KJ-45 - first thoughts

[micha]

Yesterday I received the new jig and gave it a try.
I'm very pleased with its overall look and feel, and it works very well with a wide variety of blades. It holds blades very firmly without overtightening the screw.

Of course it changes parts of the cherished workflow, eg. there are quite unaccustomed projection distances.
(Ken, I'm afraid you'll have to climb the mountain again, we need new stone tablets  . We presumably need shorter Kenjigs, too)
As you can't change the jig's length, it probably will require more USB setting.
The possibilty of using the secondary stop to create a convex edge is interesting and requires some thinking. For those of us using calculators and measuring distances a little modification to the measuring block may come in handy (if you use one, of course). It just compensates for the 12mm of the USB. (see pictures below)
I'm sure I'll continue to use the SVM jigs for 'average' knives, but I think that jig is a real solution for many of the special blades which have been a challenge so far.

And I'm anxious to hear about your thoughts and experiences.
Mike

[Ken S]

Good thoughts, Mike.

I have the same positive impressions of the new KJ jigs that you do. They seem worth the long wait.

Woe is me, having to rethink my beloved kenjig technique...... Actually, After almost ten years, I needed to do that anyway. I still believe the basic kenjig concept is sound, although some tweaking wouldn't hurt.

The benefit of self centering more than outweighs the inconvenience of using multiple Projections and/or Distances. convexing is a new possibility for me. Wolfgang Hess mentioned using "the neutral position" (where the end of the jig shaft aligns with the end of the adjustable end stop on the older jigs. I recall Steve Bottorff saying something similar.
If these two respected Tormek masters are using that technique, I need to give it very serious consideration.

One part of my evolving kenjig technique is learning to coexist peacefully with the computer setting apps, trying to benefit from both.

I have been working on a modification to the kenjig. I make them with my bandsaw. I want to add two short cuts, perhaps half an inch deep. One cut will have the kerf widened to approximately three millimeters, or whatever the maximum knife thickness is before the SVM-45 starts to show thickness error. Exact measurement, like using a Vernier caliper is unnecessary, only that the knife thickness is "within tolerance". The second, thinner kerf cut is set to the thinness where the SVM-45 (or 140) starts to show thinness error.

Like Mike, I am anxious to hear reactions from other members.

Ken

[Ken S]

Mike,

Over the years, I have imagined how I thought a self centering knife jig would look. I imagined a more complicated jig. Bravo to the Tormek design team for designing such a simple and effective jig. I thought the jig might actually be a set of jigs, or at least a jig with interchangeable clamps. I did not imagine a jig with convexing capabilities on one which fit in the hand this well.

I also misjudged the price. I thought a celf centering jig would probably cost at least $100 US dollars. This was a pleasant surprise:

https://advanced-machinery.myshopify.com/products/tormek-new-self-centering-knife-jigs

These jigs will be available through any authorized dealer. This link is intended for informational purposes only, not to endorse any particular dealer. The price should be the same with all authorized dealers.

Ken

[micha]

Ken,

I agree  - that's a clever approach for designing that jig, allowing for centering and adapting to tapered blades at once. I had also imagined the price being higher.
Before crossing the big pond it's even a bit cheaper (got it for ~ 45 USD from an authorized dealer).
Mike

[Ken S]

Mike,

Sadly, I agree. The cost of international shipping is problematic. Unfortunately, that was what killed the US market for UK forum member, Robin C Bailey, selling the useful extended support bar he designed. It is well made and he was selling it at a very fair price. The killer was the cost of international shipping. Robin's plan was to have ten made up to recoup the cost of his bar. A good plan, but, alas, only one taker, me.

I hope we will someday return to more rational shipping costs. I regular buy blueberries grown in Chile and Peru at a more reasonable cost. Hopefully we can figure ways to ship other items at lower cost.

Ken

[cbwx34]

...
Robin's plan was to have ten made up to recoup the cost of his bar. A good plan, but, alas, only one taker, me.
...

Me too!

[GeoBoy]

Mike,

Sadly, I agree. The cost of international shipping is problematic. Unfortunately, that was what killed the US market for UK forum member, Robin C Bailey, selling the useful extended support bar he designed. It is well made and he was selling it at a very fair price. The killer was the cost of international shipping. Robin's plan was to have ten made up to recoup the cost of his bar. A good plan, but, alas, only one taker, me.

I hope we will someday return to more rational shipping costs. I regular buy blueberries grown in Chile and Peru at a more reasonable cost. Hopefully we can figure ways to ship other items at lower cost.

Ken, buy blueberries from Chile and Peru? I won't buy produce from anywhere but the USA, support American farmers or there won't be American farms. Blueberries come from Maine.
Ken

[Ken S]

Ken,

I agree. Whenever it is possible, I much prefer to buy blueberries from New Jersey or Michigan. Maine is a special place to me; however, I don't remember seeing Maine blueberries where I live in Ohio. I only buy them grown in other countries when no USA berries are available.

[GeoBoy]

Ken, we buy frozen wild blueberries at the grocery store, packaged by Wymans of Maine. For baking my wife uses the dried wild blueberries from Trader Joe's.

[Ken S]

Thanks, Ken. I will look for them. I normally put blueberries on my morning cereal. Will frozen berries work for that?

Ken

[John_B]

Thanks, Ken. I will look for them. I normally put blueberries on my morning cereal. Will frozen berries work for that?

Ken

Frozen berries work great on cereal. A favorite of mine is to mix frozen blueberries in natural plain yogurt.

[Ken S]

Sounds good, John. My standard breakfast is Grape Nuts or Rice Chex with plain yogurt, blueberries and almonds.
On special days, I sometimes make McCann's Irish Oatmeal (the real slow cooked stuff).

Ken

[cbwx34]

...
Woe is me, having to rethink my beloved kenjig technique...... Actually, After almost ten years, I needed to do that anyway. I still believe the basic kenjig concept is sound, although some tweaking wouldn't hurt.
...
Ken

I may have to revive the Kenjig Calculator! 

[Ken S]

CB,

My grandson is assembling a high power gaming computer which, hopefully, will be able to handle your revived Kenjig Calculator..... I look forward to it.   

Ken

[Alston]

An observation from a newbie on this site. The new jig looks a lot nicer than the old version but being largely plastic one has to wonder if it's as durable. It obviously doesn't have the adjustable collar that most jigs of this type have either. I'm wondering how well it's going to clamp the blade. Many knife blades are tapered but in the opposite direction to that which appears in the above photo of the clamp?

I assume you have all seen this third party offering? Very expensive but the clamping may be better?


https://schleifjunkies.de/en/produkt/clamp-closing-on-both-sides-centered-clamping-the-knife/

I have no association with the seller BTW.