Any ya'll sharpen knives?

[John T]

I picked up this Tormek 2000 machine yesterday
looking forward to learning how to sharpen up some long overdue kitchen knives and everything else.
It came with a bunch of accessories and a book so I need to read up.

Of course first hand knowledge tips are welcome.

It came with:
WM-200 Pro AngleMaster
PA-70 Honing Compound
XB-100 Horizontal Base for the Universal Support
HB-10E Handbook
SP-650 Stone Grader
ADV-50D Diamond Truing Tool
SVH-60 Straight Edge Jig
SVM-45 Knife Jig
SVM-Long Knife Jig
SVX-150 Scissors Jig
SVA-170 Axe Jig

 

[Sawdust&Shavings]

I picked up this Tormek 2000 machine yesterday
looking forward to learning how to sharpen up some long overdue kitchen knives and everything else.
It came with a bunch of accessories and a book so I need to read up.

Of course first hand knowledge tips are welcome.

It came with:
WM-200 Pro AngleMaster
PA-70 Honing Compound
XB-100 Horizontal Base for the Universal Support
HB-10E Handbook
SP-650 Stone Grader
ADV-50D Diamond Truing Tool
SVH-60 Straight Edge Jig
SVM-45 Knife Jig
SVM-Long Knife Jig
SVX-150 Scissors Jig
SVA-170 Axe Jig



View attachment 167878 View attachment 167879 View attachment 167880

Tormek Live Sharpening Classes

Get your sharpness back and learn the best tips and tricks from our experienced training staff. On our live sharpening classes, we go through the Tormek shar...

www.youtube.com

 

[chim]

This for knives. Angle grinder with flap disc for machete, axe, etc.

 

[jaxs]

+1 on the Lansky sharpening system. For those who don't want to invest in the system, I highly recommend the Lansky Blademedic for less than $25. I have the system in my shop and a Blademedic at hunting/fishing cabin. The ceramic rods on Blademedic do an amazing job of restoring edge between honing.

 

[Sidekick]

I have the Grizzly version but really don't use it much. Kind of messy and time consuming to use. I prefer my Makita (no longer made) for big knives and blades along with my belt grinder with good belts for everything else. Finish with diamond stones or wet stones for most sharpening.

View attachment 167897
For kitchen knives in good condition I got lazy and just use one of these that works great.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

This for knives. Angle grinder with flap disc for machete, axe, etc.

Yep. Been using that for a bit more than 4 decades.

I once sharpened some filleting knives for my boss. He would go fishing with his doctor buddy on the doctor's (very nice) boat. Said doctor was a head and neck surgeon.

When they got back from their fishing trip, the doctor said the knives were sharper than the scalpels he used.

But that system does take some time. I'm sure the Tormek is a lot faster and does a good job. I hope to get one some day for the ordinary knives like kitchen knives.

But no sharpening system can make up for poor quality steel.

 

[Elliott in GA]

For the money, ease of use and results, this has served me well with all types of knives.

Precision Adjust™ ELITE Knife Sharpener

Designed for discerning edge enthusiasts . This Elite fixed-angle knife sharpener offers angle adjustability and a seven-abrasive grit system, ensuring precision and repeatability. With adjustable angles from 15° to 30° in precise 1° increments, it accommodates a wide range of knives. Two...

worksharptools.com

 

[JimDeL]

I've had the Tormek since 2000, and am on my third stone, having worn the first two out. It's a great system, but the accessories are pretty pricey. Good news is that the parts and accessories for the new ones still fit the old ones, so they're readily available.

I've sharpened hundreds - maybe thousands - of knives, chisels and plane irons on mine, and a few jointer blades, scissors, and axes. It's not the fastest grinder/honer, but the results are worthwhile.

 

[pigdoc]

The gadgetry! Good God!

I learned to sharpen knives the old fashioned way - in Boy Scouts, ca. 1970.
Then, when I became a swine veterinarian, I became a pro at hand sharpening.
[A practicing pig vet only needs 3 things: a car, a cell phone, and a post-mortem knife.]

We have 7 non-serrated kitchen knives. They get sharpened more frequently now than they used to, because the wife switched from plastic to glass cutting boards. If you look at the cutting edge 'edge-on' and you see light reflecting from it, it needs to be sharpened.

I have a square section 4-sided diamond sharpening 'stone' in a nice plastic holder. 200-1000 grit. You can rotate the stone in the holder to access all 4 sides of it. I usually start with 300 and finish with 600. I make 5 passes on one side of the knife edge, flip the knife and do another 5 passes on the other side. Then 4 and 4, then 3 and 3, then 2 and 2, then 1 and 1. Switch to the finer grit and repeat. When you're done, you should not be able to feel a curl of steel on either side of the edge. Takes just a minute or two for each knife.

The hardest part of this is getting a feel for the proper angle between the knife and the stone to create a strong, multiple angle grind.

A tip for when you're presented a roast for immediate carving and you haven't sharpened the knife in a while: Grab a ceramic coffee mug and make a few passes across the bottom (unglazed part) with the knife to straighten up its edge.

For wood chisels, I have a jig that sets the proper angle and clamps the chisel. There's a roller that rolls on the stone surface to maintain the exact angle needed while you sharpen. Sharp as a razor when you're done...

-Paul