Tormek sharpener question.

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Hi guys.

I'm evaluating the possibility of getting a Tormek sharpener, not that I need it as I sharpen my tools with my cheap grinder and my water & oil stones without problems
Has any of you got it, are you happy, any drawback that should be mentioned?

Any info will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance
 
I have the T-2000, which was the model before they introduced the T-7. I've been very happy with mine. I've used it primarily for my turning gouges, but I've also been very happy with the results when putting the initial edge on bench chisels, plane irons, and knives. (I like to do the final honing/polishing freehand.) I've also sharpened scissors and axes with excellent results.

I can't think of a negative thing to say about it. :thumb:
 
I second Vaughn's opinion. The Tormek is my main sharpening device, and I generally use my planes and chisels tight off the honing wheel, with no further honing.

I've had mine for 12 years (it's also a T-2000), and have probably sharpened/honed thousands of plane blades, chisels, hatchets, carving tools, knives, and even a few turning gouges and skews (sorry, Larry :D ). I've used it so much that the stone is now smaller in diameter than the honing wheel. I really need to replace that stone before too much longer.
 
The only complaint I have about my Tormek is that it is slow when you are reshaping a profile. I did not have a grinder to help with that aspect of sharpening. Recently I procured the Sorby ProEdge Sharpening System and have only used it sparely, but I am liking it very much. I will keep the Tormek, but most all my reshaping needs will be taken care of by the Sorby.proedge1.jpg




 
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Thankws guys.

In some way you confirmed my thoughts. The idea I had is that it is slow when putting a new bevel on a tool, on the other hand the possibility of burning it dissapears completely. Just another question. Does thee honing wheel turn faster than the sharpening one?
 
The shaft speed on the honing wheel is the same as the grinding wheel. (They are on the same shaft.) The surface speed is actually a bit slower on the honing wheel since it's a bit smaller diameter than the grinding wheel (except on Jim's machine :D). Both wheels seem to be very slow if you're used to watching a regular grinder. (You can literally file your fingernails on the grinding wheel with no problems.) I concur with Bill that it can take a while to grind a new profile on a tool, but I do that kind of thing so seldom that it hasn't been a issue for me. Plus, for serious re-shaping, I can use my dry grinder. For regular sharpening (like my turning gouges), the Tormek is faster than my dry grinder, because the jig is faster for me to set up on the Tormek.
 
You guys kill me.

I'd long talked myself out of a tormek and have been happily using the woodcraft slow speed 8" grinder (with occasional visits to my high speed 6" in the "metal working section" - aka the area over by the garage door :rofl:) and some stones.

Luckily I wouldn't have a place to put it right now anyway until I redo my abrasives storage :D
 
Well, as usual, I have to put in my two-cents worth.

Several people who had used both, told me that they preferred the Jet slow-speed sharpener to the Tormek. All of them also said that they preferred the Tormek gouge jig to the Jet (it fits the Jet perfectly).

I purchased the Jet. There is a very sad and a very wonderful story behind that. However, I will skip it here (you didn't know that I could do that did you).

Final result (the way I do things now, a couple years later):

1---I always sharpen my flat chisels and plane irons with a WorkSharp 3000. It is so easy, so fast, so sharp that anything else feels cumbersome and inefficient. Depending on how dull I let the tool become, I can resharpen to a mirror, shave your arm sharpness in 10 to 30 seconds. If the edge had a small nick in it, the time would get up into the 2 to 4 minute bracket. If it had a big nick, I would probably go to the dry grinder or work from the top on the WorkSharp 3000.

Please understand---I have absolutely no sharpening genes in my body. I never had a "Wow" sharp tool in my life until I had the 3000.

2---I always change blade shape with my dry 1725 RPM grinder using white stones. It is fast and easy to get the general shape (actually fairly darn accurate shape). I have a water cup built into my grinder table. I use it after every pass and so I have no problems losing temper.

3---Most of the time I do very slight regrinds and finish sharpening of gouges on the Jet. However, I just use it as a Slow Speed Wet Stone. I use a simple home made Wolverine type setup to sharpen gouges on the Jet. The home made unit was made from scrap. It probably took 30 minutes to build. It probably took another 45 minutes to find the "right" piece of scrap and lay it out so I could use it with all of my gouges, cut-offs, etc. Any 10 inch slow speed, wet unit would work fine.

I do prefer the 10 inch wheels. 8 inch give me a little more concave surface than I like. This is definitely not a big problem. If my wheel was 8 inch, I would use it happily.

Would I buy another Jet or Tormek? Absolutely not.

I do sharpen everything around the house: shop tools, Myrna's precious and expensive knives, hatchets, axes, weed pluckers, hoes, shovels and scissors. However, I only do the very mildest of work on scissors because I can purchase a new pair for very little money and I am not really set up for scissors.

Enjoy,

JimB

I will go take a couple pics.IMG_0885.jpgIMG_0881.jpgIMG_0876.jpgIMG_0882.jpgIMG_0878 - Copy (2).jpgIMG_0884.jpgIMG_0880.jpg The pics are not in the order I acquired. However, starting on the left as #1: 1 is my Wolverine style sharpener for gouges. 2 is my Wolverine style tool "pocket" on my dry grinder. 3 is back to the Jet; showing another angle. 4 is back to the dry grinder tool pocket. 5 is another angle on the way I use the Jet. 6 This is the pocket on the Jet. 7 is another angle on the dry setup.

Any questions give me a PM or do it here in public.
JimB
 
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...2---I always change blade shape with my dry 1725 RPM grinder using white stones. It is fast and easy to get the general shape (actually fairly darn accurate shape). I have a water cup built into my grinder table. I use it after every pass and so I have no problems losing temper...

If you're grinding high speed steel, the water quench is not necessary, and in fact can cause more harm than good. (It can cause micro-fractures in the steel.) High speed steel doesn't lose temper from grinding heat the way high carbon steel does.
 
If you're grinding high speed steel, the water quench is not necessary, and in fact can cause more harm than good. (It can cause micro-fractures in the steel.) High speed steel doesn't lose temper from grinding heat the way high carbon steel does.

Didn't know the former interesting to know.. did know the latter, although I suspect if you whaled away at it long enough you could still pull the temper (at least on some hss).

The problem I have is that if I'm re-shaping or grinding out a chip the tool can get kind of hot to handle... so when doing that I've been wetting very frequently (dip, bzzt, dip, repeat). With that I don't really get discoloration or that well known hisss so I suspect I'm probably ok as far as fracturing?

I also noticed that re-truing/cleaning the wheel occasionally with the slow speed (1725rpm) white wheels really helps keep the heat down. Once they get clogged they sure start heating a LOT faster. It also highlighted how I was using the center of the wheel more than the edges (center is hot, edge is not.. hrmm.. aaah I see...).
 
Thanks Vaughn!

I did not know that. However, since I wet after each pass, I hope the steel has not become hot enough to make any difference. I can still handle the tool after one pass. One pass, for sharpening or very slight grinding, is 1 maybe up to 3 seconds and I am definitely not leaning on the tool.

The reddish handled tools you see are my original HF set. They are actually pretty good tools---especially for the money. I use them to fill in the gaps in my good tools until Santa brings me newer and better. These HF tools are also my victims---prototype for anything I want to try in the way of different configuration of a tool. My attitude with these is, "If she dies, she dies." Now if anything happened to my tools from Doug I would really berate myself.

Enjoy,

JimB
 
...1---I always sharpen my flat chisels and plane irons with a WorkSharp 3000....

2---I always change blade shape with my dry 1725 RPM grinder using white stones...

3---Most of the time I do very slight regrinds and finish sharpening of gouges on the Jet. However, ...Any 10 inch slow speed, wet unit would work fine.

I do prefer the 10 inch wheels. 8 inch give me a little more concave surface than I like. This is definitely not a big problem. If my wheel was 8 inch, I would use it happily.

Would I buy another Jet or Tormek? Absolutely not...
JimB

Actually, Jim, I have the slow speed grinder and the WorkSharp, too. I use the slow speed grinder for taking out nicks, etc., or regrinding to a new angle, then finish on the Tormek.

I consider my WorkSharp a wasted purchase. I really don't like it much. In fact, I may just bring it to Larry's to see if anyone wants to buy it.

Would I buy another Tormek? Hell, yes, I would!
 
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