Tormek vs wicked edge

Precision Edge Sharpening

Precision Edge Sharpening

Mail in sharpening service
Joined
Jul 8, 2023
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I am thinking of getting a new knife sharpener and I was wondering if I would get better results from a wicked edge or tormek system
 
A) Both systems require U to know what you are doing ( knowing the basics )
C) Tormek is :
1) Expensive
2) Good at showing up FUBAR
3) Accurate
4) Fast
5) Requires little physical effort if you have issues
6) Require U to know what your doing

Wicked edge is quite capable , again ones needs to develop a technique and know the basics of sharpening .
But I would say the WE is more adaptable of a wider range of finishes .. ( Bling or gritty )
 
I can't speak to Tormek. A lot others here can. But you'll want the WE 130 version for its nearly universal clamp. The good Pro Packs are pricey at a grand or so. Once you've learned the system you can achieve any profile, match any factory edge or polish to a mirror edge if you like.
 
Either will get a knife as sharp as it can be, if done correctly.

The main differences are speed and price, in my opinion. You have to keep in mind that the Tormek SG-250 wheel, which comes with the basic kits, uses aluminum oxide abrasive, so it's not ideal for sharpening steels with significant vanadium carbide concentration. If you plan on sharpening a lot of wear-resistant steels, you'll want to invest in diamond or CBN wheels in at least two, and preferably three, grits. That's another $600+ on top of the price of the bare machine.

As for speed, I have CBN wheels in 160, 400, and 1000 grits. I can reprofile a wear-resistant blade in Maxamet from 20° to 15° in 10-15 minutes. That would take an hour or two with a fixed-angle system like the Wicked Edge. On the other hand, if you resharpen at the existing edge angle, both systems will be relatively quick.

So, I would say it comes down to your use. If you only sharpen occasionally, I'd go with the WE or another fixed angle system. If you sharpen a lot, the Tormek will save you a lot of time. It's also worth mentioning that the Tormek can sharpen damned-near anything with the right jig (but the jigs are also not cheap!).
 
sheldonrkoehn said:
Is it possible to get a knife sharper with one or the other or does that just depend on skill, time and experience
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Tormek will get you SHARP , to the grit of the wheel ( 200 / 250 ) .. New wheels ( finer ) cost Big Bananas !
The WE will be cheaper to upgrade and take you all the way to Bling City ( Mirror Polished )

Check out the prices of the extras before you make up your mind ..

I personally went with more universal systems that allow me to pick and chose the inserts ( 80grit to 3000 grit ) and buy at a price point I can live with ..
Some people might be happy to shell out $30 for a single insert , but I prefer an entire insert kit ( range of inserts ) for that money .
We all live in our comfort zone , or live in debt (?) ......... Credit Life !

Dont get me wrong , a 200 grit wheel will give you a sharp knife , shaving sharp no problems .
& It will cut plenty smooth enough .. Depending on the hardness of the steel ! ( I wont get into that )
 
I have a WE Gen 3 Pro with almost every stone as well as a Tormek T-8 with several (CBN, Felt, Leather) wheels. Both are fantastic sharpening systems, but if I had to choose one I would go with the Tormek. They both excel in certain aspects, however the bulk of my sharpening falls into 6-8" chef kinves category, and therefore I feel like the Tormek is more efficient. If I was just sharpening my folder collection with the occasional kitchen knife, I would seriously consider the WE being the frontrunner. For what it's worth, the Wicked Edge does have a chisel attachment available if needed.
 
old4570 said:
Dont get me wrong , a 200 grit wheel will give you a sharp knife , shaving sharp no problems .
& It will cut plenty smooth enough .. Depending on the hardness of the steel ! ( I wont get into that )
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To be clear, the native grit of the SG-250 wheel is somewhere in the 400-600 grit range. You can use the stone grader to roughen it up and make it the equivalent of a 200 grit stone, or you can use the smooth side to bring it up to around 1000 grit, or you can do anything in between. But you have to grade the stone fairly often or it will revert to the native 400-600 grit state, which is actually fine for most knives.
 
Yes .. SG200 / SG250 grit wheels ..
Not sure about massaging the wheel grit though .. I know you can buy Diamond wheels and polishing wheels ..
The wheel on my machine can only be (?) massaged 180 to 220 range if mem serves ..
Now what that equates to compared to diamond ? ( I think my 80 grit wheel is close to 600 grit diamond - I think .. (?) ) Something I will check when I get more rope ! ( More rope )
 
Used normally, a Tormek puts a concave edge on a blade. Doubtless it can be sharp but how is its edge stability?
 
It’s fine. Used normally on knives, your bevel line is only .020-040” wide, too narrow for the concave to matter, and grind angle is easily adjusted.

Even when I freehand knives on the Tormek, the concavity isn’t an issue (although uneven bevel lines can be).

The concave is more prominent on chisels, although still not a problem except at extremely thin cross sections. I use the Tormek for rough shaping damaged chisels, and then refine their bevel on a stone, but I’ve used them straight off the wheel for framing and roughing without issue. Little trickier to dial in a specific target angle, if that’s important to you.

Parker
 
lickspittle said:
Used normally, a Tormek puts a concave edge on a blade. Doubtless it can be sharp but how is its edge stability?
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Excellent !
You can adjust the angle .. So it's of little issue !
The knife / steel will do what it does and it is up to the owner to decide what purpose the knife is for ..
Tormek runs a 250mm Wheel , so .......... So not that concave .. I run both 200mm & 250mm and there is quite a difference between them . ( Concave ness )
 
I chose Wicked Edge mainly because it didn't need electricity to operate, and it is more versatile. If funds are an issue, then Wicked Edge has the new WE60 for sale now that is a great system itself. And you can upgrade to a WE66 later on if you wish. Or you could start with the WE100 and upgrade later to the WE130.
 
How well does the wicked edge with for chisels because I am not sure that I want to mess with the concave edges from the Tormek but maybe that doesn’t affect cutting
 
sheldonrkoehn said:
How well does the wicked edge with for chisels because I am not sure that I want to mess with the concave edges from the Tormek but maybe that doesn’t affect cutting
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I have the Chisel and Scissor attachments and they work great. If you are going to need to reprofile or sharpen chisels much, I recommend the 50/80 stones that Wicked Edge sells. They will save you a lot of time and help keep you from wearing your arm out. LOL!
 
I think if you keep at this long enough, you'll probably end up with several systems.

Some nice features of the Tormek now are the composite buffing wheel, ability to customize (purchase) the basic motor unit with the wheels you want, and the various computer programs for setting the height of the guide bar for your desired edge angle with increased precision and repeatability. The Tormek forums are full of good info.
 
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I have the original WE, for the past 10 years or so.

I am very happy with the system. It allows me to put hair popping edges on my knives, and I have even taken some of my pocket knives to 3000 + grit for mirror polished edges.

When I was younger I thought mirror polishes were awesome, and still do... However I realize it's really just a waste of time, and very unnecessary... on top of that, mirror edges really (for the most part) are inferior to an edge left at around 1000 grit mark in my opinion at least... Those micro serrations are important for biting into produce in the kitchen, or in to cardboard boxes around the house ect... Mirror polishes have very few advantages, and I'd say a minority of the community would be served by.

With all that said, I'm happy with my WE, as it's small enough and portable enough that I can store it in my closet when not in use. Not sure the same can be said about the tormek? -- Or maybe it can be!
 
sgt244 said:
When I was younger I thought mirror polishes were awesome, and still do... However I realize it's really just a waste of time, and very unnecessary... on top of that, mirror edges really (for the most part) are inferior to an edge left at around 1000 grit mark in my opinion at least... Those micro serrations are important for biting into produce in the kitchen, or in to cardboard boxes around the house ect... Mirror polishes have very few advantages, and I'd say a minority of the community would be served by.
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Sure, if you just want to cut things, your 1000 grit edge will do that better. But what if you want to read the letters of a book by looking at the reflection on your bevel? Let's see your 1000 grit do that!
 
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