Trying out a new machine
I love learning new skills. When it comes to knife and tool sharpening, there is no shortage in systems and tools to try.
The past few months I’ve been trying my hand at water cooled sharpening. This is the Tormek T8. It has a 220 grit stone that can be graded to 1000 grit. It runs continuously through a water bath, keeping the blade cool. The other side of the machine is a leather honing wheel for removing the burr and polishing the edge.
It’s been a nice change of pace working on this machine. Quite the contrast from my usual belt system. I still love working on the belts. I get awesome results and it’s fast.
This machine produces an amazing edge and I’m quite impressed so far. I’m still working to get my times down on it. With a little more practice time, I think I can make it work. Regardless, it’s been fun learning and building my skills on a new system.
Once you understand the concepts of what make a sharp edge and how to achieve one, you can bounce around on different systems. That’s what makes knife and tool sharpening so fun. It never gets boring.
