US-400 available

[Ken S]

Wolfgang Derke of Advanced Machinery sent me an email today that Advanced now has some US-400 support bars. Here is a link to their listing:

https://advanced-machinery.myshopify.com/products/tormek-us-400-universal-support-for-t-8-t-7-and-s2000

These have been hard to find. They were originally supplied with the T4000, an elongated stainless steel predecessor of the T2. As I recall, Wootz was the first member of the forum to use one. His postings generated interest. Forum member andó longtime Tormek dealer, Steve Bottorff, (sharpeningmadeeasy.com) was able to find twenty of a small number of reissued US-400 units. These quickly sold out to interested Tormek users, including me. Until I received the email from Wolfgang, I thought the twenty that Steve had located were the last. I do not know how many US-400 units are available through Advanced Machinery.

The longest knife I sharpen is my eight inch (200mm) chef's knife. I have had no difficulty with the standard issue US-105 universal support bar with this knife. I gather the extra length of the US-400 is designed to handle longer knives. I have found the extended length on both ends a good place to rest my hands for better control. Having an extra support bar is also a time saver for heavy grinding situations which may require frequent wheel dressing tith the TT-50. There is no need to reset the Distance between the bar and grinding wheel. Just swap preset support bars..

Soon after purchasing my T7, I purchased a second US-105 support bar. Having a second support bar is convenient. Priced at $49 US, the US-400 is not much more expensive than the standard US-105. I have found the US-400 useful enough to purchase a second unit through Advanced. I chose the option for eight dollars more to include a microadjust for it.

One might compare the US-400 with the extended support bar designed and sold by forum member, Robin C Bailey. Each is useful in its own way. Robin's support bar is both longer and taller than the US-105. It is the ideal tool for sharpening cleavers. It does not have (or really need) the microadjust. I have and use both bars.

The video recently cited by forum member, Sharpco, shows the US-400 in use.

I am not trying to sell this product to anyone. I just remember some disappointed members who missed out on the first batch of twenty.

Ken

[bisonbladesharpening]

Thanks for the heads up.  Under $60 including shipping and will
get lots of use and add flexibility with a second usb.
Best Wishes
Tim

[wootz]

Ken, thank you so much. US-400 had been discontinued and are a rare find these days.
The Tormek distributor in Australia was trying to get more for me from Tormek on my request, but replyed no more nowhere.

I was lucky to get 2 of them for my workshop years ago through Italy, and has just bought 2 more from your source, even though with shipment cost to Australia they double in price.
Consider it a big luck the Advanced Machinery get a few of them.

Still thinking if I should get a couple of more... as dozens of sharpeners after watching our videos on YouTube asked me where they could get them.
I just hope they read your post before the last US-400 sells out.
.

[Ken S]

Wootz, you sparked a good movement toward the US-400. I remember you saying that you ordered yours from Italy.

International shipping can be expensive. With both the extended support bar I purchased from Robin Bailey in the UK and the VFB I purchased from you, shipping to me in the US was expensive. In both cases, the usefulness of the products was well worth the cost.

Tormek had a small production run (300, if memory serves) of the US-400 units made up several years ago. The twenty that Steve ordered for us were from that bunch. I don't know if the ones now at Advanced Machinery are from that griup or from a new group. I hope Tormek will keep a small quantity in regular inventory. If the company bean counters complain that the last group took so long to sell, they should remember that their existance was the best kept secret in Tormek. It took several months to fill Steve's order.

There is an English idiom, "You snooze; you lose." I hope those who want this useful accessory will stay current with forum postings and not debate too long before ordering.

Ken

[wderke]

Thanks Ken! Yesterday we had 15, today we have 10 left. I will check and see if we can get more.

Wolfgang

[cbwx34]

...
They were originally supplied with the T4000, an elongated stainless steel predecessor of the T2.
...

Now, if we could only get a new (and improved) version of it...



... good setup for those who mainly sharpen knives, and not the woodworking tools the original design favors.

[Ken S]

CB,

I am puzzled. I have never seen a T4000, however, I have thought it was a specialty machine for knife sharpening knives, like the T2. The T2 seems even more specialized, as it is used dry and with no honng compound. In my opinion, the T2 is both newer and more improved for the highly specialized in house restaurant sharpening specialty. For general sharpening, I also feel the T8 is also newer and more improved. What would you suggest for improvements? (This could start a useful conversation.)

Ken

[Ken S]

Thanks Ken! Yesterday we had 15, today we have 10 left. I will check and see if we can get more.

Wolfgang

Wolfgang,

I thought they would sell quickly, however, I did not think they would sell this quickly.

I appreciate your checking on the availability of additional units.

Ken

[jeffs55]

They are raising the price as the supply diminishes, started at $49.95 and is now $57.95 for the one with micro adjust; $50.95 withOUT micro adjust.

[cbwx34]

They are raising the price as the supply diminishes, started at $49.95 and is now $57.95 for the one with micro adjust; $50.95 withOUT micro adjust.

Then you better hurry...   

[cbwx34]

CB,

I am puzzled. I have never seen a T4000, however, I have thought it was a specialty machine for knife sharpening knives, like the T2. The T2 seems even more specialized, as it is used dry and with no honng compound. In my opinion, the T2 is both newer and more improved for the highly specialized in house restaurant sharpening specialty. For general sharpening, I also feel the T8 is also newer and more improved. What would you suggest for improvements? (This could start a useful conversation.)

Ken

Keep in mind the T-2 is not for the pro sharpener...it's for a kitchen maintaining their own knives, (and as discussed earlier, a bit limiting).  I'm talking about the sharpener going place to place, setting up at shows, etc., sharpening a variety of knives.

Improvements?  Don't get me started.     For starters the T-4000 design itself was better in that it had more space between the wheels, which you need for knives.  But hey, in dreamworld.... imagine a machine that you could run two grinding wheels on, vs. a grinding wheel and a leather wheel.  A machine that had a "deburring station" built in similar to... well, I'll let you guess on that one.  A machine with a reversible motor, so you don't have to "switch sides" if you want to change direction.  A USB that combines both the USB-400 length and Robin Bailey's height.  I could go on... hehe.  (And yes, I know you'll bring up cost, but let's not go there... we're in dreamworld after all...). 

[Ken S]

They are raising the price as the supply diminishes, started at $49.95 and is now $57.95 for the one with micro adjust; $50.95 withOUT micro adjust.

Then you better hurry...   

I ordered what may have been the first one sold. The price for the US-400 with microadjust (not including the $9.95 shipping) was $57.85. Either the price has gone up a dime or Wolfgang gave me a courtesy ten cent discount.

I would like to state that I think both Steve and Wolfgang have acted very honorably. Demand has far exceeded supply in both cases and both of these gentlemen priced the US-400 units quite honestly.

Ken

[GKC]

I have ordered one, I think Wolfgang's price is fair, he could easily charge more.  The cost of shipping to Canada adds another $31-$45 depending on method, which is annoying but, as Ken says, that is just the cost of international shipping.  There will be another $10 sales tax and $10 tax collection fee when it is delivered, a purely domestic issue.  So, a $100 USB.

Gord

[Elden]

Consider making your own with longer legs such as Robin's has but with the horizontal bar of the US-400?

[Ken S]

Your southern neighbors are certainly spoiled with lower taxes. I hope your hundred dollar support bar lives up to its cost for you.

Ken