Tormek user

D

dcdr

Joined
Mar 26, 2003
Messages
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Tormek user
I'm setting up a gringer having in mind to use Tormek's knife holder. Does anyone kows the exact distance between the horizontal steel rod holding the knife holder from the vertical center of the grinding wheel? I know they have a 10" grinding wheel, but I can figure it out if I know that distance.

Thanks
D
 
I have not heard of a Tormek knife holder, but if it is one of those cursed jigs that will supposedly help you to grind perfect knives, use your money on better things, like more blade steel, and learn freehand grinding. You will be way ahead in the long run.:D
BTW; Welcome to BFC.:)
 
Originally posted by Mike Hull
I have not heard of a Tormek knife holder, but if it is one of those cursed jigs that will supposedly help you to grind perfect knives, use your money on better things, like more blade steel, and learn freehand grinding. You will be way ahead in the long run.:D
BTW; Welcome to BFC.:)
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Thanks Mike

Here's a link to the Tormek holder :
http://www.tormek.com/images/introduction/photo/f_181_big.jpg

Beside holding the blade, the handle screws in and out to adjust the angle. Suffering from joints pain, I would have felt more secure using a tool holder having only to guide the blade through the motion! Is it a bad idea?

Thanks,
D
 
It looks like a sharpening jig, VS a jig for actually grinding blades.
Are you going to use a belt grinder? Reason I ask is, I don't know how the wetstone grinder would work for grinding blades.
I have a lot of pain in my hands, joints also, but it doesn't seem to bother me much grinding. As long as it's not real cold.
I still think you would be better off doing it freehand. With a jig, you dont have much choice of style, bladewise. Freehand, you can grind any type of bevel, once your skill level improves.
 
Originally posted by Mike Hull
It looks like a sharpening jig, VS a jig for actually grinding blades.
Are you going to use a belt grinder? Reason I ask is, I don't know how the wetstone grinder would work for grinding blades.
I have a lot of pain in my hands, joints also, but it doesn't seem to bother me much grinding. As long as it's not real cold.
I still think you would be better off doing it freehand. With a jig, you dont have much choice of style, bladewise. Freehand, you can grind any type of bevel, once your skill level improves.
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Thanks Mike

Sorry, I have a belt grinder. The new set up I'm making is exclusively for sharpening. I'm trying for the first time a Paper wheels kit on a 1740rpm grinder and looked at the Tormek setup as a good idea for safety (and laziness!).

Thanks,
D
 
Using a jig to sharpen seems rather risky. The photo in the link is a wet wheel grinder, probably going 200 RPM, or something close. Not much chance of over heating the edge. If you did the same on a 1750 RPM belt grinder with a belt speed of 2500-5000SFPM, it wouldn't take but a couple of seconds or so, and toast. Much better to hand hold on the belt grinder, and the sharpening(cardboard wheel)system.JMO.:eek:
 
I have a Tormek, and sometimes use it for woodworking tools. It's especially good for carving gouges, using the special jigs available for the machine. And, it's built like a tank.

I have used it some for knife sharpening, and you can get a good, sharp edge, using both the slowspeed waterstone grinding wheel and then the leather hone, all using the knife jig(s) you can buy for the thing. As has been said already, it's a very slow turning machine, so it will not burn your blades. However, it turns too slowly for me, and takes too long to sharpen a knife. I can't say that it's really much faster than hand sharpening on benchstones.

As for the rod against which the knife jig rides, the rod is adjustable up or down, changing the distance from the waterstone and therefore the angle at which you bevel the edge. However, if you try using it to get a small/acute bevel, say 15 degrees or less on each side of the blade, you end up grinding the bottom of the knife-holding jig. But if you want bevels of, say 20 degrees per side, the jig works okay.

If knives are all you want to sharpen, I don't think I'd get a Tormek; however it is a good, but expensive, machine for all kinds of woodworking tools, and lots of guys love it for chisels, plane blades, carving and turning tools.
 
Originally posted by Eric Joseph
I have a Tormek, and sometimes use it for woodworking tools. It's especially good for carving gouges, using the special jigs available for the machine. And, it's built like a tank.

...
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Thanks Eric

I'm just ordering the knife holder from Tormek. I'm planing to use it on a grinder fitted with Paper wheels. I need to know from a Tormek owner, the distance between the "universal support" (the support bar when the Universal support is fitted verticaly, over the top of the wheel) and the vertical middle of the grinding stone, a line going straight up from the middle of the wheel. I know the Universal support'height in this position is adjustable but its distance from the middle axis of the stone remains the same. I can eyeball it to about 2" from their website but I would appreciate having the exact figure!

Thanks,
D
 
DCDR:

The measurement you are looking for is 1 and 15/16 inches. That is the distance from the center of the toolrest/toolbar to the center of the Tormek grinding wheel. This distance is fixed, whereas the vertical height of the toolbar above the edge of the wheel is abjustable, for changing the angle of your bevel.

If you are just wanting to use a jig to sharpen knives on the paper wheels mounted on a grinder, I'm not so sure I'd do that myself. I don't think the Tormek knife jig will give you enough control, and the knife might get away from you. I haven't tried one of the paper wheel systems myself, but Steve Bottorff has some good info on its setup and use in his book Sharpening Made Easy.Sharpening Made Easy He also has a website you might try: www.sharpeningmadeeasy.com
 
Originally posted by Eric Joseph
DCDR:

The measurement you are looking for is 1 and 15/16 inches. That is the distance from the center of the toolrest/toolbar to the center of the Tormek grinding wheel. This distance is fixed, whereas the vertical height of the toolbar above the edge of the wheel is abjustable, for changing the angle of your bevel.

If you are just wanting to use a jig to sharpen knives on the paper wheels mounted on a grinder, I'm not so sure I'd do that myself. I don't think the Tormek knife jig will give you enough control, and the knife might get away from you. I haven't tried one of the paper wheel systems myself, but Steve Bottorff has some good info on its setup and use in his book Sharpening Made Easy.Sharpening Made Easy He also has a website you might try: www.sharpeningmadeeasy.com
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Thanks a lot Eric

That's exactly what I wanted to know. Not bad, my "eyeballing" was just 1/16" off ! ;) I agree with you about the jig's limited control but I need to find a way to sharpen without pain! If I can direct the knife motion without "holding it" firm constantly, I'll be plenty happy! BTW, I'm a "freehand" supporter! I'm also aware that pain has its own way to take away your concentration!

Thanks,
D
 
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