Which one to buy, T-1 or T-2

[Waldog]

I have been a Tormek user for a very long time.  I have the Supergrind 2000 and use it often.  It lives in my shop.  I was very excited when the T-2 was offered. I want to get a knife sharpener for my kitchen and had anticipated buying the T-2.  Now, Tormek comes out with the T-1 and that has kind of befuddled my options.  The T-2 is design I'm comfortable as it is so similar to the other Tormek products.  I'm a little apprehensive about the T-1 as it's new and not a common design with the other Tormek machines.  I've read all the info I can find and watched a lot of youtube videos on both the T-2 and T-1.   So far, the best comparison I get is, "The T-1 is a home machine and the T-2 is a commercial machine."  Well, that analogy isn't good enough, at least to me.  Price really isn't the issue.  To all you T-2 and T-1 owners out there, why did you buy what you did and would you buy it again.  Is there any buyers remorse and wished you opted for a different model.  Help!

[Ken S]

Welcome to the forum, Waldog.

Good questions! I have both a T2 and a T1. The statement about the T2 being designed for commercial kitchens and the T1 for home cooks actually says a lot. Presumably your home knives would receive more careful day to day use than the knives of many commercial kitchens. With the T2, this can be countered by using the 360 grit DWC (Diamond Wheel Coarse). Since you already have your SuperGrind, dealing with the occasional very dull or damaged knife would be no problem. The single 600 grit diamond wheel of the T1 would cover your needs.

Either a T1 or a T2 would serve you well. My preference would be the T1. It is slightly more compact than the T2. Also, the knife jig was redesigned for the T1 to be more scratch resistent. This redesign was also included with the more recent T2 production. (If you choose the T2, I would suggest verifying at purchase that your T2 has the improved knife jig.)

On a personal note, as I advance into older age, the basement stairs to my workshop become more difficult. Having my T1 in my kitchen means I am more likely to keep my knives sharp.

Ken

[cbwx34]

You probably saw this post, but in case you didn't...

Hi,
Tormek T-2 has a stronger motor and more diamond on the diamond wheel, well suited for professional use. They are also approved and built for
the different kinds of use.

Best,
Stig

... two of the differences anyway.

[Ken S]

Good post, CB.

We should match our choice to our needs. My present vehicle is a Chevy Equinox with the four cylinder engine. I could have chosen the six cylinder model. It has more power and would pull a trailer better. I live in relatively flat Ohio and have no need to pull a trailer. The extra power would be wasted on me.

I have around a dozen kitchen knives, mostly because of my sharpening interest. They get light and careful use. I am quite sure that my T1 will keep them sharp for me and future owners.

Ken

[GKC]

I want a T1 for the reasons Ken has stated, with this nuance: For me, it is not even what is sufficient for the task at hand, but what I will actually use. If I start skinning a fish and realize that the knife is not as sharp as I want it, and to sharpen it I have to go down to the shop and set up my T8, I will just press ahead with the not-sharp edge and accept a sub-par skinning job. If I can just step over to a T1 on the counter, switch it on and do a quick sharpening, that is what I will do. Or, more likely, I will do it before I even start to skin the fish.

I won't expect the edge to be as perfect as with the guided honing I can do on my T8, but with a fish that needs to get into the pan pronto, I won't ever get to the T8. So the T1 fits the bill for me, as a setup I will actually use when I have a job to do now and haven't got a sharp knife to hand. This is an expensive compensation for not keeping all my knives sharp, but I like playing with sharpening stuff anyway, so I will expect to get some value out of that too. If I want to be a sashimi chef for an evening, I might remember to plan ahead and use the T8.

Characteristically, Tormek is moving at a glacial pace to get a distributor for the T1 and T2 in Canada, so I hope to get a T1 shipped up here from Sharpening Supplies.

[cbwx34]

...
and realize that the knife is not as sharp as I want it, and to sharpen it I have to go down to the shop and set up my T8, I will just press ahead with the not-sharp edge and accept a sub-par skinning job. If I can just step over to a T1 on the counter, switch it on and do a quick sharpening, that is what I will do.
...

For me, that's what a ceramic rod or Nanohone Strop is for.  I've found I can maintain a kitchen knife for quite some time with one.

...
but I like playing with sharpening stuff anyway, so I will expect to get some value out of that too.
...

True... can't disagree with that!   

[tgbto]

I won't expect the edge to be as perfect as with the guided honing I can do on my T8, but with a fish that needs to get into the pan pronto, I won't ever get to the T8.

I personally use the tip area of my knives a lot. The T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area for reasons mentioned in some other threads, so I came to the conclusion that mixing T8 and T1 was not the best idea.

[cbwx34]

I personally use the tip area of my knives a lot. The T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area for reasons mentioned in some other threads, so I came to the conclusion that mixing T8 and T1 was not the best idea.

You could use the T-8 for "major" work: reprofiling, damage repair, etc., and set up the knife for maintaining on the T-1.  I would think that the T-1 maintenance would last a long time, if nothing major happened.  And some "touch-ups" could be done on just the honing wheel.

But you're right, switching back and forth isn't a good idea... each machine approaches the knife a bit differently.

[Ken S]

I personally use the tip area of my knives a lot. The T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area for reasons mentioned in some other threads, so I came to the conclusion that mixing T8 and T1 was not the best idea.

I don't understand the conclusion that the T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area. It is true that the T1 produces a flat grind, unlike the other Tormek models, which produce a very slight hollow grind.This slight hollow (assuming the last sharpening of the knife was done on a wheel, rather than a flat bench stone or belt grinder) would need to be ground away. This would be minimal and only occur withthe first T1 sharpening.

We are accostumed to carefully lifting the knife at the tip to maintain a good bevel. The T1 has no side lift capability. Shaping the tip requires a bit of muscle memory skill. This should not be a big deal for a sharpener, only a little focused practice.

Being in the kitchen, the T1 should be convenient enough for very frequent light resharpening. Hopefully, a home cook should be careful enough with his knives to avoid the horror stories of damaged knives. (Most readers here already have a regular Tormek to handle the odd damaged knife.)

Ken

[cbwx34]

I personally use the tip area of my knives a lot. The T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area for reasons mentioned in some other threads, so I came to the conclusion that mixing T8 and T1 was not the best idea.

I don't understand the conclusion that the T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area. It is true that the T1 produces a flat grind, unlike the other Tormek models, which produce a very slight hollow grind.This slight hollow (assuming the last sharpening of the knife was done on a wheel, rather than a flat bench stone or belt grinder) would need to be ground away. This would be minimal and only occur withthe first T1 sharpening.

We are accostumed to carefully lifting the knife at the tip to maintain a good bevel. The T1 has no side lift capability. Shaping the tip requires a bit of muscle memory skill. This should not be a big deal for a sharpener, only a little focused practice.

Being in the kitchen, the T1 should be convenient enough for very frequent light resharpening. Hopefully, a home cook should be careful enough with his knives to avoid the horror stories of damaged knives. (Most readers here already have a regular Tormek to handle the odd damaged knife.)

Ken

Your quote was actually what tgbto said, not me. 

But to your point, If you compare the technique used on the T-8, lifting the handle, vs. the T-1, where, as you pointed out you can't, odds are the two angles won't match around the belly to tip area.  (Even if you "pivot" it may not be the same).  So, switching back and forth between the two would essentially mean you'd have to resharpen the edge. on each machine (or at least on one).  It's the angle that won't match, not that one is "hollow" and the other is not.

If it were me, I'd use the T-8 or T-4, etc. to make any repairs if needed, then "set the edge" at a lower angle than what I want the knife to end up at.  This would basically allow the T-1 to easily sharpen and maintain the edge for quite some time (as well as thin the knife a bit), which should result in better cutting.  I would do this for people who used ceramic sticks that were set at a certain angle... sharpen the knife at a lower angle, which made maintenance a breeze.

[BeSharp]

Characteristically, Tormek is moving at a glacial pace to get a distributor for the T1 and T2 in Canada, so I hope to get a T1 shipped up here from Sharpening Supplies.

I've talked to Dave at Big Bear Tools about this. He's the Canadian Tormek distributor (except for Lee Valley Tools, who deals directly with Tormek Sweden). Apparantly they won't give him distribution rights to them.

[tgbto]

I don't understand the conclusion that the T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area. It is true that the T1 produces a flat grind, unlike the other Tormek models, which produce a very slight hollow grind.

I might be mistaken but it seems to me T1 and T2 are "constant angle" grinders, i.e. the bevel edge is constant along the entire length. The lifting technique, compounded with the "backward pivot" that is sometimes necessary to maintain a "constant width" bevel usually result in a higher angle at the tip. So if you try to match the T8 bevel withg the T1 along the flat-ish part of the blade, you'll end up grinding the shoulders of the tip. I see two ways around that for those who want to combine T1 and T8:
- either sharpen at a constant angle on the T8 using the forward pivot, and sacrifice the evenness of the bevel width
- or apply cb's technique, essentially using the T8 once in a while to thin the blade, and the T1 often to put a macro/microbevel on the knives.

[GKC]

I personally use the tip area of my knives a lot. The T1 will only sharpen the shoulders of the tip area for reasons mentioned in some other threads, so I came to the conclusion that mixing T8 and T1 was not the best idea.

I am curious: There is no doubt that mixing T8 and T1 would require some thought and might be best avoided, but if (as with many of us) you often use the tip of kitchen knives, would you not prefer a constant angle out to the tip (i.e. keep it as acute as the rest of the blade)? This of course can be done on the T8, but the fact that it is achieved automatically by the design of the T1 / T2 is an attractive feature to me, making it perhaps the only machine for my kitchen knives unless something major needs to be done. Am I missing something?

[cbwx34]

I am curious: There is no doubt that mixing T8 and T1 would require some thought and might be best avoided, but if (as with many of us) you often use the tip of kitchen knives, would you not prefer a constant angle out to the tip (i.e. keep it as acute as the rest of the blade)? This of course can be done on the T8, but the fact that it is achieved automatically by the design of the T1 / T2 is an attractive feature to me, making it perhaps the only machine for my kitchen knives unless something major needs to be done. Am I missing something?

I don't think you're missing anything, in fact, a few years back on Bladeforums, some of the sharpeners there preferred this.  (Function over form).

The impression I got earlier was that you were going to switch back and forth between the machines... a quick touch-up on the T-1, then back to the T-8 to resharpen.  But if you're aware of the differences, no reason you can't do what you're intending.

Edit:  I asked in the Tormek Q&A what they thought about sharpening on T-8 and maintaining on T-1... basically said "no problem". 

[GKC]

Thanks for that info. I realize that it is extravagant to have dedicated machines, but if I can get a T1 here in Canada, I would likely leave my T8 set up for my turning gouges (it sites beside my lathe) most of the time. Then the T1 would be for kitchen knives, unless something special needed to be done. One thing that the T1 doesn't do is very small or short blades, and I have ways to do that on the T8, so that would remain a job for the T8.