Customer Product Reviews for 2.Tormek T-3 Sharpening System
Re: Tormek product reviewBy:Paulm
22-May-2009I have the bigger model Tormek and am very happy with it also. Well worth getting the diamond truing device purpose made for the Tormek to keep the wheel true, as you say it will wear unevenly, but quick and easy to true up every now and again. Good for doing the kitchen knives too, but don't let on to anybody else or you'll have all the friends and relatives queing up to have you sharpen theirs as well !
Re: Tormek reviewBy:Peter
22-May-2009I have one, and you are spot on. One trick I did was to stick a couple of rare earth disc magnets from Axminster under the trough with silicone. Keeps the steel filings from floating around in the water and discolouring the wheel as much. Wipes off the inside easily.
Re: Tormek reviewBy:brocher
22-May-2009Hi yes good review. I have had the 1200 version now for about 4 years. I use it quite often for my chisels, plane irons, thicknesser blades (these can swish the water around, but they make a huge difference to make sharpening of these so easy) and kitchen knives. I have to admit that relations do want theirs sharpened=ned and have come to visit to get them done, and I have also been asked to take the tormek with us on visits to them to sharpen their knives! The diamond true is essential every so often to get rid of any unevenness which develops both across the stone's width and in its circumference, keeping the diameter identical in all directions, otherwise the stone starts to develop a "galloping style"!
Re: Tormek reviewBy:Marios
22-May-2009Personally in the past I thought that these grinders were a waste of money, they seem very pricy for what you get... That was until I spoke to the guy from my sharpening service. He has had his for around 10 years and has been using it commercially. He has gone through 3 large stones and the motor is still running beautifully. There is no rust on his machine and he often has it running for the whole day. The tormek is the gold standard in wetstone sharpeners, it will really take a lot to convince me otherwise. I can see why machines like the little sheppach or the triton can be attractive at their price as they in many ways represent good value. On the other hand I am uncertain about the Jet as the price is starting to approach that of the Tormek 2006 which most shops are clearing out. Around a month or two ago I bought the T7 and I am very happy with it. It does what its meant to do and does it out of the box without having to fiddle for days. I think this is one of those cases where you DO get what you pay for. From a cynic, I am now a convert. If the budget goes that far go for the Tormek, if it doesn't it maybe worth waiting for a little longer! regards Marios
Re: Tormek reviewBy:Kyle
22-May-2009Well, my decision to buy a Tormek, and I am NOT sorry I did, was that the cost was not that much more than buying a high quality slow speed 8" grinder, $250, a gouge jig, $150, a skew chisel jig, $50. Oh, and you'd have to also buy at least 1 new high grit stone, $35. A GOOD tool rest, $75. Running about 500 bucks already. Being a NON pro woodturner, the ability to sharpen a gouge was the kicker.
I could not see any other device that could sharpen a gouge with repeatability as well as the Tormek. The grind is super, and it seems to stay sharp long enough for me. Not to mention that it keeps all my turning tools sharper than I could have ever imagined. I used to think that I could hand hone the chisels razor sharp, but the Tormek gets them sharper than I could by hand. No, it's not as fast as a dry grinder, but it's a lot faster and more consistent than by hand. Don't get me wrong, I still want to get a cheap dry grinder for other purposes, but the Tormek is definetely the way to go if you need to sharpen gouges. Now you have to add the benefit that you can sharpen ALL of your kitchen knives, and make the boss happy..... The wife is now so spoiled with sharp kinves, that she complains all the time when they get the slightest bit dull. I even offer to sharpen all of my friends' knives.
Botom line, if you need to sharpen gouges, and want to buy the grinder gouge jigs, and are starting from scratch, (no grinder yet) consider paying a couple hundred more to get the Tormek,
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