Greetings.
I do not post often... But in this case I will.
The Tormek does an excellent job on 90% of the blades I sharpen. And does a GREAT job doing so. However, It does not do re-curves well.
In the beginning (as the story unfolds), I witnessed a knife maker free hand sharpen a blade with a great results. It was sharpen much faster then with a Tormek and just as sharp. However, when he was done I asked how many knives he sharpen over the past 20 years. A question he had no answer for, but I am sure in the 1000`s, but he could not recall. My thoughts at the time.....who has that much time to practice ..... There must be a better way.
The very last step in the Knife making journey is sharpening before it goes to its new owner. I practiced and destroyed a couple blades during my free hand attempt in the sharpening a knife process. I never really got the results through the entire blade (by eye and microscope) by free hand. Once I purchased the Tormek, I got very consistent results throughout the entire blade within a couple test blades. It took the 'art' out of sharpening a blade. It is done to the degree you set the jig too, and the results are always 'scary' sharp.
I guess some people can not get over the fact it is using a 'jig'. I think the word `jig` raises too many eye brows in the knife making world. It is expensive, but it works every time without failure and to me that is one more area I don't have to worry about messing up.
My thoughts....
/DP
