Recent posts

#21

Knife Sharpening / Re: Update: Noobie Advice Abo...

Last post by Sir Amwell - February 26, 2026, 12:51:39 AM

I run a knife sharpening business that started out just like yours is now.
I still sharpen family and good friends knives for free.
Normal friends get 'mates rates'.
Everyone else gets charged at a reasonable rate to commensurate me for my time.
It's a side hustle that is now rewarding for all the time and expense I've put in.
If I could take a leap it would become THE hustle and not a side one.
However,my focus has always been quality over quantity and my customers are passionate about their knives and don't argue prices or ever complain.
So I would need to put in some promo work and widen my radius to make it a full time business. Every time you sharpen for family and friends you are gaining invaluable experience/practice and knowledge so it's an investment as well as being a joy to do.
(I still love sharpening despite many hundreds of knives).
On a practical level, from what you've described, I would suggest paying more attention to your honing technique/protocols to achieve silent buttery smooth slicing of paper.
It's easy to chop down a tree when you know how. Another matter to properly clear up afterwards.
Same with knife sharpening. It's relatively easy to grind an edge and raise a burr. A different matter to hone and completely remove the burr to get it to its true potential.
Keep going, enjoy, and good luck on your journey.

#22

Knife Sharpening / Update: Noobie Advice About G...

Last post by Dulcmrman - February 26, 2026, 12:16:16 AM

Since my last post about grinding stones, I have been practicing on my new-to-me T-4 with a new SG-200 stone.  My wife volunteers at the local Disabled American Vets (DAV) store and has been bringing home donated knives that are basically slightly sharp screwdrivers.  Here are some of my observations.

Using a Tormek is harder than it looks and there is a learning curve, although not that steep.

My first few jobs were a bit ragged, but I am getting better.  Not good enough to put my really good knives on the machine yet but getting closer.

After working on six or so knives I can now achieve an edge that cuts paper reasonably well, but not like some of the experts I see on YouTube.  My edges cut the paper but are "noisy" whereas the expert's edges really glide through the paper in near silence.  More practice is indicated.

Advice from forum members about delaying the purchase of finer grit stones like the diamond or Japanese water stones is spot on.  I will continue to practice until I achieve that really smooth edge.

I am a hobbyist and don't plan to start a business, but some friends have already expressed an interest in having their knives sharpened.  I may do this.  Do any of you do so?  Do you charge, or do it as a favor?

Lastly, the edge I am getting with the T-4 takes just minutes to produce as opposed to a significantly langer time with my waterstones.  I like that a lot!!

#23

General Tormek Questions / Re: Some Questions about my ne...

Last post by John Hancock Sr - February 24, 2026, 03:44:51 AM

Zinc machining must be a fairly new technology.

Not sure what you mean Ken. New to Tormek, or new in general. Casting zinc alloys has been around for many decades, see alloy wheels on cars, and alloy engines and parts. I think that it was more expensive than steel fabricated parts which may have been a disincentive. Also new alloys have been developed with more strength and resistance to fracture and this may have also been a contributing factor.

Perhaps someone on speaking terms with the Tormek people could ask them what their decision making process was.

#24

General Tormek Questions / Re: DF-200

Last post by John Hancock Sr - February 24, 2026, 03:38:34 AM

As others have said the is excess dust when sharpening dry, and wet is more efficient. In addition the wheel last much longer since the water reduces the impact on the grit. The same also applies to CBN.

The only down side to me is having to clean up after a sharpening session. I don't see that as a real bother, just part of the process.

#25

Knife Sharpening / Re: Serrated knives

Last post by John_B - February 23, 2026, 06:52:04 PM

This worked well for me:

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php/topic,5807.msg42446.html#msg42446

#26

Knife Sharpening / Serrated knives

Last post by Sir Amwell - February 23, 2026, 01:34:27 AM

Maybe an old topic I know.
So let's get some views on this.
I have to admit it's pretty hit or miss for me.
Despite lots of research, theorising and practice it's still eluding me.
Anyone got a reliable technique for this using Tormek and or other equipment?
Im talking serrated knives with big scallops, bread knives etc.
Grind scallops first and chase the burr on the flat side?
Or flat side first à la Wootz and deburr on the scallops?
Have tried a variety of ways and no real consistent results ( sometimes excellent and others very disappointing).
Any thoughts would be most welcome!

#27

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

Last post by Andy - February 22, 2026, 06:18:00 PM

Thank you masters. Everything is clear.   I think I'll buy an BESS type device.

#28

Scissors Sharpening / Re: Excess Water Overflow When...

Last post by Ken S - February 22, 2026, 01:25:38 PM

Well stated.

Ken

#29

General Tormek Questions / Re: 10 inch honing wheel for T...

Last post by Royale - February 22, 2026, 06:39:27 AM

I did a search on the forum but didn't find any answers so I decided to ask here, I have honestly tried to hone free hand and not with any success, it gets frustrating to sharpen a knife with a great edge and then mess it up on the honing side. I have watched lots of videos bit I still seem to take the sharpness out of the knife but when I hone with the USB and KS-123, my results are perfect and I couldn't be happier. Obviously, I have to keep taking my wheel off to hone most of the knives so I was wondering if anyone has bought and tried a 10 inch honing wheel and the results. I have watched some videos from different YouTubers and I am impressed watching them move from sharpening to honing without removing any wheels.

Thanks

Pondering more... I think a good place to start is the perception of your Tormek T8.

I see it as a slow moving machine with capabilities for extreme precision and scalability.

Whenever I have to strop, I just remove the grindstone and slot it into the rack just below my T8, and reattach the water trough. (I'm just using an Ikea Bror workbench and Slipakniven rack at my workshop)

It's become part of my routine workflow and I don't really feel any significant time loss when moving the grindstone and leather wheel about.

Maybe a bit of (re)organisation to put your wheels within easy reach, so you're just removing and slotting would make your issue seem less troublesome.

At the end of it all, the final product you create would make a little swapping out here and there seem insignificant, and just "part of the game".

#30

General Tormek Questions / Re: 10 inch honing wheel for T...

Last post by Dan - February 21, 2026, 12:27:43 PM

I did a search on the forum but didn't find any answers so I decided to ask here, I have honestly tried to hone free hand and not with any success, it gets frustrating to sharpen a knife with a great edge and then mess it up on the honing side. I have watched lots of videos bit I still seem to take the sharpness out of the knife but when I hone with the USB and KS-123, my results are perfect and I couldn't be happier. Obviously, I have to keep taking my wheel off to hone most of the knives so I was wondering if anyone has bought and tried a 10 inch honing wheel and the results. I have watched some videos from different YouTubers and I am impressed watching them move from sharpening to honing without removing any wheels.

Thanks

You have asked this quite a few times already. The main problem is that a larger honing wheel gets in the way of the grinding wheel for longer knives. It is not a problem for shorter knives but as soon as you want to grind a 6 inch or longer blade the honing wheel gets in the way. This is exactly why the honing wheel is a smaller diameter. There isn't really any way around this.
As Ken says, you can change the set up a little for honing. This is one possibility but I think you will still have a problem as this time the grinding wheel will get in the way of honing for longer knives!

This old discontinued model gets round this problem by having the wheels further apart. It was a special model designed specifically for knives
https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/tormek-pr-250-mit-stein-sg-250-220-1220356278/

If you still want to use the USB support bar for honing then a better solution is to hone on another machine...

... Like I said to you previously. Here is the link again

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?msg=40820

Danny

Sorry, I was hoping for a suggestion for a workaround. I will pay more attention to my posts going forward.

I gave you a workaround at the end of my comment - honing on a separate machine. Is that not of any interest?
There is no way to get around the problem of not enough room for longer knives if you use two 10 inch wheels on the one Tormek machine