Recent posts

#71

Knife Sharpening / Re: Is there still a wire burr...

Last post by Andy - December 04, 2025, 02:33:23 PM

How to maintain a 13.5 degree angle for honing? By hand?
Muscle memory?

#72

Knife Sharpening / Re: Did I make a mistake?

Last post by Royale - December 04, 2025, 02:02:33 PM

My workflow for majority of customer knives is to reprofile them with the SG-250 graded coarse, then the DF-250, then LA-220.

To date, I've sharpened about... 140 customer knives, and only 6-8 knives did not require reprofiling and repairs.

Where I'm at, almost all customer knives have been "sharpened" with $5 pull through sharpeners, a $2 mystery whetstone, or handed to a "professional" who uses a wonky grindstone on a bench grinder.

Long story short, if you're planning to start your sharpening business, I highly recommend adding a SG-250 to do the majority of heavy lifting, and to speed up your workflow.

Most of my customers are like animals with knives. And they keep surprising me with damage never thought possible.

#73

Knife Sharpening / Re: Is there still a wire burr...

Last post by Andy - December 04, 2025, 01:17:00 PM

I initially grind and then refine on a 1000 grit CBN wheel on Tormek.
I then hone on a leather belt on WSKO with Tormek paste.
I estimate the blade taper for a given knife.
Say I want to hone exact angle I compensate for the blade taper and set the WSKO accordingly.
So if I ground at 15 degrees per side on Tormek.
If the taper on the knife is 1.5 degrees per side then I set the WSKO to 13.5 degrees to hone exact.
For most knives I hone at plus 1.5-2 degrees per side initially.
Then at exact to finally remove the burr.
Make sense?
PM me if you want more details/explanation.

Thank you. Great.

#74

Knife Sharpening / Re: Did I make a mistake?

Last post by Rossy66 - December 04, 2025, 12:47:36 PM

David,

In learning how to use"the beast", you have two definite advantages. First, you have experience as a working chef. While it is nice BESS testing knowledge and a digital microscope, you have in the trenches experiences using kitchen knives. This will stand by you in both sharpening and talking with customers. Second, your years of sharpening with stones is good related experience. It is not the same as wet sharpening with a Tormek; however, it will assist your learning process. with diligence and patience you will succeed.

Thanks Ken, yes, even though I did mostly touch ups each day In the kitchen, I always did a thorough evaluation of my knives (mostly Japanese) once every week to make sure they were in good condition. I was always shocked when I would meet a new chef who didn't know how to hone or sharpen, not sure if culinary school puts as much effort into teaching as they did when I went there ( a very long time ago  )

I have bought about 12 "loaner" knives that I got from Costco to practice on (I'm not even thinking of touching my Japanese knives until I am very confident) so I will learn on them. I played a little last night and found it a little difficult keeping the knife flat to the diamond wheel as I pulled it along but I guess that's just muscle memory, the same as I learned with my stones. Off to watch more videos.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Please keep us posted.

Ken

#75

General Tormek Questions / Re: Angle Gauge

Last post by John Hancock Sr - December 04, 2025, 10:55:15 AM

My son raised the markings, paused the print, and changed the colour to help them stand out.

#76

Knife Sharpening / Re: Did I make a mistake?

Last post by tgbto - December 04, 2025, 08:25:21 AM

As a matter of personal preference, i like to sprinkle a few drops of water on the composite wheel before I use it. It gives better control and feedback IMO.

#77

General Tormek Questions / Re: Angle Gauge

Last post by tgbto - December 04, 2025, 08:22:59 AM

For many years, I have recommended getting to know a local machinist. I would like to amend that recommend that recommendation to also include either acquiring a 3D printer or getting to know someone with access to one.

I think getting to know a 3D printer owner is far easier : local libraries or multi-services shops may have one, and home users will usually be more than happy to help. It will save the hassle of having to know about warping, support interfaces, z-hop and retraction, and the like. Which is a(nother) hobby in itself

#78

Knife Sharpening / Re: MDF strop with diamond com...

Last post by kenlip - December 04, 2025, 06:40:48 AM

A cheaper option and still good quality would be TechDiamondTools:

https://techdiamondtools.com/

When using the powder, what do you use as a carrier (to turn it into a poste)?

#79

Knife Sharpening / Re: Did I make a mistake?

Last post by Ken S - December 04, 2025, 04:54:34 AM

David,

In learning how to use"the beast", you have two definite advantages. First, you have experience as a working chef. While it is nice BESS testing knowledge and a digital microscope, you have in the trenches experiences using kitchen knives. This will stand by you in both sharpening and talking with customers. Second, your years of sharpening with stones is good related experience. It is not the same as wet sharpening with a Tormek; however, it will assist your learning process. with diligence and patience you will succeed.

Please keep us posted.

Ken

#80

Knife Sharpening / Re: Did I make a mistake?

Last post by Rossy66 - December 04, 2025, 01:31:25 AM

I appreciate the response. It definitely has put me at ease. Now off to learn how to use this beast.