Do any of you out there have any experience/opinions on the Swiss made Tormek sharpening system? Two of my friends have spoken highly about it especially in regard to sharpening gouges (my particular downfall). I know that it is pricey, very pricey.

Tormek is a great system but is very pricey I know here in Canada it is up in the $700 dollar range. It is ok but you have to set it up all the time. I find that if you get a much cheaper sytem one with a belt that is sold thru Lee Valley it does the same thing it is all experience it doest matter what you have the more you sharpen the better you will get at it. Another thing is that unless you damage your tools there is no need to sharpen a good stropping will bring that edge back every time. Most people think that when a tool becomes dull it needs sharpening, not true stropping is the answer.
Hope this has helped
Colin

[jimb]

Jerry K.,

The tormek system is a great sharpening tool, but as Colin Says, it is very expensive, and there are alternates out there.

I took a class from John Burke, and he has developed a system that is very effective and simple.

Try going to www.westernwoodcarving.com and take a look at what he has. It might give you some ideas.

Hope you find what you need.

Jim

[mdallensr]

I've had a Tormek for a few years and really like it. I've reshaped most of my gouges, veiners and V-tools, to get the bevel angle that I like. I found a lot of tools come from the factory shaped badly, even though they're sharp and seem to be OK. After awhile, they just don't carve well, and a close look shows they're rounded and blunt. If you need to put a bevel on a carving tool (or any edge object), the Tormek is the way to go. The leather wheel is a great power strop, and the shaped leather wheel that can be added is perfect for getting the inside of gouges, veiners and V-tools. The special holders they supply allow you to set a specific angle for grinding and honing, so it really is a science compared to shrpening by 'eye'. When I go to sharpen my carving tools, and I have a dozen or so to work on, a power driven machine is a blessing. If I have to repair a nick or a broken tool, nothing I've treid or seen works as well.

If you don't need to 'do-it-all', and/or money is limited, there are other systems that will strop or hone for a lot less money.

I have a Tormek and agree it is fantastic for the initial bevel angles on gouges and veiners. After the initial grinding I go to the wood base with leather strop for normal maintenance of the edge.

The Tormek is not for routine edge sharpening whenever the tool gets dull, it is excellent for roughing out carving tools, lathe tools and any other edged tools.

Maintain the edge with frequent manual stropping.

Regards,
Fred Krow