to "hone a lot more'.

I do not believe we have seen enough problem posts to conclude that there is something wrong with the honing wheel itself. However, we have seen enough problem posts to make me think that there may be some room for improvement in the way this honing wheel is presented in the training. Hopefully more emphasis might be given in a future online class. I will email Tormek about this.

Ken

Based on my experience just now, totally agree. The instructional videos made it sound like honing is super easy and quick, just a few light passes on a dry honing wheel, angle doesn't matter much, and you have a sharp knife. In reality it takes quite a bit longer and requires developing a good feeling for the correct angle. It's not super difficult, but does require some effort and time to learn. So yeah, better, more accurate instructional videos from Tormek, setting the right expectations, would really help.

And I suppose to make the T1 really foolproof, it would be helpful to have an angle guide for the honing wheel as well.

Anyway, I have sharper knives know than I've ever had, and I'm very happy with my T1. Thank you all for your help!

#5

Tormek T-1 and T-2 / Re: Need help with honing on T...

Last post by Ken S - November 26, 2024, 03:31:18 AM

John has presented a commendable post, doing many things right. All of "the usual suspects" have good alibis. Considering that the honing wheel for the T1 is also used the same way with the T2, and can also be used with the T4, I do not believe we have seen enough problem posts to conclude that there is something wrong with the honing wheel itself. However, we have seen enough problem posts to make me think that there may be some room for improvement in the way this honing wheel is presented in the training. Hopefully more emphasis might be given in a future online class. I will email Tormek about this.

Ken

#6

General Tormek Questions / Re: Honing

Last post by John Hancock Sr - November 25, 2024, 11:04:37 PM

was wondering if the composite honing wheel is the best way to achieve a refined apex

The composite wheel is coarser than most honing compounds. It is good for general purpose kitchen knives since it leaves some tooth behind which is better for general kitchen work. If a low BESS score is your aim then stick to leather

Secondly, does anyone use multiple wheels with different honing compounds?

Many people do but IMHO you are better off going to flat hand stropping to refine the edge such as used by iSharpen - Bazz.

The main reason I ask is that supersteels would need diamond paste to hone properly

There are harder honing compounds that work with hard steels such as HSS. Diamond is a good, but not the only option.

#7

General Tormek Questions / Honing

Last post by BPalv - November 25, 2024, 10:49:20 PM

Hello all,
New to the forum and wanted to ask a question. 
Currently sharpening with a 10" Wen and a Rikon 1x30 belt sander.  I test all my sharpened knives on a Bess tester and really try to focus on a precise refined apex.
I am purchasing a T8 in the next week or so and am hoping to get some input from you to avoid costly setup mistakes. 
I would like to continue to put out knives testing under 100 on the BESS tester and was wondering if the composite honing wheel is the best way to achieve a refined apex or if I should stay with the leather wheel?  Secondly, does anyone use multiple wheels with different honing compounds?  If so, what does that look like?
The main reason I ask is that supersteels would need diamond paste to hone properly.  Or, does it not matter?

#8

Knife Sharpening / Re: checking deburring

Last post by BPalv - November 25, 2024, 09:57:27 PM

I may have stumbled across this in another forum once upon a time but I use a bright flashlight to check for burrs.  This technique works very well and will let you see every blemish.

#9

General Tormek Questions / Re: Looking for Some Advice on...

Last post by BPalv - November 25, 2024, 09:49:54 PM

A few more notes.

If you buy the SG- which I recommend strongly, this will do almost everything you need, then also get the SP-650 grader to grade between fine and coarse.

For removing chips I use a belt sander (keep a water container handy for keeping the tool cool) and gently work away at the primary bevel until you have removed the chip.

Make sure you remove the wheel between sessions. It is easy to get the wheel stuck if you leave it on.

Keep the machine lubricated. I use the adage a little often.

Seek out the videos recommended by Ken from the official Tormek channel. Watch those relating to chisels and plane blades first, obviously. They are well worth the time.

Be sure to come back and post any more specific questions here. There are plenty of knowledgeable, experienced  and helpful people ready and willing to help.

After watching videos of how quickly the apex overheats I started using belt grease on my sanding belts.  I use a couple of Rikon 1x30's one for stropping, one for grinding. Dipping tools, knives cools them down after, grease helps cool during.  There are several different varieties of belt coolant out there.

#10

Tormek T-1 and T-2 / Re: Need help with honing on T...

Last post by tgbto - November 25, 2024, 08:55:35 AM

The OP  mentioned they did use the sharpie before honing as well...

I would advise using a cheap microscope to clearly see what is going on : is there any burr left (jagged apex with shiny and matte spots) ? is your sharpie removed at the apex, or at the root of the bevel ?

I don't know about the T1, but sometimes you can think there is no burr because it is no longer felt as a thin foil of metal, yet there is actually some kind of a compact layer of soft metal (the root of the burr) that is still there. One good way of telling if this is the case is to mark a spot along the edge and cut a piece of tensioned nylon wire, just by pressing the knife down at this very spot (no sawing motion at all). This is akin to what you do to measure the BESS score of your edge. If there is still some burr left, you will see a tiny nick under the microscope, the same diameter as your wire.

What I would try is honing *a lot more*, and not just until you dont feel the burr with your fingers. As for the angle, as long as you are not using way too high an angle it should be okay, make sure you are consistently hitting the edge. You should be able to tell if you're hitting the burr by the difference in sound/feel it makes when you increase the honing angle. On the T8 composite honing wheel, the difference can be felt more easily when a few drops of watere are sprinkled over the wheel before you start honing.

Good luck !