Tormek Users

[Woodenskye (Bryan)]

Thread transferred from previous forum - Original Post by Chet

Original Post:

Question, is the tormek a machine that completely eliminates the need for any other sharpening gear?  The reason I ask is that do to a little arthritis in the thumb of one hand and even with the use of the Veritas guide I still tend to get an angle to the bevel on my chisels and plane blades.  I feel this is because of a slight difference I tend to put on one side while honing even though I try not to.

Follow Up Posts:

1)  Could I get away with just the Tormek?  Yes.  Do I want to? No

I love the Tormek especially if/when I want to change angles which doesn't happen too often.  It's also pretty quick to touch up a chisel or blade during a project.

However, I also find that my blades aren't as sharp as they are coming off the stones.  They're probably sharp enough but, there is a difference.

Typically, I'll start on the Tormek if a blade is in pretty bad shape and then tough up quickly on the stones.  The Tormek certainly makes the stone work much quicker!

If any of you have watched the Guilds Ashly Harwood videos, they have me questioning it the Tormek is the right tool for sharpening the turning tools as well.

2)  When you finish on the Tormek, what is the grit of the first stone you go to?

My take away on Ashly's video, and and it was nothing she said just personal thought, she is a turner and only a turner so she wants the best and fastest way to sharpen to perfection when she needs to touch up her tools. In a shop such as yours where you go to the wheel with different blades and chisels I am guessing the Tormek is fine. It's like a combo blade on your table saw, it does a good job at both cross cut and ripping but a dedicated blade for each would give top notch cuts but the combo for our work is fine. I am guessing that for the lathe work that you do the Tormek is your combo blade.

3)  Coming off the Tormek, I usually go to the 4k for a few strokes first..  I don't usually go over 10k and it really only takes a few strokes on each to get them where I like them.

The Tormek is a great all around sharpening solution.  It's not the "best" at any of them but, it's good enough to be used as the all around solution for a shop.

4)  I would eventually like to get a quality vs bench grinder and go to CBN wheels for turning tools and for some chisel and plane blades. However for chisel and plane blades I still think stones are best.

5)  Kev, I know they have a lot of different jigs for the tormek. Do you have any or just the basic machine?

6)  I have them all and have only used 2.  Frankly, I just haven't had time to really dig into a lot of the jigs.