Need advise on sharpening machine

knife36

knife36

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May 26, 2012
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I am thinking of buying the TORMEK T7 water cooled sharpening machine , i have been using a Wicked Edge Pro that has worked very well for small to medium blades but find it difficult or near impossible to sharpen blades like a NMFBM and a MOAB and bigger . Any advise or suggestions would be welcome . Thanks in advance.
 
Honestly, I absolutely love my 1x30 belt sander from Harbor Freight. Lots of grits available and a leather belt. Easy, very sharp results!!!!!!!
 
Just a good old ezelap flat stone does it for me, with a quick hit on a strop to get the burr off. Easy as. Sharp as a super sharp thing. ;) and cheap.
 
I just bought the work sharp knife sharpener and am very happy with the results. Comes with different belts up to 6000 grit for honing and is very versatile. Google Work Sharp and I'm sure you will find it.
 
Hi,

Been thinking about the Kalamazoo belt grinder for a while. You might find this video by J. Neilson using the Kalamazoo interesting, if you have not already seen it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLjFjT4vYsM

Seems like you could sharpen knives as big as a machete with a belt grinder.
 
knife36 said:
I am thinking of buying the TORMEK T7 water cooled sharpening machine , i have been using a Wicked Edge Pro that has worked very well for small to medium blades but find it difficult or near impossible to sharpen blades like a NMFBM and a MOAB and bigger . Any advise or suggestions would be welcome . Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I have ordered a Wicked Edge Pro II but it has not shipped yet. What was it about your sharpener that you found difficult or near impossible?
 
I own a wicked edge (folders and small fixed) and a kalamazoo with lee valley belts (7"+ blades). I cannot recommend the kalamazoo highly enough. It's simply a motor with a belt attached, there aren't any plastic or junk parts, and it surprisingly*simple to use if you have good hand/eye coordination. I owned it for a week, practiced on two inexpensive blanks, and then sharpened my Rucki to a mirror convex edge. Then my cgfbm, and a few smaller blades. And for touching up, just throw on the loaded leather belt, and after a few passes your dull edge is sharp again. I couldn't be happier with it.

Edit: THERE IS a slight learning curve to the Kalamazoo. I forgot that before I sharpened my Rucki, I messed around sharpening/trying to mod one of my smaller Busses...there is now one less Scrofa in the world. lol be careful:o
 
If you like the concept of sharpening with an edge pro, you may want to build your own to suit a FBM or larger blade. That's what works for me anyway.
 
lostclusters said:
I have ordered a Wicked Edge Pro II but it has not shipped yet. What was it about your sharpener that you found difficult or near impossible?
Click to expand...

The Wicked Edge works well for blades up to 8" , longer and thicker becomes hard to operate on the Wicked Edge . As stated the Busse FBM , NMFBM & MOAB is real hard or near impossible to sharpen on the Wicked Edge due to the lenght and thickness.
 
Some may have seen this vid I made a while back but I'll throw it up again quick. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, I show the sharpness of my Basic 11 at the end (last 1:30 of the vid I think) Gives a good idea of what a belt sander can do

[video=youtube;Ob5Ic0TBLW8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob5Ic0TBLW8[/video]
 
Bapple said:
Some may have seen this vid I made a while back but I'll throw it up again quick. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, I show the sharpness of my Basic 11 at the end (last 1:30 of the vid I think) Gives a good idea of what a belt sander can do

[video=youtube;Ob5Ic0TBLW8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob5Ic0TBLW8[/video]
Click to expand...

Thanks for the excellent vid , superb convex edge from the belt sander . Thanks Bapple .
 
I have a 1x30 hf belt sander. I use it when I need to set the bevel, but typically maintain on my strop. And high grit sandpaper when necessary. I don't have a leather belt for the sander, and need to get some high grit belts too.
 
Bigfattyt said:
I have a 1x30 hf belt sander. I use it when I need to set the bevel, but typically maintain on my strop. And high grit sandpaper when necessary. I don't have a leather belt for the sander, and need to get some high grit belts too.
Click to expand...



I bought some high grits for my 1x30, (1500 and 3000) but having experimented with them, I found no need. I go to a maximum of 600, then take the burr off with the leather. Shaves and cuts paper VERY easily.
 
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