Is FVB Jig still available?

[TireguyfromMA]

Hi,

New to this great forum!  Became obsessed with knife sharpening recently, bought a TORMEK T8 with a few fixtures and the Japanese water stone, addicted to the online videos, especially the ones from Vadim at Knife Grinders Aus.  Vadim brought so much innovation, and expertise to knife sharpening...really bringing it a art form, he was the G.O.A.T!

With that said, can anyone advise me if the FVB jig is still available to purchase?  I see this as the next tool I must have for my T8.

Thanks!

[cbwx34]

Hi,

New to this great forum!  Became obsessed with knife sharpening recently, bought a TORMEK T8 with a few fixtures and the Japanese water stone, addicted to the online videos, especially the ones from Vadim at Knife Grinders Aus.  Vadim brought so much innovation, and expertise to knife sharpening...really bringing it a art form, he was the G.O.A.T!

With that said, can anyone advise me if the FVB jig is still available to purchase?  I see this as the next tool I must have for my T8.

Thanks!

The only one I know being sold is from Schleifjunkies...

https://schleifjunkies.de/en/produkt/vertical-front-base/

...or there's info in this thread if you want to build your own...

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=2635.0

[RickKrung]

Build your own and don't get hung up trying to use KG's app.  Just use one of the others, there are several.  I recommend exploring using the distance from the grinding wheel surface to the top side of the USB bar, rather than measuring to from the USB to the machine case.  Use of the FVB complicates the latter, but it is irrelevant if you use the distance to the surface of the wheel. 

Rick

[TireguyfromMA]

Thanks very much for the tips on the thread on buying from schliefjunkies, or building my own.  My main use for this would be using it to get a more precise angle when I'm honing along with the honing calculator that Vadim used in one of his video.  The extra sharpness he got out of the knife after using the FVB was pretty impressive.  I'm leaning towards buying from schliefjunkies.  Have either of you purchased from them, do they have a good reputation?

[a9cad]

 Hi, Tireguyfrom MA  there is one in sweden who sells FVB. Here is a link.
https://knivslip.nu/webbutik-med-tillbehor/

a9cad

[Ken S]

There is a simple, much less expensive alternative to the FVB. The problem using the SVM-45 in the horizontal, grinding away position is thatthe large plastic locking screws on the jig and horizontal sleeves do not provide clearance for the jig to travel across the support when the jig is mounted with the locking screw down.

Using an FVB is a good $100 solution for this. Substituting 6mm button cap screws or socket set screws for the large plastic locking screws can solve the problem for about $5. For someone sharpening a large volume of knives, the FVB is more convenient, although that convenience comes at a price.

With the substitute locking screws, a very small amount of the backside corner of the SVM must be ground away. This is easily and quickly done with the Tormek and in no way effects the function of the jig. Running the jig with knife mounted across the support bar readily identifies the spot.

I leave it to individual decision to determine how necessary the FVB is to one's individual needs.

Ken

[cbwx34]

Thanks very much for the tips on the thread on buying from schliefjunkies, or building my own.  My main use for this would be using it to get a more precise angle when I'm honing along with the honing calculator that Vadim used in one of his video.  The extra sharpness he got out of the knife after using the FVB was pretty impressive.  I'm leaning towards buying from schliefjunkies.  Have either of you purchased from them, do they have a good reputation?

I personally haven't ordered from him, but his reputation, particularly in the Tormek Facebook Group is good.  He is Hannsi1957 in this forum if you want to contact him.

Keep in mind that the Knifegrinder's calculator only worked with their FVB.  (Any calculator that measures to the device or machine casing only works with their device, unless it lets you input some additonal measurments...).  Calculators that measure directly to the wheel however will work with any setup... even the method that Ken S described in his post.

Hi, Tireguyfrom MA  there is one in sweden who sells FVB. Here is a link.
https://knivslip.nu/webbutik-med-tillbehor/

a9cad

Hadn't heard of them (although the webpage looked familiar)... interesting.

[RichColvin]

I am working to put together an offering for this & a few other items like Rick's pin pivot jig.  As I look at the prices for various metals, aluminum is significantly less expensive than stainless steel, so I will be able to offer a FVB in aluminum for much less than stainless steel.  Also, if the two rods are threaded, that adds a lot to the cost.

So what I am looking at as options are:

   
• Stainless steel block with stainless steel threaded rods or
• Aluminum block with straight, unthreaded rods (like the original universal support bars)

The stainless steel will probably be 2x the cost of the aluminum one.  Which would be preferred?

Rich

[cbwx34]

I am working to put together an offering for this & a few other items like Rick's pin pivot jig.  As I look at the prices for various metals, aluminum is significantly less expensive than stainless steel, so I will be able to offer a FVB in aluminum for much less than stainless steel.  Also, if the two rods are threaded, that adds a lot to the cost.

So what I am looking at as options are:

   
• Stainless steel block with stainless steel threaded rods or
• Aluminum block with straight, unthreaded rods (like the original universal support bars)

The stainless steel will probably be 2x the cost of the aluminum one.  Which would be preferred?

Rich

Awesome! 

My vote version Aluminum... not only because of the lower cost, but  threads really aren't needed on an FVB.

[Ken S]

Rich,

I believe in paying for quality where quality is needed. When I converted my T7 to EZYlock, I was initially surprised that the MSK-250 conversion kit only included stainless steel for the shaft, EZYlock, and stone washer. I wondered why the dry side did not get stainless hardware. After some thought, the answer was obvious; the dry side did not rust. Applying that same logic, why would an FVB need stainless?
Also, as the majority of the work is done with the FVB butting against the frame, why would threading be necessary?
For the rare occasion when another setting would be desirable, borrowing a collar from the square edge jig would suffice.

My thought would be to use aluminum and unthreaded rods.

Ken

[Beaker]

Rich,

I agree with Ken to use aluminum and unthreaded as the FVB will be abutting the Tormek housing 99% of the time for most users.  If you are sharpening cleavers regularly, anyone could easily use a home made stop block to get even spacing on an alternative "wider spacing" for this purpose; thus threads are not needed for accuracy.

Beaker.

[TireguyfromMA]

There is a simple, much less expensive alternative to the FVB. The problem using the SVM-45 in the horizontal, grinding away position is thatthe large plastic locking screws on the jig and horizontal sleeves do not provide clearance for the jig to travel across the support when the jig is mounted with the locking screw down.

Ken, I still consider myself  a "newbie" here and having a hard time visualizing the less expensive solution your suggesting, do you have a picture of this? 

Rich, go with the aluminum block, use T6 6061 billet aluminum and stainless rods. Besides being less expensive material, 6061 aluminum is much cheaper to machine than stainless.  With the stainless block and rods you would also run into constant problems of thread galling (https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/Thread-Galling-and-Fastener-Seizing-s/1248.htm) where the SS threaded rods will basically weld to the SS block when your trying to put the two together.  You could have the aluminum block hard anodized with your logo on it to resist water staining and corrosion.  I'd go with TORMEK blue on the hard anodize to kind of match the machine..

cbwx, thanks for the reminder abou the KG calculator being specific to his jig. I very likely would have made that mistake assuming the trig calculation was universal.

Im SO glad I found this forum!

[TireguyfromMA]

And as you can see from my last response I'm still learning how to use the "quote copy" function...what a noob!

[highpower]

Hi,

New to this great forum!  Became obsessed with knife sharpening recently, bought a TORMEK T8 with a few fixtures and the Japanese water stone, addicted to the online videos, especially the ones from Vadim at Knife Grinders Aus.  Vadim brought so much innovation, and expertise to knife sharpening...really bringing it a art form, he was the G.O.A.T!

With that said, can anyone advise me if the FVB jig is still available to purchase?  I see this as the next tool I must have for my T8.

Thanks!

As a new T-8 owner myself I found myself in the same situation. I came into this a couple of months too late for me to be able to purchase one of Vadim's FVB accessories. So I have opted to make one of my own now. I chose to go a slightly different route in materials and purchased a block of 7075 aluminum to make mine with vs. the 6063 used by KG for their FVB. It doubles the cost over what the KG fixture sold for, but I think the increased strength of the material will be worth it. Using stainless for the block would have likely tripled my cost and I felt that would have been over-kill anyway -- for me.

I did go with 316 stainless steel however for all the hardware to avoid rust issues on the threaded parts. I believe in having options if I use them or not (note the thick, thin, and Tormek adjusting nuts) and with the help of several members here I think I have every calculator version there is now. I'll try them all and see what works out best for me.

Also note that the items within the dashed outline are not parts for the FVB. I am going to make one of RickKrung's pivot collars as well.
(Some assembly required.)

[RickKrung]

...snip...
As a new T-8 owner myself I found myself in the same situation. I came into this a couple of months too late for me to be able to purchase one of Vadim's FVB accessories. So I have opted to make one of my own now. I chose to go a slightly different route in materials and purchased a block of 7075 aluminum to make mine with vs. the 6063 used by KG for their FVB. It doubles the cost over what the KG fixture sold for, but I think the increased strength of the material will be worth it. Using stainless for the block would have likely tripled my cost and I felt that would have been over-kill anyway -- for me.

I did go with 316 stainless steel however for all the hardware to avoid rust issues on the threaded parts. I believe in having options if I use them or not (note the thick, thin, and Tormek adjusting nuts) and with the help of several members here I think I have every calculator version there is now. I'll try them all and see what works out best for me.

Also note that the items within the dashed outline are not parts for the FVB. I am going to make one of RickKrung's pivot collars as well.
(Some assembly required.)

Looking forward to seeing your finished tools. 

I love 7075 Al, almost as much as I love stainless steel.  About 16 years ago, I made a quick change toolpost system for my minilathe from 7075 and anodized them in my driveway.  This was before any smaller-sized QCTPs were available for these small lathes.  Sold it all when I sold the minilathe a couple years later for a South Bend 9A. 

I have quite a few blocks of 7075 left over, acquired from remnant boxes back then.  I very judiciously select them for only projects that require their superior strength, in large part due to the expense of replacing the material. 

Rick