Recent posts

#11

General Tormek Questions / Re: Possible new section for G...

Last post by IGA - Today at 04:19:20 AM

  Hi, I would like to be part of that section.
I have a number of old loppers pruning tools and a vintage TORMEK
Sharpening the lopper has always been a bit of a problem

#12

General Tormek Questions / Sharpening concave paring knif...

Last post by stphnchnr - Yesterday at 10:36:43 PM

Hi everyone,

I have a T-7 with silicon carbide wheel where I use the small knife holder to sharpen my concave shaped paring knife with 20 degree angle. For the life of me, I find I can never get a really nice sharp clean edge and final result, no matter what I do.
Do you think the universal support would help me sharpen this type of knife better?

Steve

#13

General Tormek Questions / Possible new section for Garde...

Last post by Rossy66 - Yesterday at 12:53:01 PM

As Spring/Summer is on its way, I want to offer sharpening garden tools (lawnmower blades, Pruning Tools, Loppers and other tools) and was wondering if there would be an interest in creating a section for sharpening these type of tools.

#14

General Tormek Questions / Re: Should I buy the LA-220 ev...

Last post by Andy1066 - Yesterday at 08:51:56 AM

I sharpen mostly knives. I've tried honing using both the CW220 wheel and the LA220 with Tormek paste. The CW220 is OK but definitely doesn't seem to hone as well as the LA220 with paste... also the leather wheel with paste is very messy !
I now mostly use the LA220 leather wheel with Veritas green honing compound which is just a little bit messier that the compound wheel  but I get great results with it everytime using a FVB and the KS 123 jig set between 0.5 and 2 degrees above the grinding angle (depending on the steel).
Not scientific at all, just my own preference and findings over the last 5 years. 

#15

General Tormek Questions / Re: Should I buy the LA-220 ev...

Last post by Rossy66 - February 12, 2026, 06:20:31 PM

Thanks everyone, I feel relieved that I made the right choice, I have not had any complaints about sharpness as of yet (I don't use a Bess Tester)and I hone with the USB while using the KS-123 to replicate the grinding angle and I am happy with the results.

Thanks everyone for their input.

#16

General Tormek Questions / Re: Should I buy the LA-220 ev...

Last post by Ken S - February 12, 2026, 05:54:37 PM

Tragically, Wootz' (Vadim) promising sharpening journey was cut short by his early demise. We can only guess where his journey might have gone. In one of his last videos he was starting to work with a diamond wheel. Who knows?

I believe the scope of sharpening is too broad to crown one honing wheel as "the best", just as it would be difficult to pronounce one grinding wheel as "the best". A sharpener working out of a workshop might feel differently than a mobile sharpener. There are too many variables for simple answers.

Ken

#17

General Tormek Questions / Re: Should I buy the LA-220 ev...

Last post by tgbto - February 12, 2026, 04:34:39 PM

If you're talking about Vadim's (Knife Grinders from Australia), you should take some of his videos with a grain of salt... Although his sharpening skills were unparalleled, replicating his findings has sometimes been difficult for the average Tormek user (e.g. felt wheel with CrO2 compound). And sometimes it even bordered on the esoteric, such as some hidden magic within edge calculation apps...

As a matter of personal preference, I mostly use the leather wheel although I also own the composite one. I get slightly better BESS readings with the leather wheel, but it is much messier. Given that the leather wheel and PA-70 compounds are not that expensive, you may be better off fetching those and comparing your results: Hone with composite wheel, test on paper, then hone with leather wheel, and test again.

#18

General Tormek Questions / Should I buy the LA-220 even t...

Last post by Rossy66 - February 12, 2026, 02:37:21 PM

As I try to refine my process (I'm getting ready to go mobile)I unfortunately came across a couple of videos from Australia about the CW-220 not creating as good of an edge as the LA-220. I bought the CW-220 to save time and not have to mess with compound but now I may have been a bit hasty buying it and not doing more research.

Can I still get a good finish on my customers products (Knives, Chisels, Woodturning, Gardening tools) or should I just buy a LA-220?

Thanks

#19

Knife Sharpening / Re: How to achieve less than 1...

Last post by tgbto - February 12, 2026, 09:08:24 AM

It must have been a good test. But I didn't understand anything. The translation must have been imperfect.

The translation to what language ? @3D Anvil's message makes perfect sense...

#20

Knife Sharpening / Re: How to achieve less than 1...

Last post by Andy - February 11, 2026, 09:01:18 PM

I can usually tell from slicing paper (I use the Uline catalogue) what the BESS score is going to be, give or take 10-15 grams.  Whittling hair is another good analogue for the BESS tester.  If you can't whittle a hair (or cause it to split on contact), you've probably got a BESS reading over 135.  If you can whittle a hair, but you have to mess around with it for a while to get it, you're likely in the 110-135 range.  If you can do it on the first attempt, and pretty much anywhere on the edge, you're below 100.

As far as the BESS tester only reading a tiny fraction of the edge goes, I don't find that to be a problem.  My edges are generally consistent from tip to heel after sharpening.  If I get a reading of 100g in one spot, I'm going to get the same reading +/- 5g anywhere else on the blade.

It must have been a good test. But I didn't understand anything. The translation must have been imperfect.