tormek sharpening systems-how good are they?

[Mike Kees]

I would like to here from anyone who has used or has one of these slow speed wet grind units. I learned to sharpen with a hollow bevel and still prefer it. At the present I am considering options. Tormek,slow speed grinder(1800 rpm) etc. So let's here it, what are you using and how does it work?

[Ray Newman]

I have the original Tormek and find that it works very well. Solid and well built machine. Only utilize it to sharpen chisels and plane irons.The only drawback that I observe is that it would work far more efficiently if I had a dedicated sharpening station set up for it.

When I bough the Tormek, it was the only game on the street. Have no idea how its clones compare or if they even come close.

[scott vroom]

I've got the Work Sharp WS3000 ($151) and use it primarily for sharpening my chisels. It does the job to my satisfaction. I looked at the Tormek but couldn't justify the big price tag. I suppose the Tormek puts a sharper edge on the tool, but frankly that ultra-sharp edge wears quickly and I just don't need razor sharp chisels. I use my chisels for woodworking project cleanup and for general construction and the Work Sharp does the job for me. If you've got the money to burn, I'm sure you'd be happy with the Tormek based on the glowing reviews it gets.

You didn't mention your application. What type of tools are you looking to sharpen and for what intended use?

[Mike Kees]

I've got the Work Sharp WS3000 ($151) and use it primarily for sharpening my chisels. It does the job to my satisfaction. I looked at the Tormek but couldn't justify the big price tag. I suppose the Tormek puts a sharper edge on the tool, but frankly that ultra-sharp edge wears quickly and I just don't need razor sharp chisels. I use my chisels for woodworking project cleanup and for general construction and the Work Sharp does the job for me. If you've got the money to burn, I'm sure you'd be happy with the Tormek based on the glowing reviews it gets.

You didn't mention your application. What type of tools are you looking to sharpen and for what intended use?
Sorry I guess I did not make myself clear. I mainly need a grinder for chisels and plane irons. I would also probally eventually use it for lathe tools.

[Mike Henderson]

I'm not a big fan of the tormek. It's very expensive, especially when you add in the jigs that you'll need. It's also messy because it's a wet system. You'll need a place where you can put it where the water won't be a problem. The grinding wheel will go out of round so you'll need a diamond tool to dress it. You'll probably also need some water stones to finish your sharpening, and to flatten the backs of chisels and plane blades. While some people may tell you that you can flatten them on the side of the Tormek stone, people I know who tried it did not have much success.

It's basically just an update of the old blacksmith's grinding wheel.

I use the WorkSharp 3000. The WS is not perfect - it's underpowered - but it gets the job done, and it's dry sharpening. It's a lot less expensive then the Tormek. I also use some Shapton stones to finish my sharpening. You can see my process here (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/SharpeningChisels.htm).

Mike

[If you go with a WS, search here for threads that talk about using diamond disks on it.]

[Bradley Gray]

I have the grizzly version made in Germany. It makes my chisels and irons sharp. The leather wheel efficiently removes the wire edge.

[Cary Falk]

I'm going to jump on the WS3000 bandwagon. It was a game changer for me. Super easy to use and my chisels are super sharp. I grind my lathe tools on a 8" slow speed bench grinder.

[William C Rogers]

I have the jet clone. I bought it for lathe chisels, but I have never really got the hang of it. The Woverine is just so much easier and quicker. To be fair I haven't given it a real chance. I intend to give it another shot once I get my shop up and running, but wish I had not bought it in the first place. It may end up on CL.

[David Eisenhauer]

I can only add that I believe I have heard some turners say (years ago when the Tormek was new and getting lots of buzz) that it is not so good for sharpening turning tools. Either one had to buy more Tormek jigs or it was not handy to use for turning tools, or something.............

[Dave huber]

I have one.
Works exactly as advertised.
All jigs I've tried did what they purported to do.

no experience with ws3000 or clones.

Not. A problem with mess or other problems.

i sharpen turnig tools and other blades from knives to axes to scissors without any problems.

try it. You'll like it.

Dave

[william watts]

I have the Tormek early model and only sharpen chisels and plane irons. I also have water stones thru 8000 grit. The Tormek is faster and after stropping on the leather wheel leaves a good sharp edge in little time. A little experience with the Tormek is all it takes to develop your technique to keep the water under control, the same with water stones. Flattening the backs and chisels is best done on the water stones. The side of Tormek stone just doesn't do the job, don't know why.

Naturally, I have compared the stones and the Tormek. IMHO the stones leaves a slightly sharper edge, not a lot, but a little. The difference is the time involved, for a chisle takes 4-5 mins on the Tormek. I have not been able to develop any speed at all with the water stones. Takes 20 mins or more. I use a sharpenig guide and follow a technique described in a popular w.w. mag, but I cannote develop any speed at all, but they are certainly sharp.

[Don Selke]

I bought the Jet version as it was on sale and reduced for quick sale. Now I know why, it is a very messy machine and for me, not worth the hassle. It does a good job of sharpening but you also get a good edge using sandpaper various grits fastned to a sheet of MDF or a sheet of glass. As mentioned above, the jigs are very expensive.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

I have one and it works as advertised. I bought mine at a wood show and it came with a bunch of jigs and a stone dressing tool. It does an outstanding job on turning tools. It's not messy even though it uses water. There is no splashing and mine sits on a tray to contain drips.

[Mike Kees]

I have one and it works as advertised. I bought mine at a wood show and it came with a bunch of jigs and a stone dressing tool. It does an outstanding job on turning tools. It's not messy even though it uses water. There is no splashing and mine sits on a tray to contain drips.
Wow. I really am blown away by the input on this forum. Thanks to everyone for the info. Where do I find Worksharp products? Also would I be better served overall with a slow speed bench grinder and a jig such as the wolverine and dry grinding basic bevels and then honing on water or oilstones? My experience so far has been limited to basic chisels and plane irons. Turning tools are new for me. My interest is general woodworking.

[Tom M King]

I had one for a while, and it did a fine job, but it was just too painfully slow. Everything I do is on billable hours, and it bothered me more than anything else with how slow it was. Now I'm using a CBN wheel on a really smooth grinder, and it turned a job that took some long lengths of multiple minutes, into a job that takes a few seconds. Often people are standing around watching me work, and the Tormek just didn't fit. I never get in a hurry to do anything, but efficiency is one reason I'm able to get paid like I do.

I'm sure it would serve a hobbyist just fine, but it was the biggest source of aggravation I had for a short while.

[Ellen Benkin]

Here's another vote for the WorkSharp 3000. It does not give you a hollow grind but it is so easy to use that you will not miss the hollow. The only function for the hollow is to make sharpening faster because you are sharpening less steel. It makes no difference in the sharpness of the blade.

Like Mike, I also use the diamond plates and found them to be an improvement over the sandpaper. I got mine off ebay and they are relatively cheap and last much longer than sandpaper. If you use the diamond plates you should mount it with a glass wheel as backing.

My other suggestion is to get a foot switch (cheap at Harbor Freight). When flattening the back of chisels or plane blades I found it difficult to place them on the wheel when it was moving and often rounded off the edge. The foot switch allows you to place the blade flat on the plate and then start the wheel. Stop the wheel and then remove the chisel.

The WorkSharp costs about $200 at Rockler or Woodcraft. Wait until one of them has a sale and the sale price saving would pay for the cost of shipping.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have a Tormek and really like it.

I completely disagree that is is messy. A regular grinder spews wheel particles and iron dust all over the place and in your lungs. The Tormek traps all of the dust and metal particles in the water bath. Sometimes the water splashes out, but it's just water....... Takes a little thought and you can figure out how not to spill water all over the place.

It is painfully slow. If you are on the clock all the time, then this is not for you. It is very quiet. I can bring it inside, set up a little table, sit and watch TV and hone chisels. Since it is a water bath tool. there is absolutely NO chance you can burn the edge on your high dollar chisel. You will still need regular stones to touch up the chisels. I sharpen all my lathe tools on it too.

It is expensive, but you can sharpen everything in your house with the proper jig. Scissors, kitchen knives etc. Keep the wife happy. She may give you the green light for it.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Of all of the systems that I have tried, I was the most productive producing the best edges fastest with a Tormek. I am not saying that another system will not make your tools sharper, just that I was able to make it sharp enough directly off the Tormek.

I started with sandpaper and that worked. When I wanted to do a lot of fast grinding quickly, I purchased a WorkSharp. I had a few issues with the worksharp that are surmountable (trouble flattening backs (others here have no trouble with that), The grind is always from the side (I don't remember what problem that caused, but things were still sharp), I had some difficulty with chisels by coming in from underneath. Over all, things did work for the worksharp, but I spent a lot of money on extra glass plates and consumables. If you opt for a WorkSharp consider the diamond plate to reduce the over-all cost of consumables. Also, in my opinion, you probably want the platform (an extra cost, but...).

I ended up with a Tormke T-7. I purchased a used one on ebay and I also purchased a bunch of used jigs and such to test. I also own a low speed dry grinder for when I want to remove a bunch of material quickly (like removing a 1/4" from the end of a chisel).

If you purchase the base Tormek, it includes the parallel guide for chisels and plane blades as well as the diamond stone truing tool, so, I expect that you would be good to go with few consumables. You apparently are able to flatten the backs with this, but I have never done it. I have seen it done so I can probably do it. Your greatest expense after the initial purchase (if you are set on jigs) is for the paste to put on the leather dressing wheel.

Will you require additional stones? Well, I can trivially slice paper right off the Tormek. With a knife, you can shave a tomatoe off the Tormek (if you have the knife jig).

If you look at Tormek, look at both used (if you can find one) and for bundles (including extra jigs... and then do the math to make sure it is a better way to buy).

There is some water involved, but, that is my primary mess. Unlike dry methods, I am not throwing metal shavings in the air (that I breath) or all over the table and floor. I don't leave my Tormek setup; I generally just use the hollow grind to provide a stable base for free hand sharpening after the fact. The motor on the Tormek T-7 has some ridiculously long warranty (7 or 10 years) and is continuous duty. The cheaper smaller version is plastic, not continuous duty, and I don't know the warranty. I prefer the larger wheel on the T-7.

The only advantage that I see with the Worksharp is price; then again, I got rid of mine away after I used it for a year, purchased a used Tormek, and compared the two side by side. The person that has the Worksharp loves it. Certainly compared to many other methods, the Worksharp 3000 is fabulous. So, it is not that I hated my Worksharp, just that I strongly preferred the Tormek. If you can make it out to the middle of Ohio, bring some stuff, we can sharpen them up and you can see for yourself it you like it.

Side note, I love my Worksharp knife sharpener.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

One more comment. If you are heading into turning tools, I expect that the Tormek beats that hands-down.... but you then need / want those fancy turning tool jigs.

[Jim Seyfried]

I have one and really like it and it puts a very nice edge on tools. I have most of the jigs and have sharpened wood working tools to sewing scissors. I don't find the water to be a problem either. I use the Tormek mostly for woodturning tools and have mounted a Wolverine grinding jig so I can use the Ellsworth jig. What I really like about it is that I can quickly dress the edge with very little metal ground away. It does take a lot of time to change the shape of a tool. But once the tool is shaped it is easily repeatable. They make an attachment so their jigs can be used on a dry grinder for faster shaping. However, I also have a slow speed grinder and water stones. I have some chisels and plane irons I prefer to finish sharpen on the water stones and to flatten the backs.

Now if I was to start all over again I would still want the water stones for fine woodworking. But, I might be satisfied with getting a slow speed grinder with a couple of CBN wheels and the Wolverine jig system. There are also several fine alternatives as have been mentioned. I guess a lot depends on what you want to sharpen and how deep your pockets are.

[Erik Christensen]

I have had mine for a few years - I would probably buy it again if I had a do-over. I don't use it much as I thought I would as I have found that a jig & water stones will polish up a secondary bevel a lot faster for plane irons. The one place where it does a uniquely good job is for turning tools - gouges are a snap to sharpen and I have no idea how I would get that done freehand with a water stone. As far as the bulk of my sharpening - chisels & plane irons - I only use the Tormek when I need a new hollow primary bevel

[Mike Kees]

Hey ,Jim what the heck is a CBN wheel? Does anyone know if the makita wet grinder with the flat wheel is still made? I appreciate all the feedback from everyone. So it sounds like the Tormek works well,is expensive and,possibly slower than I realized. The worksharp sounds like it also gets the job done with some tweaking. If I were to get a slow speed conventional grinder , would it make much difference what size? (6''-8'') ? Also would that be abetter first step for a versatile shapening ststem?

[Mike Kees]

One more question. Who makes a decent grinder?(conventional).

[Jim Seyfried]

Hey ,Jim what the heck is a CBN wheel? Does anyone know if the makita wet grinder with the flat wheel is still made? I appreciate all the feedback from everyone. So it sounds like the Tormek works well,is expensive and,possibly slower than I realized. The worksharp sounds like it also gets the job done with some tweaking. If I were to get a slow speed conventional grinder , would it make much difference what size? (6''-8'') ? Also would that be abetter first step for a versatile shapening ststem?

A CBN wheel is a plated steel wheel that is becoming popular with wood turners. Here is a better explanation that I could offer: http://www.d-waytools.com/tools-diamond-grinding-wheels.html


I think 8" grinders are more popular for sharpening. As for being a better choice, I think it would depend on your expectations and what you want to sharpen.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Tormek guy here too. Bought a pile of jigs over the years for it. Like Kyle said, it's slow. But its controlled and you won't mess up the tool with it. That being said, I dislike the slow enough that I find myself just freehanding for touchups rather than getting it all jigged up. Sharpening is just a pain, there is no one tool that does it all.

[David Weaver]

I had one, and a sheppach version before it. I gave the sheppach version to a local friend when I got the tormek. I gave the tormek to george wilson. I just didn't find a lot of favor in actually using it, it's cumbersome and slow (and it was expensive).

If I was a turner, I'd use a CBN wheel. As a hand tooler, I use a dry grinder and bench stones instead, including for carving tools, and sharpen all of my knives and scissors freehand. Tools come off of the dry grinder much faster, and consequently I grind them more often limiting the amount of metal that needs to be worked on bench stones - allowing for a very fast very sharp edge.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

If I was a turner, I'd use a CBN wheel.

It was asked.... "what is a CBN wheel", so, here is a video that appears to be "sales literature", but it does show it in use

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urM-5P8_t4g

I think that probably the most important part is related to availability or inclusion of appropriate jigs for whatever power system you choose to use. If you use a grinder, you still want something to help (well, you probably do anyway). I will admit that I mostly "free hand" off a simple rest on my cheap slow speed grinder, but then I clean it up on my Tormek. Since I own a Tormek and the jigs, if I used the grinder much I would purchase an attachment that would allow me to use my Tormek jigs on my grinder; it is inexpensive (about $70 I think) and then I can use all of my Tormek jigs that I already own.

I have no experience with the CBN wheels, are they really that good at not generating heat that you don't need to worry about it? Obviously heat is not an issue on a Tormek.


As a hand tooler, I use a dry grinder and bench stones instead, including for carving tools, and sharpen all of my knives and scissors freehand. Tools come off of the dry grinder much faster, and consequently I grind them more often limiting the amount of metal that needs to be worked on bench stones - allowing for a very fast very sharp edge.

Ignoring all of the other good qualities of a Tormek as previously stated, one of the "claimed" advantages to a Tormek (at least told to me in person by a rep, not sure I have ever seen it written) is that in theory you remove very little metal after you have the profile set. I did not press the issue at the time, but, off hand, I assume that the problem with any other method that might remove too much material would be primarily related to consistency. So, if I have a jig that holds a tool exactly as required in a repeatable way, then I won't be wasting metal as it were. The statement was made in the context of turning tools, and all the turners present shook their heads and verbally agreed with him. I don't turn and have no experience sharpening these types of tools.

I assume that if you free hand consistently (and I expect that this can be done) then you would remove very little metal in the process. Unsure how much you lose with your grinder. Any comments on that David?

[johnny means]

I've got the Tormek and do like it. I got mine at auction and paid a fraction of new for it. I do not however feel like it's substantially better than a host of other more affordable options. One of my issues with it is that it's not well suited to much more than honing a dull edge. If your edge is chipped or dented it's just way to slow, Which sends me running to yet another machine. No, you can't really flatten on the sides, because their is no way tuo true the stone in that plane. I don't use it on lathe tools, which I feel require a rougher edge than chisels and planes. The system is nice and does what it's supposed to do, but I fail to see the value.

[Chris Padilla]

I picked up a Tormek used off of the Classified here. I feel like I got a great deal. I never got the hang of sharpening by hand and the Tormek allows me more consistency in sharpening. I actually took a dull 3/4" chisel and had it working like new again. I was quite impressed. Yeah, it took some time but I'm not in a hurry. I did use the side of the stone to flatten the back and it seemed to work fine near as I can tell. The real shine was using the leather wheel with the honing paste that really got that edge super sharp! One of these days I will get a desk/bench top in an area of my garage where I can permanently set up the Tormek and my slow-speed grinder. I've been saying that for a good 6 years now....

[Andrew Hughes]

I also use the tormek,used up the wheel that came with the machine, been on my second wheel for about three years now.I also prefer a hollow grind on my LN plane blades.And finish the edge on shapton stones.
I also use it for knives,carving chisels and bowl gouges.I can't really say if it's slow to me,Since it's what I'm used to.When this wheel gets too small I will have to buy a new shaft.Mine is rusted to the wheel but that's okay.Still works just fine.

[Greg Portland]

Sorry I guess I did not make myself clear. I mainly need a grinder for chisels and plane irons. I would also probally eventually use it for lathe tools.
Most popular sharpening systems will do a very good job. All of them require some practice and proper technique (even the worksharp or Tormek). I have a Tormek but I use a 8" 1750rpm grinder + Norton 3x wheel for establishing bevel angles. Note that stone-based systems will require occasional truing; sandpaper systems just require a new sheet of paper.

[Greg Portland]

One more question. Who makes a decent grinder?(conventional).
IMO, the Grizzly 8" Industrial grinder (http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-1-HP-Heavy-Duty-Bench-Grinder/G0596) is as good as a Baldor but significantly cheaper. Longevity is unknown; I can only say that I've been using mine a lot for 7-8 years with no problems.

[Paul Grant]

Had one and dumped it. While it can do a reasonable job it does not compare in speed or sharpness to finishing up with an 8k water stone on chisels and plane irons. Simple truth is it's way overpriced for what it delivers. I found it really shined on kitchen knives but a simple 1" belt grinder is a tenth of the cost and does an equal job.

I now use an 8" dry grinder for general shaping, water stones for sharpening, and the belt grinder for odds and ends. Together they all add up to less than the cost of the tormek and are much more versatile.

[Mike Goetzke]

I found a slightly used one on CL for a great price and then found a NIB woodturners accessory set for 1/2 price on the bay. I'm new to woodturning and used the WS3000 in combo with my bench grinder w/ Wolverine jigs for a short while till I picked up the Tormek. Since all of my turning tools were new I also purchased the Tormek fixture for the dry bench grinder to shape the tools quickly. After shaped it only takes a few passes on the Tormek to re-sharpen my turning tools. I like the wet stone as mentioned there is no dust and cools the steel. I have not had issues with water spraying all over at all. Plus I find using the dressing wheel works fine and I have only had to use the diamond dressing wheel once to square off the wheel. I have found as a new turner the shape and sharpness of the tools is very important and the Tormek has made me a better turner.

Mike

[Bob Wingard]

Got one at a show ... along with a "package" of jigs & accessories. It works, but in my opinion is WAY over priced. After a few years of use, I had to replace both motor bearings, and the paint is peeling & rusting underneath to a large extent. All in all, I wouldn't do it again ... got by just fine without it, and don't really find myself relying on it for anything I can't do in an alternative manner. If it broke and I couldn't fix it, I certainly wouldn't buy a replacement. I also had some issues with the seller, but that's another story altogether.

[Tony Leonard]

I've had one for many years. I like it. It works good. I did have an issue - the wheel shaft rusted and the wheel is stuck on it. They replaced the shaft with stainless in newer models. They sold me a stainless replacement shaft at a discount - thanks. It is not an automatic perfect process though. It takes a little learning, fiddling, and you have ot sometimes put a little "English" on the jig to get the edge straight. Also, I don't stop at the Tormek. I use it for grinding and shaping. Other than turning tools, I always finish up on water stones (or oil for carving tools). Looking at the current prices of the Tormek, I'd have to think about it a little harder! You can do pretty well with a low speed grinder and quality wheels. You can even get the Tormek jigs setup with a bench grinder.

Tony

[Andrew Pitonyak]

After a few years of use, I had to replace both motor bearings, and the paint is peeling & rusting underneath to a large extent. All in all, I wouldn't do it again ...

Bet you were happy that they warrant the motor for like 10 years (on the T-7).

[Jim Foster]

I've had one for several years. I like it. It is a bit slow and pricey, but very good. Not messy at all, which is a big plus. All the metal particles are captured in the trough by a magnet. I don't have access to water in my shop, so it's a bit of a pain, I just keep some filled jugs available. I hone with waterstones after the hollow grind, I have not used the buffer side yet. I like having it, and would get it again, but the cost was a little dear. You can also get more extravagant and buy expensive black stone that should be able to grind harder alloys faster, but I stopped at the basic kit.

[richard poitras]

I have the WS3000 and really like mine. I have used a Tormek and they work great but slow....

[Myk Rian]

Sorry I guess I did not make myself clear. I mainly need a grinder for chisels and plane irons. I would also probally eventually use it for lathe tools.
Well, that's what I use my WS3000 for.
I've seen the Tormek in action. Wasn't impressed with how slow it was at sharpening, or the inflated price tag.

[David Weaver]

I assume that if you free hand consistently (and I expect that this can be done) then you would remove very little metal in the process. Unsure how much you lose with your grinder. Any comments on that David?

I never remove excess metal with a dry grinder, I do the same thing someone with a tormek would do, which is to work right up to the edge, and I probably work just a bit short of what a tormek user works, I don't raise a wire edge with a grinder. So the effect is generally the same. It takes me somewhere around a minute to grind (all inclusive, with flipping the grinder on) a chisel or plane iron that's got heavy use on it. It takes about 3 seconds to dress the wheel, which is something that bugged me with the tormek - it always seemed like the wheel was cutting fine and I didn't want it to. The rest on the grinder determines how the angle is set, so the precision is similar.

If the first pass of the grinder is off center, I keep a small hammer next to the grinder and have the rests tight but not so tight that I can't tap them just a little to move them.

As far as turning tools, I sharpen my turning tools freehand on a belt grinder with a trizact belt. I use a skew and a spindle gouge with a long primary and a steep tiny secondary on it, because it has reach like a skew.

I'm not saying that the tormek isn't a nice unit, it is and it's one of the few power tools that I think nobody other than mike wenzloff (who was using one to taper saw plates) will ever wear out. You turn it on, it starts, it goes, end of story. The only problem I really had with mine is something that was subsequently solved (the non-stainless arbor cost me a very expensive black wheel - I still have that wheel on my bench in two pieces - I couldn't get it off the shaft any other way). For someone who just wants a system that works and who isn't as impatient as me, it does what it says it does, it provides people who don't want to freehand knives a way to sharpen catastrophically damaged knives (the knife jig is again something that removes more metal than I can tolerate - freehanding an undamaged knife is a thing of parsimony).

So, I did use mine for a while until I just gravitated toward other things, and then I sent it to George, and I think George says that he likes it to be polite to me for going to the trouble to stick it in a box and put his address on it. He gave me a nice deep rock coticule natural combo stone (something that is not easy to come by these days) - I'd rather have the coticule. He'd probably rather have the tormek (I did have the stainless arbor kit, and just hadn't yet installed it).

As far as the price of the thing, I think we all get a little lost in the weeds about the cost of making a quality good in the western world. The tormek is made in the western world and in reliability, it shows. How many broken ones have we heard of? When the jet thing came out, people were falling all over themselves to talk about how much better it was than the tormek because it could spin fast enough to sling water and it had drawers, but it turns out the wheel is soft on it and they had a ton of problems with them quitting because the wiring (or connections more specifically) was unreliable. George had one of those and I think he was happy to replace his with my tormek - he had a lot of trouble with the wiring and grilled jet until they would admit it was a known problem. Anyway, the fact that the thing is $700 or whatever doesn't phase me - it's quality - one of the few things left that really is. The wheel is top shelf (and I mean that - I've had the sheppach, and an aftermarket replacement wheel - you don't know just how good the tormek wheel is until you've tried some others), it's the only good slow wheel I've seen on anything, the motor will last forever and it's made in the western world and the support for it over here (Jeff at sharp tools, I think, is the contact point for the US?) is top shelf.

In my opinion, if someone is going to stick with this hobby for a long time and they want a slow wet grinder, it's the only thing I'd buy.

[Ken Schroeder]

I am a new member with this forum, although I have been reading the Tormek threads for quite a while. I have been a Tormek user since 2009.


I have read numerous comments that the Tormek is either too expensive, too slow or both. I see some basis for both of these comments, however, I believe both are overblown.


Overpriced? Compared to what? Comparing apples to apples, a Tormek is priced in the range of a Baldor grinder. A stripped down Lie-Nielsen upgrade of the $15 Eclipse jig costs $125. Fully loaded, this jig costs $370, just $30 less than a Tormek T4. Please no not misinterpret me, I regard Baldor and Lie-Nielsen very highly. I do not feel they are overpriced for the quality one gets. I feel the same about Tormek. Like Tormek, they all cost more than "Brand-X".


The not quite lightning speed of the Tormek can be tweaked with careful dressing and grading of the grinding wheel. It can also be substantially improved with different wheels. The Cadillac choice is CBN. These can be used either wet or dry (rust or dust). The difference with heavy grinding is astounding. The Chevy choice is a Norton 3X grinding wheel, either 46 or 80 grit. These require some simple adaptation to fit the 12mm bore of the Tormek and some 12mm fender washers for spacers. (The Tormek wheels are either 50 or 40mm; the 3X wheels are 1" or just over 25mm.) For just over $50 US, a 3X wheel will turbo charge a Tormek. Used wet, like a Tormek wheel, this grinding power comes very cool, dust free and spark free. And, it leaves a surprisingly smooth surface.


My Tormek is not my only sharpening tool. Neither is my bandsaw my only saw or my Starrett combination square my only measuring tool. All three are valuable parts of my shop.

[Tony Leonard]

I have the Tormek (2000 I think). I have really enjoyed having it. The only issue I had was that the wheel shaft rusted so that the wheel cannot be removed. Tormek sent the upgraded shaft. I'll use it when I replace the wheel someday. There is a little bit of a learning curve. And it takes a little technique to get the best results. I have no regrets. I use mine for chisels, plane irons, turning tools, carving tools, scissors, knives, etc. I bought the jigs as needed or as I could afford them.

Tony

[Dave Stuve]

I love my Tormek 7 - I honestly don't use it that often but when I do I really enjoy its quality. I use it mainly to sharpen turning tools, and appreciate their jig setup. The Tormek is slow to reshape a blade, but if your blade shape is fine and you're only sharpening I find it pretty fast. The leather wheel and honing paste makes for a keen edge, and my kitchen knives have never been sharper. I don't have a dedicated space in the shop, so I just carry the Tormek into the kitchen and set it up on the island - it's the perfect height and water splashes are irrelevant there.

[Ken Schroeder]

Tony,
Good point about the rusted shaft. Tormek corrected that problem in 2006 with the introduction of the stainless steel shaft, and improved it in 2010 with the introduction of the stainless EZYlock shaft with a coarse left hand thread. It's a quick replacement easily done at home. It makes changing wheels or removing the wheel for transportation a snap. (Don't forget to place the plastic spacer or a homemade piece of plastic pipe in place to prevent the shaft from sliding.)

I routinely remove my grinding wheel when finished sharpening to dry better. The EZYlock makes this simple. Just make sure to remember the left hand thread. Look at the arrow on the EZYlock and keep the Channelocks far away!

Dave,

One of the members on the Tormek forum (www.tormek.com>forum) suggested using a turkey baster to remove the water from the trough. This quick and cheap fix really lessens water spillage which might help improve your domestic harmony. :)

Thanks for your replies.

Ken

[Bob Falk]

I can only add that I believe I have heard some turners say (years ago when the Tormek was new and getting lots of buzz) that it is not so good for sharpening turning tools. Either one had to buy more Tormek jigs or it was not handy to use for turning tools, or something.............
I have an old Tormek and I find its very slow for turning tools.....i so sharpen my planer blades, kitchen knives, scissors, hand planes with it and it works great

[Mike Kees]

Really interesting to see a thread that I started over two years ago. So I figured that an update is in order. I purchased a Rikon 8 slow speed grinder and wolverine jig. My intention to get a CBN wheel is as of yet unfulfilled. Where is a good place to get one ? I am still interested in the tormek system but it will have to wait as all available funds are currently going into finishing my dust collection system.Mike.

[Brian W Evans]

I have a Tormek T-7, but I haven't used it enough to add much to this conversation. I like it and I have had great success sharpening kitchen knives, scissors, and a few chisels with it.

I wanted to say, though, that there is a guy at the local farmer's market who sharpens knives, scissors, axes, and anything else you bring him with a Tormek. I can't even imagine how many thousands of knives this man has sharpened - he's always busy. The fact that he uses a Tormek must mean something, I figure.

[Ken Schroeder]

Mike,
When you get your CBN wheel, if you also order a 12mm reducing bushing, you can use the CBN wheel on both your dry grinder or the Tormek. The eight inch CBN wheel will work like a ten inch wheel worn to eight inches. It will not cut as quickly as the 1725 rpm grinder, but you will have more control and respectable speed. You can use it wet or dry. I reshaped a half inch turning gouge from jig setting 2to4 easily in two minutes. That is no land speed record, however, it is leagues ahead of the regular Tormek wheels and, in my opinion, quite usable speed, while providing all the benefits of the totally cool, dust and spark free environment.

Brian

Google "Steve Bottorff you tube channel". Steve is a longtime farmer's market sharpener who uses the Tormek in his sharpening arsenal. When Steve retired from teaching, he made an excellent, in depth sharpening DVD, Sharpening School. Steve has posted segments of his video on youtube. The entire DVD is available for sale on his wensite, www.sharpeningmadeeasy.com (http://www.sharpeningmadeeasy.com). I have found it excellent training and an easy to use reference.

Ken