Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all the
books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems at
first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a reasonable
edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you actually used
the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with my money
carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave razor thin
slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when I am done.
And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep sharp is my 12
inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily. Thanks

Paul

For the money if you want to sharpen cutlery and other tools a 1x42 or
even a 1x30 belt sander is the way to go.
a selection of belts from 320 to 180 will handle most any cutlery job
and a worn out 320 can be charged with rouge and used as a strop.
The whole kit in 1x42 can be done for les than $200

Thanks for the tip. Grizzly sells a 1 x 72 belt sander made for ....Knives..
Found a source of belts that they can supply up to 600 grit. I know I can
use a shorter belt sander. Now it is time to figger out which way to go.



http://customsandingbelts.com/cgi-bin/abrasive.exe

Thanks again
"beecrofter" wrote in message
oups.com...
For the money if you want to sharpen cutlery and other tools a 1x42 or
even a 1x30 belt sander is the way to go.
a selection of belts from 320 to 180 will handle most any cutlery job
and a worn out 320 can be charged with rouge and used as a strop.
The whole kit in 1x42 can be done for les than $200

"goaway" wrote:

No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp.
SNIP

Option 1:

Butchers rent knives from a sharpening service.

Use a sharpening service to properly sharpen your knives, then buy a good
sharpening steel and using it to maintain them.

BTW, I'm referring to forged blades, not starmped.

Trying to maintain a stamped blade is more work than it is worth except for
a paring knife and a wavy blade slicing blade.

Option 2:

A knife sharpening jig.

I have a sharpening jig that is at least 40 years old that clamps the back
of the blade providing an angle reference for sharpening. It was designed
and built by a guy in the neighborhood in his garage.

Lots of ways to skin this cat that don't require the investment in a Tormek.

Lew

"goaway" writes:
The question is, have any of you actually used the Tormek for this
purpose?

Yes. Tormek good! Unlike the other suggestions, the Tormek gives you
a consistent cut angle (no skill required), so if you care about those
things (always the perfect angle), Tormek is for you. I've used it
for filet and carving knives, scissors (my wife's previous hairdresser
had me sharpen hers, the Tormek did better than the pros their salon
uses), pocket knives, and non-serrated steak knives. Plus the full
range of shop things - planer and jointer knives, plane irons,
chisels, turning tools, axes, awls, scrapers, etc.

We did Thanksgiving dinner at my parent's house one year, my dad asked
me to bring a "sharp, I mean really sharp" knife. We used that knife
for pretty much all the carving and cutting, and one of the last
things we cut up with it was a tomato. Paper thin, too.

The slow speed lets you keep track of what you're doing. I use the
"color the edge with a marker" trick so I know what's been sharpened
and what hasn't, and when I've sharpened all the way to the edge.
Since the Tormek holds the blade at the right angle, even a flexible
knife is ground consistently, just don't press so hard that it twists.
Since it's all jig-based, you can even move the jig to a different
part of the knife if the knife is too big, without messing up the
jig's settings.

Note: There's a Tormek knock-off on the market too. I don't have any
experience with it, but if it does the same things as a Tormek, that
would work for you also.

"goaway" wrote in
:

Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I
need
to keep kitchen knives sharp.

I highly recomend the Lansky Sharpening system. I've been able to sharpen
everything from 14" butcher knives to 2" pen knife blades. It doesn't take
much practive to be able to put a razor sharp edge on almost any blade.
Once you get the blade sharp, a couple of strokes with a hone steel before
each use will keep the blades sharp. The Lansky system is a "manual" (not
powered like the Tormek) consisting of a clamp with guide slots that holds
the blade, guide rods that attach to the stones, and a set of various grit
stones or diamond hones. You can choose a variety of angles on the guide
depending upon the type of blade and the intended use. More he
http://www.lanskysharpeners.com/kitchen.php

The TORMEK is good .. I have one and use it often .. the JET is just as
good and much cheaper.

goaway wrote:
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all the
books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems at
first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a reasonable
edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you actually used
the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with my money
carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave razor thin
slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when I am done.
And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep sharp is my 12
inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily. Thanks

Paul

"Smaug Ichorfang" wrote:

I highly recomend the Lansky Sharpening system.

THey must be the people that bought out my neighbor.

Same jig, except gussied up a little bit..

Has done a good job for me for a long time.

Lew

In article ,
says...
The TORMEK is good .. I have one and use it often .. the JET is just as
good and much cheaper.

goaway wrote:
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I needto keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening

(snip and piggyback)

If you're sharpening only kitchen knives, the Tormek is overkill and
more complicated than you may like. An almost dedicated tool for
kitchen knives
is the Edgepro, worth some research on your part. I'm not affiliated in
any way.

www.edgeproinc.com/

"goaway" wrote in message
...
Folks,
Basically, I need to keep kitchen knives sharp.

I've been using Spyderco's Triangle Sharpmaker
(http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77) for over 20 years and
given a handful as gifts during that same period of time. And while their
website shows a $75 price tag, there are any number of sites, many in the
$40-45 range.

--
NuWave Dave in Houston

goaway wrote:
Thanks for the tip. Grizzly sells a 1 x 72 belt sander made for
....Knives.. Found a source of belts that they can supply up to 600
grit. I know I can use a shorter belt sander. Now it is time to
figger out which way to go.

For years I've sharpened knives, not always easily or successfully but once
I tried a 1 inch belt sander I'm a bonifide expertG......I have a cheap
1X30 model (works fine) but next time around I think I'd do a 42 incher....
I like the slack above the backer plate. I dabbled with belts up to the 1000
grit micron or so but probably the 320 with a leather strop finish is most
effective for me. Rod

I have not used the Tormek. I use the

http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Sharp-325.../dp/B00004RFMD

on my kitchen knives and am very pleased with the results. I am not a pro
at sharpening, nor do I want to learn on my kitchen knives. I also would
not go near a belt sander for sharpening knives. I do agree though, if you
do lots of sharpening, a belt sander is invaluable if used correctly.

Stephen R.


"goaway" wrote in message
...
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all
the books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems
at first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a
reasonable edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you
actually used the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with
my money carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave
razor thin slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when
I am done. And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep
sharp is my 12 inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily.
Thanks

Paul

On Sat, 20 Oct 2007 22:53:30 -0400, "goaway" wrote:

Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all the
books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems at
first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a reasonable
edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you actually used
the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with my money
carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave razor thin
slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when I am done.
And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep sharp is my 12
inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily. Thanks

Paul

My wife used to run a sharpening service out of the house and did knives for
several restaurants..

I don't have an opinion of the Tormek, but she used a 1" belt grinder from Foley
to do both knives and saw blades..
For your purpose, you don't need Foley quality, any 1" sander will do the job..

I can't remember where it was (senior moment) but someone was selling a 2" setup
that used two 1" belts... So you could have 2 grits without belt changes..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"goaway" wrote in message
...
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all
the books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems
at first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a
reasonable edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you
actually used the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with
my money carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave
razor thin slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when
I am done. And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep
sharp is my 12 inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily.
Thanks

Paul


Yes, it works great, but it is expensive for this sole purpose. You can get
your knives sharpened many times over for less than the price of a Tormek.
The big advantage of the Tormek over many cheaper sharpeners is that it will
restore a "butter knife dull" edge to razor sharp very quickly.
Having said that the sharpener helps to pay for itself if you get the extra
jigs for sharpening "everything" else that you have.

The Jet may be a considerable cheaper alternative.

"ROY!" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:32:11 GMT, "S R"
wrote:

I have not used the Tormek. I use the

http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Sharp-325.../dp/B00004RFMD

on my kitchen knives and am very pleased with the results. I am not a pro
at sharpening, nor do I want to learn on my kitchen knives. I also would
not go near a belt sander for sharpening knives. I do agree though, if
you
do lots of sharpening, a belt sander is invaluable if used correctly.

I have a Tormek and think it is overkill for kitchen knives. Here's
what I use on the kitchen knives and considering I don't use them as
shaving utensils, this gadget works fine for me:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4929

ROY!


With practice the ceramic rods are good for maintaining a sharp edge but as
you well know the Tormek is superior for restoring an edge quickly.

"goaway" wrote in message
...
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all
the books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems
at first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a
reasonable edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you
actually used the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with
my money carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave
razor thin slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when
I am done. And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep
sharp is my 12 inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily.
Thanks

Paul

I buy good quality knives and I use a sharpening steel. It's nice to be able
to slice very thin slices of tomato or onion or whatever.


Max

"ROY!" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:33:27 -0500, "Leon"
wrote:

With practice the ceramic rods are good for maintaining a sharp edge but
as
you well know the Tormek is superior for restoring an edge quickly.

Leon, what you say is absolutely correct and I should have mentioned
the need for the edge restoration capabilities of the Tormek. I can
usually get somewhere around 15 - 20 ceramic rod honings before it
becomes time for the Tormek to do its edge thing.

ROY!

I was thinking and not to discount what you mentioned, as the way things
usually turn out, typically when I sharpen my knives I normally get my
sister, parents and neighbors to climb on board while I am in that mode.
;~) They are always waiting for me to do this the next time I sharpen
knives.
My knives are usually not too bad but my neighbor was almost at my house
before I hung up the phone to tell her that I was going to sharpen knives
again. She had 3 knives that would have been hard to tell which edge to
sharpen had I been blind folded. Her knives were more similar to a butter
knife.

I would like to say thank you to everyone who posted. I am now aware of
options I never even knew existed to make knives sharp
Paul

"goaway" wrote in message
...
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all
the books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems
at first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a
reasonable edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you
actually used the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with
my money carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave
razor thin slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when
I am done. And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep
sharp is my 12 inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily.
Thanks

Paul

On Oct 20, 10:53 pm, "goaway" wrote:
Folks,
No this is not another attempt to stir the pot. Basically, I need
to keep kitchen knives sharp. I have tried the proven method of sharpening
stones and have proven I do not use them well. And yes I have read all the
books on this the library has to offer. I just stink at it. It seems at
first glance that the Tormek will do what I need, help me keep a reasonable
edge on my kitchen knives. The question is, have any of you actually used
the Tormek for this purpose? Like most of you, I part with my money
carefully. Note, I am not looking to perform surgery or shave razor thin
slices of chicken, just looking for a decently sharp knife when I am done.
And one note of particular worth, the biggest pain to keep sharp is my 12
inch thin carving knife, blade is thin and bends easily. Thanks

Paul

Everything else is preparation for the steel. Tormek or Tormek
clones look like nice water cooled grinders. Dry grinding thin
blades to a feather edge risks burning them.

If you're handy, you can build a wet grinder from an old
garbage disposal. Cut back the case and make your
wheels from plexiglas disks with fine grit wet-dry paper
contact cemented to one side. 600 grit is fine enough
to prepare kitchen knives for the steel.