a new Extended Universal Support Bar

[wootz]

Appreciate your thoughts, Jan.

[bobl]

Just what I am looking for as I sometimes get a few 14 inch carvers to sharpen.
I am on to Robins site now and will order one.
God Bless the Forum.
Bob
( The Knife Grinder )

[Ken S]

Be sure to check out Robin's sharpening school! Knowledge is power.

Ken

[wootz]

Funny enough only after two years of using T7, I came across the Tormek's extended Universal Support US-400 for long knives.
It comes as a standard support with Tormek SuperGrind 4000 (designed for professional knife sharpening), and is also available by itself in Europe; costs near the same as the regular support - I just ordered one for myself from Italy.

US-400 has one leg threaded with microadjust, and fits T3, T4, T7, T8 and of course T4000.

I hope it is also taller than the regular support, allowing for cleavers sharpening, but can't tell for sure till it arrives.

Pictured is the US-400 on Tormek 4000.

[Ken S]

Interesting, Wootz.

I wonder how useful the short horizontal leg really is. I am open for thoughts on this.

By the way, Robin Bailey's extended support bar is taller as well as longer.

Ken

[wootz]

Don't you see, Ken?
With the short leg, the horizontal bar is over the stone exactly at its middle.
As is the regular universal support; compared to the regular support, the US-400 is extended by the length of the short leg in each direction.

This ensures even for very long knives the knife jig can travel all the way bolster to tip both left-to-right, and right-to-left.
While Robin's is extended only in one direction; you see its limitation as soon as you flip the jig with the long knife in it.
Robin's is good for cleavers, but not as good for long knives as the US-400.

[Ken S]

Wootz,

Thank you for clarifying this for me. I can now see the logic in this design. I was looking at the shorter horizontal leg as an independent part, rather than as an extension of the longer leg. Now it makes sense to me.

This thinking reminds me of the original discussion of the short knife jig concept which has become Herman's jig. The idea was to make the platform narrow enough so that the blade could be placed right up to the handle in either direction. This seems the same thought process, but in the other direction. The universal support bar is extended to provide full coverage for long knives in either direction.

It is a clever idea. I wonder if this support bar is available in the US.

Ken

[Ken S]

Wootz,

Does this extended support bar allow clearance when using the leather honing wheel? The photo indicates a greater separation between the sleeves and the honing wheel on the 4000 than on the standard Tormek's. This might be a constraint for freehand honing, but no problem for jig honing.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

It is a clever idea. I wonder if this support bar is available in the US.

Ken

Of course I originally read the above as it is a cleaver solution.   I looked a while back, when looking for the restaurant, via JF old parts site, and it wasn't.  My understanding from some old posts here, was it was never imported across the pond. (and now replaced with a different model, also not available here)

[wootz]

Here is the US400 compared to the regular US-105:



US400 horizontal bar length is 43cm (~ 17"), with the short arm of 6cm.
The legs are of the same length of 15cm in both the US400 and US-105.

[Ken S]

Interesting. Thanks for posting it, Wootz.

Ken

[WolfY]

Bad news.
Checking with Tormek, last US400 that they had in stock was sold out a month ago and no new production is in plans.

If you really need this either get the last you can find on the market (maybe even used once) or...
manufacture yourself.
An idea is to get a round SS rod and glue it on top of the US-105.