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#11
Knife Sharpening / Re: Recommended Reading
Last post by WimSpi - Yesterday at 04:24:50 PMFrom my previous profession (carpenter), sharpening is nothing new to me.
In recent years, I have immersed myself in sharpening by watching high-quality videos. I have benefited most from the videos by the late Dr. Vadim Kraichuk of KnifeGrinders and from Tormek itself. I find that there are many videos on YouTube by people who present themselves as experts and, above all, as the best in their field. That takes a lot of (unnecessary) time.
I have also learned a lot on this forum by reading carefully and asking questions.
From all that information, I have created my own workflow for sharpening, which I now use.
I sharpen knives, chisels, and also hand saws (but sharpening handsaws is completely different from knives and chisels).
In recent years, I have immersed myself in sharpening by watching high-quality videos. I have benefited most from the videos by the late Dr. Vadim Kraichuk of KnifeGrinders and from Tormek itself. I find that there are many videos on YouTube by people who present themselves as experts and, above all, as the best in their field. That takes a lot of (unnecessary) time.
I have also learned a lot on this forum by reading carefully and asking questions.
From all that information, I have created my own workflow for sharpening, which I now use.
I sharpen knives, chisels, and also hand saws (but sharpening handsaws is completely different from knives and chisels).
#12
Scissors Sharpening / Re: Anouther question about sc...
Last post by RichColvin - Yesterday at 04:08:58 PMDavid,
Scissors generally are not made from hardened steel so an aggressive stone will wear away the metal quickly. And, you don't want to hone them.
I use the SG-250 on my Tormek to sharpen scissors for my wife. I have not used the extra fine diamond grinding wheel (e.g., the EF-250); however I believe it would also work quite well. The fine diamond grinding wheel (DF-250) may be too aggressive and leave too rough of a surface, but I am not positive of that.
As for jigs, the Tormek SC-60 scissors jig is my recommendation. If you have the older, Tormek SVX-150 scissors jig, that works well also.
The Tormek videos
cover this well. In the second video, Sébastien discusses sharpening scissors on the T-2 which uses a diamond grinding stone.
Kind regards,
Rich
Scissors generally are not made from hardened steel so an aggressive stone will wear away the metal quickly. And, you don't want to hone them.
I use the SG-250 on my Tormek to sharpen scissors for my wife. I have not used the extra fine diamond grinding wheel (e.g., the EF-250); however I believe it would also work quite well. The fine diamond grinding wheel (DF-250) may be too aggressive and leave too rough of a surface, but I am not positive of that.
As for jigs, the Tormek SC-60 scissors jig is my recommendation. If you have the older, Tormek SVX-150 scissors jig, that works well also.
The Tormek videos
- Axes & scissors sharpening | Part 2 | Tormek Live Sharpening Class (https://www.youtube.com/live/QlScXCdisAo?si=b_6xTCoscNwjJZq-)
- Scissors sharpening with the SC-60 Scissors Jig | Part 28 | Tormek Live Sharpening Class (https://www.youtube.com/live/YXh-Gt2TT3s?si=SWj2X0hwBj00hpJp)
cover this well. In the second video, Sébastien discusses sharpening scissors on the T-2 which uses a diamond grinding stone.
Kind regards,
Rich
#13
Scissors Sharpening / Re: Anouther question about sc...
Last post by Royale - Yesterday at 04:00:33 PMI think a good place to start, would be how the diamonds are attached to the steel hub.
If I'm not wrong, the diamonds are suspended in a solution that has a metal dissolved in it, then the steel hub and solution are electrified, drawing the dissolved metal out of the solution and onto the hub. The diamonds that are suspended in this constantly agitated solution get caught up in this electroplating process, and are "glued" onto the hub.
Long story short, diamond dust is glued to steel using another metal (nickel)
If the scissor blade manages to scrape off some of that metal, then your diamond grindstone is pretty much BER (Beyond Economical Repair)
The SG-250 is much more forgiving as any gouges/dents can be graded down to flat again. It's also great for practice and doing any experimentation on.
$300 may feel like a lot to add to your toolkit, but it's good to consider what you risk by saving that $300.
I don't have thousands of knives sharpened on the T8 under my belt, but I can confidently say that almost 99% of my customer knives needed reprofiling and repairs. (they are animals)
And once your business picks up, you won't regret having a 220 grit grindstone to power through more knives quickly.
Also, I sharpen scissors entirely on the SG-250. I use it at 220 grit to reprofile/repair, then use it at 1000 grit to smoothen the peaks the 220 grit creates, leaving a somewhat micro serrated edge. (I sharpen scissors mostly for tailors, so they need that consistent "bite" when sewing)
If I'm not wrong, the diamonds are suspended in a solution that has a metal dissolved in it, then the steel hub and solution are electrified, drawing the dissolved metal out of the solution and onto the hub. The diamonds that are suspended in this constantly agitated solution get caught up in this electroplating process, and are "glued" onto the hub.
Long story short, diamond dust is glued to steel using another metal (nickel)
If the scissor blade manages to scrape off some of that metal, then your diamond grindstone is pretty much BER (Beyond Economical Repair)
The SG-250 is much more forgiving as any gouges/dents can be graded down to flat again. It's also great for practice and doing any experimentation on.
$300 may feel like a lot to add to your toolkit, but it's good to consider what you risk by saving that $300.
I don't have thousands of knives sharpened on the T8 under my belt, but I can confidently say that almost 99% of my customer knives needed reprofiling and repairs. (they are animals)
And once your business picks up, you won't regret having a 220 grit grindstone to power through more knives quickly.
Also, I sharpen scissors entirely on the SG-250. I use it at 220 grit to reprofile/repair, then use it at 1000 grit to smoothen the peaks the 220 grit creates, leaving a somewhat micro serrated edge. (I sharpen scissors mostly for tailors, so they need that consistent "bite" when sewing)
#14
Knife Sharpening / Re: Recommended Reading
Last post by RichColvin - Yesterday at 03:50:49 PMDavid,
Ken is right that the Tormek classes on YouTube are a great place to start. The playlists on their YouTube channel is available at https://www.youtube.com/@TormekSharpening/playlists.
Regarding books, there is a bit of difficulty answering your question directly. Generally, the best book I recommend for woodworkers is The Complete Guide to Sharpening (1996), by Leonard Lee (of Lee Valley). It is quite thorough and well done.
For other types of tools, there are good sources, but I have found that the best books are for sharpening given tools and the books are usually tool-specific or at least category-specific. For example, I have come to find these are some of the best books:
In the web-based Sharpening Handbook (https://sharpeninghandbook.info), I have attempted to compile the list of these resources two ways:
If you take this as a journey to enjoy rather than a destination, you will find there is much to learn as we all do. And you will find that new information is being released to update your knowledge (e.g., Knife Engineering: Steel, Heat Treating, and Geometry in 2025 by Dr. Larrin Thomas).
Kind regards,
Rich
Ken is right that the Tormek classes on YouTube are a great place to start. The playlists on their YouTube channel is available at https://www.youtube.com/@TormekSharpening/playlists.
Regarding books, there is a bit of difficulty answering your question directly. Generally, the best book I recommend for woodworkers is The Complete Guide to Sharpening (1996), by Leonard Lee (of Lee Valley). It is quite thorough and well done.
For other types of tools, there are good sources, but I have found that the best books are for sharpening given tools and the books are usually tool-specific or at least category-specific. For example, I have come to find these are some of the best books:
- For knives: "Concerning the Sharpness of Blades" (PDF, date unknown), by Tremonia Feterkurier and Knife Engineering: Steel, Heat Treating, and Geometry (2025), by Dr. Larrin Thomas. The late Dr. Vadim Kraichuk of KnifeGrinders (http://knifegrinders.com.au) also published a number of really great articles on his web site.
- For twist drills: "Drill Bit Geometry" (an article from 1989), by Joseph Mazoff
- For metal lathe & milling machine tooling: Design and Use of Cutting Tools (1952), by Leo J. St. Clair.
- For handsaws, Set & File: A Practical Guide to Saw Sharpening (2024), by Matt Cianci
- For cold chisels, Use and Care of Hand Tools and Measuring Tools (2020), by the U.S. Department of Defense. This is AKA: Air Force TO 32-1-101, Army TM 9-243, Navy M6290-AJ-MAN-1010, & Marine Corps 10209-10/1.
In the web-based Sharpening Handbook (https://sharpeninghandbook.info), I have attempted to compile the list of these resources two ways:
- as a composite list (https://sharpeninghandbook.info/indexBooksVideosWebSites.html), and
- by tool to be sharpened
If you take this as a journey to enjoy rather than a destination, you will find there is much to learn as we all do. And you will find that new information is being released to update your knowledge (e.g., Knife Engineering: Steel, Heat Treating, and Geometry in 2025 by Dr. Larrin Thomas).
Kind regards,
Rich
#15
Scissors Sharpening / Anouther question about scisso...
Last post by Rossy66 - Yesterday at 01:07:46 PMI bought a T8 custom as doing my research, it was the best fit for my future business needs. After looking through this forum, I noticed that the diamond wheel is not recommended for scissors which is a little upsetting as I have shelled out over $2500 for a system that I thought would get me up and running. I do not see any information about not using diamond wheels for sharpening scissors in any videos (I am willing to be corrected if I am wrong) so now I have to pay an extra $300 for the basic stone?
I have just ordered the MB-102 to help me with maintain a better angle during honing and learning to sharpen chisels and such and was wondering if It would work on scissors as I will be edge leading (I think that's right)the rotation is moving AWAY from me as I have read that its mostly the vibrations that can damage the diamond wheel (as well as the steep angle).
Any thoughts?
I have just ordered the MB-102 to help me with maintain a better angle during honing and learning to sharpen chisels and such and was wondering if It would work on scissors as I will be edge leading (I think that's right)the rotation is moving AWAY from me as I have read that its mostly the vibrations that can damage the diamond wheel (as well as the steep angle).
Any thoughts?
#16
Knife Sharpening / Re: Recommended Reading
Last post by Ken S - December 10, 2025, 03:36:52 PMDavid,
You ask an excellent question. Over the years, I have acquired a formidable book library of sharpening and woodworking books. In the past few years, my studying has become almost exclusively online videos. For years, I complained to Tormek about the lack of good instructional videos which went beyond short, marketing videos. The answer was always the same, "We would like to; however, our staff just doesn't have the time".
Covid changed that. Travel bans made the old demo at trade fairs strategy non working (one of the very few benefits of Covid). We finally have a series of well done online videos which go beyond easy marketing.
My advice is to limit your precious study time to really studying the Tormek online youtubes. Do this until you acquire a very solid foundation in the Tormek technique. Please note that I am not saying that the Tormek method is the only good method or that it is the only method. By mastering it, you build a solid comparison base to evaluate other ideas. It can help you avoid two pitfalls:
The first pitfall is inexperience with the Tormek. This includes things like using whatever honing compound one happens to already have. I don't know if Tormek PA-70 compound is really better than other brands or not. I do know that Tormek has standardized on it for many years.
Related is non wetgrinding thinking. Like you, I have decades of bench stone sharpening experience. It is valuable related experience. It is not the same as Tormek sharpening.
The second pitfall is, for lack of a better term, "marketing propaganda". While often not incorrect, this often ignores the entire picture. Is water "messy", or is grinding dust unhealthy? Is the useof an anticorrosion solution "expensive" or do thebenefits outweigh the cost? And, what isthe real cost?
I expect any vendor toadvocate his own product.Ihave noproblem with that; however, all vendor information, including that of Tormek, should beable to withstand reasonable criticism.
In conclusion, Irecommend study of the handbook andTormek's online classes.
Ken
PS I apologize for the typos. I recently had cataract surgery on both eyes and am awaiting new lenses for closevision.
You ask an excellent question. Over the years, I have acquired a formidable book library of sharpening and woodworking books. In the past few years, my studying has become almost exclusively online videos. For years, I complained to Tormek about the lack of good instructional videos which went beyond short, marketing videos. The answer was always the same, "We would like to; however, our staff just doesn't have the time".
Covid changed that. Travel bans made the old demo at trade fairs strategy non working (one of the very few benefits of Covid). We finally have a series of well done online videos which go beyond easy marketing.
My advice is to limit your precious study time to really studying the Tormek online youtubes. Do this until you acquire a very solid foundation in the Tormek technique. Please note that I am not saying that the Tormek method is the only good method or that it is the only method. By mastering it, you build a solid comparison base to evaluate other ideas. It can help you avoid two pitfalls:
The first pitfall is inexperience with the Tormek. This includes things like using whatever honing compound one happens to already have. I don't know if Tormek PA-70 compound is really better than other brands or not. I do know that Tormek has standardized on it for many years.
Related is non wetgrinding thinking. Like you, I have decades of bench stone sharpening experience. It is valuable related experience. It is not the same as Tormek sharpening.
The second pitfall is, for lack of a better term, "marketing propaganda". While often not incorrect, this often ignores the entire picture. Is water "messy", or is grinding dust unhealthy? Is the useof an anticorrosion solution "expensive" or do thebenefits outweigh the cost? And, what isthe real cost?
I expect any vendor toadvocate his own product.Ihave noproblem with that; however, all vendor information, including that of Tormek, should beable to withstand reasonable criticism.
In conclusion, Irecommend study of the handbook andTormek's online classes.
Ken
PS I apologize for the typos. I recently had cataract surgery on both eyes and am awaiting new lenses for closevision.
#17
Knife Sharpening / Recommended Reading
Last post by Rossy66 - December 10, 2025, 12:44:29 PMAs I delve into the massive swimming pool of YouTube videos, I feel I am not getting the structured information I need to develop my knowledge in using my new Tormek T8 so I was wondering if anyone can recommend any books I can buy so I can pull up a chair, make a nice cup of tea and get down to the nitty gritty of learning sharpening. My experience is over 30+ years of sharpening on multiple stones but this was from a working chefs point of view so my need of sharpening understanding was very basic. As I get ready to do a "very" soft launch of my new business, I want to learn what and why I do something wrong (and right) and how to fix it. Honing is still a challenge for me so I ordered the MB-102 jig so I can replicate the same angle that I sharpened on. Nothing to scientific, just a really good understanding of the process from beginning to end.
I do want to take this opportunity to that everyone who have replied to my previous post and I hope to gain the knowledge so I can eventually contribute to posts instead of just asking questions.
I do want to take this opportunity to that everyone who have replied to my previous post and I hope to gain the knowledge so I can eventually contribute to posts instead of just asking questions.
#18
Knife Sharpening / Re: Tormek Marker
Last post by Rossy66 - December 10, 2025, 11:53:17 AMThanks, Ill pick some up today
#19
Knife Sharpening / Re: DIY knife jig
Last post by Psykometrikern - December 09, 2025, 06:51:19 PMNice work with the jig! What are some things you learned from making it?
#20
Knife Sharpening / Re: Tormek Marker
Last post by RickKrung - December 09, 2025, 06:18:47 PMAny marker will do. I prefer Sharpie markers.
Be forewarned, using markers on sharp edges will ruin the tips, whittling them down to little nubs. So, only use markers you are willing to have damaged and made unusable for other purposes.
Be forewarned, using markers on sharp edges will ruin the tips, whittling them down to little nubs. So, only use markers you are willing to have damaged and made unusable for other purposes.