Tormek T7

[ken carroll]

I've had a Makita horizontal wet wheel machine for many years now, with 220, 1000 and 4000 grit wheels. Always fancied the Tormek, but they are kinda pricey.

Well, yesterday I sold a Morris gearbox for $300 on CL, and was looking around for something to spend that on, and lo and behold a Tormek T7 hardly used, with the standard bits and pieces(minus the grading stone which he couldn't find) plus knife jig, long knife jig, scissors jig, axe jig and a used once Tormek 4000 grit japanese water wheel (Gulp! $395 on Amazon) for ...........................$200.

I didn't haggle.
Heck, after all I had to spend $30 to get the grading stone!

Now to put it to use...I hope I like it better than the Makita which is good, but not perfect.

[John K Jordan]

If you try it and don't like it let me know. I've had the 2000 model for many years and use it with a 1200 grit CBN wheel now. (Great for woodturning tools.) I'd like to add a second Tormek to my sharpening station.

JKJ

I've had a Makita horizontal wet wheel machine for many years now, with 220, 1000 and 4000 grit wheels. Always fancied the Tormek, but they are kinda pricey.

Well, yesterday I sold a Morris gearbox for $300 on CL, and was looking around for something to spend that on, and lo and behold a Tormek T7 hardly used, with the standard bits and pieces(minus the grading stone which he couldn't find) plus knife jig, long knife jig, scissors jig, axe jig and a used once Tormek 4000 grit japanese water wheel (Gulp! $395 on Amazon) for ...........................$200.

I didn't haggle.
Heck, after all I had to spend $30 to get the grading stone!

Now to put it to use...I hope I like it better than the Makita which is good, but not perfect.

[ken carroll]

John,

I think I'm going to keep it.
The stone grader arrived from Amazon and I got to work after watching a few videos, including the one that came with it and so far I'm impressed! I haven't tried the 4000 grit SJ250 Japanese wheel yet, but I quickly did a chisel and a Norris plane blade and the result were at least as good as I've ever done before and quicker and less messy.
I was looking at all the sharpening junk I have, steel plate with various SiC grits, Makita wet horizontal with three wheels, set of three Japanese waterstones, conventional oil stones, scary sharp.......Jeez, this is like a quest!

My wife is pleased, says she's never had knives so sharp - but I can definitely do better on the knives, according to a vid I've just watched I wasn't quite using the right technique.

All good fun.

[John K Jordan]

Rats. I need to introduce you to the best knife sharpening device in the world IMHO, the 3-belt RealSharp (http://www.realsharpllc.com/), then your wife would like that even better and you could send the Tormek on to me. (You'd probably have to sell it to pay for the RealSharp.) When I sharpen our kitchen knives now I have to post a warning sign to avoid bloodshed. I have never had pocket, fillet, and skinning knives so sharp, even when using the Tormek. A piece of paper will almost slice itself when dropped on a knife edge.

Years ago the Tormek got a lot of bad press by people I suspect were trying to use it for something it was not intended to do. It is, in fact, one of the worst ways to reshape the profile or angles on a large HSS tool like a scraper or large skew chisel. (I use an 80 grit CBN wheel for that) It is most incredible for putting a new and perfect edge on a dull turning tool in just a few seconds. I don't have experience with sharpening planer blades and such although I have used it on chisels.

A quest indeed! I recently acquired a used horizontal disk Worksharp 3000 just because it was there. My stack of diamond, ceramic, and oil/water stones is growing. I have a lifetime supply of small diamond paddle hones hoarded away. The chip carving knives thrive with completely different method. I'm not so sure it's a quest or a disease.

JKJ

John,

I think I'm going to keep it.
The stone grader arrived from Amazon and I got to work after watching a few videos, including the one that came with it and so far I'm impressed! I haven't tried the 4000 grit SJ250 Japanese wheel yet, but I quickly did a chisel and a Norris plane blade and the result were at least as good as I've ever done before and quicker and less messy.
I was looking at all the sharpening junk I have, steel plate with various SiC grits, Makita wet horizontal with three wheels, set of three Japanese waterstones, conventional oil stones, scary sharp.......Jeez, this is like a quest!

My wife is pleased, says she's never had knives so sharp - but I can definitely do better on the knives, according to a vid I've just watched I wasn't quite using the right technique.

All good fun.