Recent posts

#1

General Tormek Questions / Re: New Knife Sharpening Kit f...

Last post by John_B - Today at 10:12:52 PM

I can't imagine the loupe is an improvement over the 2 I have that are at least 45 years old from Bausch and Lomb. I do need the MB-102 but have not got around to buying it.

#2

General Tormek Questions / New Knife Sharpening Kit from ...

Last post by RichColvin - Today at 09:47:54 PM

I saw that Tormek now has a new knife sharpening kit, the KSK-106 (https://tormek.com/en/products/kits/ksk-106-knife-sharpening-kit).  

Of interest to me is the new CU-8 Edge Loupe.  That part is not listed in the Tormek catalogue, but I am betting it is the same as the magnifying glass in the DBS-22 Drill Bit Sharpening Attachment.  Any thoughts from anyone else?

#3

General Tormek Questions / Re: Hollow ground messes up sw...

Last post by Herman Trivilino - Yesterday at 01:53:35 AM

A possibility is purchasing a new SG-200. That will make the two wheel diameters much closer. Use your present SG-200 for tools which don't require the SJ-200.

It's not a bad idea to have that extra grindstone. You can use the old one for dirty tasks like lawn mower blades, hedge clippers, pruners, and the like. Use the new one for those chisels you like to keep shiny and your best kitchen knives.

#4

Tormek T4 and T4 Bushcraft / Re: Tormek convexing video

Last post by tgbto - March 31, 2026, 08:12:57 AM

I completely agree on the self-centering feature, with the usual provision that the self-centering feature came at the cost of the adjustable distance.

I think they'd have been better off sticking to their initial position that convexing doesn't matter on a small bevel, and convexing can't be done with a Tormek on large bevels.

And I think it's important that someone who dedicates time reading the forum understands that they won't get belt/backstand-grade convexing with a Tormek.They might not even get much convexing at all.

#5

Tormek T4 and T4 Bushcraft / Re: Tormek convexing video

Last post by Ken S - March 30, 2026, 09:29:18 PM

With some of the new jigs, I feel there are some substantial improvements and some which look good for marketing. In my opinion, the substantial improvement in the
KJ-45 jig is the self centering.

Ken

#6

Tormek T4 and T4 Bushcraft / Re: Tormek convexing video

Last post by tgbto - March 30, 2026, 09:16:48 AM

Still, this convexing thing is as obscure as ever: there is no explanation whatsoever of why this back-and-forth movement on a convex sharpening medium would end-up producing a convex blade.

A Tormek (and in particular a 200mm one) is intrinsically a bad candidate for convexing a blade. Especially very close to the edge, where the blade will -no matter what - retain the concavity that is the negative image of the wheel.

In addition to that, you don't manage the height over which you shape (for lack of better word) the blade, so it would be quite the miracle if said height matched the blade's original bevel height.

#7

Knife Sharpening / Re: Recurve filet knives (why?...

Last post by tgbto - March 30, 2026, 09:04:07 AM

In this example, I think the recurve is due to the bolster, which in turn is there for safety reasons (it prevents the index finger from sliding onto the blade), and a desire to blend it smoothly with a thin blade. The recurve has no interest in terms of how you cut, but it *will* be a PITA for sharpening.

As a general rule, knives with a bolster will be troublesome when sharpening with a Tormek : you will usually end up with a dent, usually not right at the bolster. Knives with a recurve will be troublesome when sharpening with a Tormek : you won't be able to sharpen the recurve harmoniously except freehand. Also, although recurves are always a bit tricky, a rod-base sharpening system with a narrow plate will be much, much easier to use and will allow controlled-angle sharpening. For light touch-ups, a belt system with thin, flexible belts and a bit of slack will also make the sharpener's life easier.

Japanese western-style knives are more suited to Tormek-assisted sharpening : they have no bolster and only have convex blades. Interestingly enough, the Japanese don't use this kind of flexible blades. Instead, they use massive (wa-deba) blades for filleting fish, or very thin straight blades (called "sujis" or "lasers") for thin slicing.

#8

Knife Sharpening / Re: some subtle information ab...

Last post by tgbto - March 30, 2026, 08:32:08 AM

Isn't it surprising that he said that the grinding direction doesn't matter?

In my experience, the grinding direction doesn't matter (much) in terms of final sharpness. There are some knives, mostly of very soft steel, where sharpening edge-trailing will indeed form a much longer, foil-like burr. However, these steels are so soft that the foil burr will be removed easily anyway ... and edge retention will be bad either way.

That being said, it might be hard to tell from sound and feel alone when you're done honing a foil burr. I'm not sure it takes much longer though.

I also found that grinding edge-leading with the SJ stone might give the impression that there is no burr, when there actually is a line of well-aligned plastified steel just at the edge.

Eventually, I didn't find much of a difference in terms of edge retention between edge-leading and edge-trailing.

Maybe it's splitting hairs in the context?

Or whittling hair ? I don't know if it was intentional, but nice one anyway 

#9

Knife Sharpening / Re: Recurve filet knives (why?...

Last post by Swemek - March 28, 2026, 05:01:59 PM

Haha I see now that the example wasn't the best. There are filet knives that are worse were the recurve starts further down the blade.

#10

Knife Sharpening / Recurve filet knives (why?)

Last post by Swemek - March 28, 2026, 02:52:09 PM

I think it's really annoying to sharpen many filet knives, the ones that has a recurve, like the one below. I have old wheels that I have rounded for knifes like this. But is there a reason for this shape on (some) filet knives?

My guess is that the negative curve is there for aesthetics and that the often flexible blade needs some support, which a straight blade wouldn't give?

This must be an issue for other sharpening scenarios and not only on Tormek. I have tormeks diamond wheels and want best possible sharpness on filet knives for obvious reasons.