Considering a T3 - but I have a few questions...

[Torour]

Hi

I'm new here! I'm interested in making knives and straight razors and sharpening them. From what I have read the T3 might serve my purpose as a hobby machine. My question is - will the standard grindstone be okay for metal forming (carbon tool steel) as well as sharpening/honing? Or would I need a lower grit stone for this?

Thanks!

[jeffs55]

The T3 will not stand up to continuos use as would be found in actually making a tool. It is not rated for continuous use as the T7 is. You can run the T7 24/7 but the T3 is for 30 minute cycles and then cool off time. I may be wrong on the run time of the T3 but it is still not up to your needs.

[Torour]

Thanks for the input, Jeff!

Anyone else care to give me the benefit of their experiences? I'd very much appreciate it.

[Justin]

I agree with Jeff. Your requirements are that of a professional and so you will need piece of kit that can live up to it. I had a 1200 (T3) and found it was good but quite cramped - knife handle hindered by the honing wheel (and vice versa) in some freehand situations. I think you would quickly regret buying a T3. For people coming from high speed dry grinders, the Tormeks feel slow going when it comes to metal removal/shaping, the 50/50 duty cycle on the T3 will just hinder you further.

[Rhino]

If you plan to grind a lot, the cost of the T7 grindstone is also cheaper per usable cubic inch (or cubic centimeter).  The T3 grindstone is smaller and narrower but not proportionally cheaper.

On another note, I had a chef's knife that I used to chop lobster.  I nicked a half dime piece of metal off the edge chopping a big lobster for fun.  It took me a whole afternoon to regrind the blade.  Based on this experience, I would guess that if I used the T7 to grind a primary bevel on a square blank piece of metal, it will take some time. 

Now I use a Gransfor axe for lobsters.

[Rob]

I must say whilst never wanting to put the dampers on anyone wishing to enter the Tormek world, I also agree that using the T any model to shape large metal blanks is gunna cost you time and blisters!

For major shaping operations like you suggest you would be better off with something much more aggressive. The Tormek is excellent for occasional big shaping and then fast and fine sharpening. For example I re ground a finger nail gouge yesterday. New shape, probably took 20 minutes. Now to sharpen, it takes twenty seconds. But after the shaping my arms were aching, fingers a little worn etc. I'm not a big fan of dry grinders but for fast steel removal, that's the appropriate direction.

Rob

[Ken S]

I have never used a T3, so I really can't comment either way.

Regarding shaping metal, I would use a belt grinder.  Changing grits is easy.  You need to exercise some care in not overheating the metal.  A good and very inexpensive alternative would be several hand files.  (different degrees of roughness).  You may be surprised how quickly a good file works when used properly.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

The T7 is not really a machine dedicated to the task of shaping metal, although it can be used for that purpose on occasion.  I would imagine the T3 would be even worse.

As an example, consider the task of maintaining power mower blades.  They require a lot of shaping when they've been abused, and it would be very time consuming to do that with the T7.  I shape them on a dry grinder and then use the Tormek to sharpen them.

[Elden]

Herman,

You mentioned mower blades, you have a lot more patience than I do to be using the Tormek to sharpen them! Around here I have too many rocks to hit to consider taking time to use it, for some reason those rocks don't care whether that blade has seen a Tormek or not! An abrasive flap wheel on an angle grinder does a great job of polishing mower blades to a fine edge if a person wants them very sharp. I imagine if a person would check to see how sharp a mower blade is after mowing his yard once, that he would find that the "Tormek sharp" would be gone and just a normal sharp remained even though the blade contacted only grass.

Elden

[Herman Trivilino]

I imagine if a person would check to see how sharp a mower blade is after mowing his yard once, that he would find that the "Tormek sharp" would be gone and just a normal sharp remained even though the blade contacted only grass.

We don't have many rocks around here.  The blade remains sharp for several mowings.  I can tell by looking at the tops of the blades of grass after mowing.  They are ragged if the blade is not sharp, but a sharp blade will slice them off leaving a smooth cut.

Here's a thread on mower blade sharpening:

http://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=930.msg2503#msg2503

[Elden]

Very interesting thread Herman. I might have to give it a try.

[Ken S]

One of the difficulties with the T3 is lack of good information.  Justin has worked with an earlier version of the T3.  However, most of us use variations of the T7.  I have only seen a demonstrator once at a tool fair.  He was using only a T7. 

Jeff, you did a lot of demo work over the years.  Are the demo guys showing both the T7 and T3 now, or just the T7?

Ken

[Rob]

I agree re the lack of information. It's almost like the T3 is the "guilty secret" of Tormek that everyone is so embarrassed about they don't want to be associated with :-)

Probably conceived in response to competitive pressure from copying manufacturers, but no one wants to go there. Thus no one really invests in developing collateral around it

Rob

[Jeff Farris]

One of the difficulties with the T3 is lack of good information.  Justin has worked with an earlier version of the T3.  However, most of us use variations of the T7.  I have only seen a demonstrator once at a tool fair.  He was using only a T7. 

Jeff, you did a lot of demo work over the years.  Are the demo guys showing both the T7 and T3 now, or just the T7?

Ken

That depends on the market. The T3 is very popular in certain European markets. Some people buy a T3, find they love the system and graduate up to a T7, while some others are completely satisfied with the T3.

The differences are simple. The T3 frame is plastic. The motor is smaller and not continuous-duty rated. The grindstone is approximately half the total volume of the T7 grindstone (being both smaller in diameter and thickness).

The T3  was not (nor its predecessor the 1600) on the U.S. market until 2007 or 2008, which is why it hasn't gained a lot of traction here. I don't have a lot to say about it, because its introduction to the U.S. market coincided with my taking a less direct part in Tormek marketing.

[Torour]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

I guess I'll need to build a dedicated hollow grinding two-wheel set-up and perhaps use the Tormek for sharpening purposes only.