Recent posts

#91

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

Last post by carlhanger - February 04, 2026, 04:23:54 PM

It helps a lot! Thank you

#92

Wood Turning / Re: well done extensive Glenn ...

Last post by RichColvin - February 04, 2026, 04:06:47 PM

@Rossy66, I recommend you look for older tools at yard sales or at places like Goodwill.  What you will probably find are high carbon tools like those made by Craftsman and Buck.  Those will sharpen quicker than HSS; however you will be able to get the approach down.

By the way, these tools are very good once sharpened.  They will need to be resharpened more often than HSS; however you can look at that as a benefit as it will help you develop your process.

#93

Knife Sharpening / Re: Cletus Spuckler on knife s...

Last post by RichColvin - February 04, 2026, 04:03:40 PM

Wow.  Someone should sharpen that boy's knives to show him what sharp truly is.

#94

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

Last post by tgbto - February 04, 2026, 02:21:44 PM

The next challenge is avoiding an overgrind around the first third of the blade (coming from the handle)

This overgrind is very common when learning to sharpen with the Tormek. There are two simple steps you can take to avoid this :
- round out the shoulders of the wheel (with the stone grader or a diamond plate). If the "corners" are too sharp, then they will dig into the blade as soon as you are not keeping it perfectly flat. Round shoulders are not so aggressive.
- make sure you lay down the heel of the knife on the flat portion of the wheel. The blade should be as flat as possible when laying it down, but you want to err on the safe side (that is, hitting the wheel with the heel of the blade first rather than last). If you hit the wheel with the portion of the edge that is closer to the tip, you *will* overgrind.

Hope this helps, and enjoy your Tormek !

#95

Wood Turning / Re: well done extensive Glenn ...

Last post by Rossy66 - February 04, 2026, 02:14:23 PM

I'm looking for some cheap tools to practice on but they are quite expensive, trying to find some used ones. Thanks for the link.

#96

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

Last post by John Hancock Sr - February 04, 2026, 07:06:02 AM

Yes, it does sound like something is scraping. The shaft may be slightly bent. Check the body and wheel to see if you can see any wear marks where it could be scraping. Not sure that it will really do any damage but do check with Tormek.

#97

Knife Sharpening / Re: Cletus Spuckler on knife s...

Last post by Rossy66 - February 03, 2026, 11:44:58 PM

Painful to watch.

#98

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

Last post by carlhanger - February 03, 2026, 10:03:21 PM

I was definitely using too much pressure! The knives I sharpened after keeping that in mind felt and looked way better than the first ones. The next challenge is avoiding an overgrind around the first third of the blade (coming from the handle). I am trying to counteract this by going slower on the other two-thirds, but it still feels a bit awkward. I am getting there, though.

Is the wheel on the machine the SG or the SJ? It is not clear from the photos. If it is the SJ then you will take forever to get a bevel. If it is the SG then do you have the grading stone to change the grit? You reshape the bevel with the coarse grade then finish with the fine grit and then if desired the SJ wheel.

I am using the SG and am really surprised with the sharpness I am getting just using it, the honing wheel with green compound, and a bare leather. Next, I will try using the Schleifjunkies honing wheels with 1 and 0.25 microns and a fixed angle. If the results improve just a bit with that setup, I don't see a need for the SJ.

Also, I am very happy that the SG isn't as slow as many people say. Yes, making big angle adjustments on a wide chisel or plane blade can be a bit tedious, but setting a new bevel on a kitchen knife doesn't take that long at all. Even on the very beat up and thick grocery store knives I have been practicing on. Instead of the grading stone, I am using diamond plates.

My old T7 was a bit noisy, did not worry me too much. Also if the honing wheel has a bump then it is perfectly fine. The leather is not always perfectly smooth. That will not impact the honing.

Did you clean and grease the shaft? The recommended is white lithium. It is water resistant and really sticky. Remove the shaft, clean it with a rag and re-grease the bearings. It pays to repeat this every few months, especially if you are using it a lot.
 

I'm not bothered by the overall volume of the mashine, but by a specific rhythmic noise that perfectly matches the bump I feel when honing. I made another video of the drive wheel and I am pretty sure that there is something wrong whith it:

I did clean and lubricate the shaft btw. Also, the wheel and the shaft both look straight when inspecting them separately. I am very happy for any suggestions as to what might be causing this.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

#99

Knife Sharpening / Re: Cletus Spuckler on knife s...

Last post by Ken S - February 03, 2026, 03:41:58 PM

Holy Molly.

That is so funny... "Well, if you manage to hold your steel real steady - like my friend over there is holding the camera"

I try to keep an open mind, and not always sound like a Tormek elitist. Building on TGB's post, as a lifelong photographer, I rarely feel comfortable without the six pound Leitz Tiltall tripod I purchased in 1979. I respect the cook's position that his sharpening technique may seem adequate for his needs. However; just like using my tripod, I believe a more refined approach to sharpening may produce longer lasting edges which are gentler on the knives. Whether maintaining my own knives or hiring a sharpener, I prefer the gentler approach.

Ken

#100

Knife Sharpening / Re: Cletus Spuckler on knife s...

Last post by tgbto - February 03, 2026, 08:14:58 AM

Holy Molly.

That is so funny... "Well, if you manage to hold your steel real steady - like my friend over there is holding the camera - then your sheet of paper will yield after you apply no more than 50 pounds of force with your newly created bludgeon".