Knife tip sharpening

[newbiestander]

Hello, after my previous post i ended up buying the tormek t4. Thank you for the fast replies.

After a bit of sharpening I don't know how i should approach
The tip of the knife. Everyone I see does it differently, some people lift the handle, other people bring the knife to them without pivoting up or down. I really don't know how to do this right. Also on the first knife i underestimated the cutting power of the machine and concaved it (turns out I need a ton more practicing)

[John_B]

It does take some practice to get the feel of knife sharpening. Do not despair it comes quickly. What I found earl on was to practice the movements with the motor off a few times to get some muscle memory. Also using inexpensive knives or old ones builds confidence quickly.

Here is a great training video from Tormek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2ifZQOJA7k&t=1445s

[cbwx34]

Hello, after my previous post i ended up buying the tormek t4. Thank you for the fast replies.

After a bit of sharpening I don't know how i should approach
The tip of the knife. Everyone I see does it differently, some people lift the handle, other people bring the knife to them without pivoting up or down. I really don't know how to do this right. Also on the first knife i underestimated the cutting power of the machine and concaved it (turns out I need a ton more practicing)

The short answer.... get a couple of practice knives, and try both ways... and see what works best.  If you mark the edge with a Sharpie marker before each pass, you'll get a pretty good idea of where metal is being removed, and which approach works best for you.

I don't think anyone will tell you which is "right"... (cough pivot cough)   It's just a matter of figuring out what works for your needs.

[tgbto]

It will probably have to do with what you consider the tip being "done right". Is it a constant angle (if you favor cutting performance or edge retention), is it a constant bevel width (looks nicer, will probably be enjoyed by most customers), ...

Then once you've determined that, you will have more insight on what your method should be.

If you aim for a constant angle, then a laser line and a pivot jig will work wonders.

If you want a constant bevel width, it will depend a lot on the geometry of your blade (tapered/curved edge/you name it), how and where you clamp the knife, and the sharpie with a very light touch should serve you well. You will need to find a lifting/pivoting combination that will suit your needs, and practice...

Cheers!

[Ringarn67]

I'm just beginning to read this thread,

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=2589.0

9 pages of info, opinions, experience, and LOTS of pictures. VERY interesting 

[newbiestander]

I'm just beginning to read this thread,

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=2589.0

9 pages of info, opinions, experience, and LOTS of pictures. VERY interesting 

This is everything I needed. Thank you

[blevins]

I'm just beginning to read this thread,

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=2589.0

9 pages of info, opinions, experience, and LOTS of pictures. VERY interesting 

Awesome thread, thanks for sharing! There are a lot of knives waiting for sharpening and I kept busy with some paperwork as I'm trying to buy flat in Nice but as soon as I get back home I will follow the steps in this thread.

[capt rich]

 I'm a newbie. Got my tormek and went to yard sales and bought up a lot of cheap knives to practice on. A probably ground a few knives 5-6 times.
Broke a few tips and reprofiled them. Still learning, I'm sharpening friends knives for free. Now that I've practiced on their knives, I can do mine correct.