Some really great add-ons have emerged lately for the Tormek, and this section contains a quick reference to those user-designed jigs, fixtures, and modifications.
Laser Goniometer - for identifying the angle that is on a knife, so the grind angle can be matched
Pivot Jig for SVM-45 Knife Jig - for making it easier to keep the grind angle consistent along the end of the blade as it curves to a point. Also very useful for sharpening pruning shears for gardening.
These modifications to the DBS-22 will be discussed referencing the parts breakdown shown to the right.
Do be sure that they are appropriate for your DBS-22 jig. Tormek periodically makes modifications to their jigs, so the change may not work for your DBS-22.
Modification to Part #1
40 mm Removed
Rick Krung noted on the Tormek Forum that he removed part of the tube on part #1 (where this jig attaches to the Tormek Universal Support Bar). This is the part highlighted in a red rectangle in the picture to the left.
I made that same change, removing 40mm as shown in the picture above.
This change allows the jig to be aligned further towards the center of the Tormek, making the side-to-side movement of the parts easier and more steady.
Flat Head Screw
Sharpened Drill Bit with 82° Point Angle
I often use flat head screws which need to be counter-sunk by a bit which matches the screw head's angle. As noted in the picture to the left, 82° is a very common angle.
Such countersinks are available, but are quite expensive. Unfortunately, the DBS-22 will only sharpen bits down to 90*deg;.
I was able to modify my DBS-22 to make an 82° angle possible. The instructions for making such a modification are below.
The picture to the right shows the drill bit I sharpened to 82°, Other angles may be obtainable, but I've not tried them.
Click on any of the pictures below to see a bigger version.
Step 1: Align protractor with 90° on part #2.
The pivot point on the compass is aligned with the hole for the DBS-22's pivot screw (part #9).
90° on the compass is aligned with 90° on the DBS-22's part #2.
Step 2: Add a mark where the 82° setting should be on part #2.
Note, this is 4° away from 90° as it is half the total angle.
Step 3: Label the 82° setting.
Notice how close the hole in the top of the picture is to the top edge of part #2.
Step 4: Drill a 7mm hole in part #2.
This needs to be in the path for the swing lock screw (part #7). This is noted in the picture to the right.
On my jig, this hole needed to be 90mm from the left side, and 5mm from the top.
If the hole is too far from the top, part #7 will interfere with part #1 when the jig is in use.
Note: It takes a while to print. On my Ender 3V2, it took about 29 hrs.
Urban Ringström noted that there is an updated design of the Drip Tray for use with an FVB. The design of this tray is also useful if you are using the universal support bar from the horizontal position. Either way, you probably should also print this 2nd drip tray. I find the drip tray to be a very useful add-on, and encourage it's use.
Front Vertical Base
Block Style from KnifeGrinders
The Front Vertical Base (FVB), designed by Dr. Vadim Kraichuk of KnifeGrinders, has been instrumental in making the sharpening process more repeatable. And KnifeGrinders has developed tools and software around it's use. Instructions for use are available from KnifeGrinders.
The FVB that KnifeGrinders designed is built to enable them to quickly sharpen knives in a very repeatable and accurate manner. And this system does that well. Of note though is that this system (as embedded in the associated app) is based on measuring from the FVB's top to the bottom of the universal support bar (USB) that the FVB is holding.
Update: with the very unfortunate and far too early passing of Dr. Kraichuk, these are no longer available from Knife Grinders. With my Colvin Tools company, I have made them available again.
This design incorporates the USB holding (as done by an XB-100) into the block. But, by making it a single block of aluminum, the costs are reduced.
Or you could take a different approach. The approach advocated by Ton Nillesen (also known as the "Dutchman") on the Tormek forum is to measure from the USB to the grindstone (rather than from the FVB to the USB). Taking this approach works for the sharpener, whether the sharpener chooses to use the FVB or not. And, it makes the size of the FVB matter not (except to ensure it does not interfere with its use).
Block of aluminum which is the same dimensions as the XB-100, and 25mm thick. (Alternatively, a similarly-sized block of wood or section of rectangular metal tubing can be used.)
II. Using linear rail supports bolted to the back of the TormekXB-100 Horizontal Base, as shown to the right. This was noted on the Tormek forum in a posting by PaGorg.
What is not known about this style is how the sharpener ensures the USB is properly aligned. This concern comes from the idea that each of the Jet jigs could be extended different amounts, causing the USB to not be aligned correctly to the Tormek's body. Quite possibly a block could be used to ensure they are extended to the same distance from the machine's body.
Sharpening certain tools require angles to be cut in ways that can be complex. To do this precisely requires a Goniostat. The version I have made for use on a Tormek is shown here. It gets used for :
Single point cutting tools for use on a metal lathes : The accuracy of those cuts matters as a variation of only 2 or 3° can make a big difference in the tools effectiveness.
In December 2015, Jan Švancara posted on the Tormek forum an idea for modifying the TormekTTS-100 Turning Tool Setter to accommodate the setup of the universal support bar (USB) based on the a few pre-determined knife edge angles. What is truly great about this idea is that it accommodates changes in the grindstone's diameter.
Sheang Han (who goes by Tournevis on the Tormek forum) built a jig for that made of metal. His information was posted on the Tormek forum around February 2016.
This jig is a great story for the sharpener. It shows the progression of ideas :
Ken developed the KenJig for fast setup of the USB for sharpening knives.
Jan took that idea, and made it more universal to accommodate different angles and varying sizes of the stone.
Then Han made it a nice, simple design.
The last picture shows 4 HanJigs made by Rick Krung. His testing showed very strong BESS™ ratings using these.
HanJig
The generally-accepted opinion is that the sharpener should decide to use the HanJig if sharpening a few knives with a specific angle (e.g., one or two at a time at a farmer's market).
If sharpening quite a few knives with the same angle (i.e., all your wife's kitchen knives), then the platform approach will be faster overall.
Multiple HanJigs
Plans for the 4 HanJigs made by Rick Krung are linked below :
The bigger hole is for the Tormek's USB. It is 12 mm in diameter.
For the bearings, skate board ball bearings probably work acceptably, and are very cost effective (30 for about $12). You will need to drill the other two holes to accommodate a screw for a shaft for them.
These are prone to rusting if they get wet. For this reason, Rick used stainless steel ones. Each HanJig needs the following. If you are making 4, multiply everything by 4.
Brad Winesett posted pictures on the AAW Forum of a secondary bar he added to the USB which makes honing easier.
Brad noted that the vertical distance from the centerline of the auxiliary to the centerline of the USB is 1.27 inches.
After making one, I was reminded that it can only be used when sharpening from the horizontal position. When using the vertical, the honing wheel is rotating towards you and this can't be used.
Click on any of these pictures to see a larger version
Per Ericson (Perra on the Tormek forum) posted a nicely manufactured device for easily setting the angle for sharpening knives. He graciously posted the instructions, and I am putting a link to them here.
This jig is really great as it allows for identifying the specific angle to be ground when using of the Tormek KJ-45 Centering Jig. This is significantly simpler than using the WM-200 AngleMaster.
Steps for using this jig:
Attach the knife to the KJ-45 Centering Jig.
Set the grindstone's diameter on the Knife Angle Setter.
Select the angle to be ground on the knife. Set this on the Knife Angle Setter. Note: this is in degrees per side (the bevel angle {β}, not the included angle {α}).
Set the T-cube on the Knife Angle Setter so that it aligns to the knife's projection.
Use the Knife Angle Setter to set the USB's height.
Collar Pivot Jig with the SVM-45 Knife Jig, version 1
The first version of this collar is shown on the right, and was published in 2018 on the Tormek forum by CB. It makes for easier sharpening of knives as it allows for easier pivoting of the knife jig when sharpening. It is especially useful for keeping a consistent grind on the edge, especially for blades with curves (as most have).
Later in 2018, Rick Krung published on the Tormek forum an improvement to CB's design. This is shown in the 2nd picture on the right.
It is really quite nice, and has received (well-deserved) rave reviews, though it is a bit more involved to make as it requires a bit of machining and welding. I do like the simplicity of this approach, and the excellent work done by a great machinist.
Still later in 2018, Gord Cameron published on the Tormek forum a different approach which had simplicity in fabrication as its governing principle. This is shown in the pictures on the right.
Gord is not a machinist, and stated that he wanted something that could be made by anyone with a hack saw, a file, and a drill press. He also wanted to design something that someone could make out of plastic, either by shaping it or by using a 3D printer, so he designed it to have more reinforcing bulk than the pin pivot collar. (Editor's note: I've not been successful making one of these from plastic as even Delrin was too flexible.)
The one shown is made from a bar of aluminium that is 2" long and 1" square.
The picture at the bottom shows this attached to the knife jig.
Wedge Pivot Jig with the SVM-45 Knife Jig
3D Printed Pin Pivot Collar
Martin Vinje-Dahl (Leapstep) put a 3D-printable model for printing a wedge pivot jig on Printables.com. You can access it at:
Jan Švancara developed this simple jig for easier and more consistent honing and sharpening (first picture on the right), and the even more enhanced jig (2d picture on the right). The 2d picture also shows the laser he uses for alignment. (I love how Jan used Erector Set toys to build jigs.)
Tony Whitfield (AKA, "Y-Not") posted an additional recommendation regarding the knife sharpening platform, in that he recommended putting a drop of mineral oil on the knife blade and the platform. This was posted in 2018 on the Tormek Forum as a way to reduce scratches on the edge of the blade.
Herman Trivilino's video below shows the use of a platform jig. His looks a little different, as he has affixed a piece of steel to the TormekSVX-150 Scissors Jig (my variation of this is a piece of very hard plastic attached to the TormekSVD-110 Tool Rest). In any case, the results are the same.
Note: with the advent of the pin pivot jig, the platform jig is used far less often.
I made these pieces using my 3D printer to make it easy for quick-and-dirty resharpening of my chisels when using the SE-77 jig. The idea is that the distance from the USB to the grindstone is set using the B hole in the TTS-100, and the tool projection is set using this jig.
Settings for projection when using the SVD-186 are also available so that this can be used for both jigs.
The jig I made is two pieces as that is easier to 3-D print.
Special thanks are due to Jan H (jvh on the Tormek Forum, and developer of TormekCalc2) for calculating the projections necessary for the SE-77 using parametric CAD.
Rotary Knife Jig - Drawing Rotary Knife Jig - Side View Rotary Knife Jig - Parts Exploded
I made this set of add-on parts for the Tormek SVD-185 / SVD-186 Jig so I could sharpen rotary knives for my wife.
The pieces added are
the hand wheel,
the bolt to hold it in place, and
the fender washers.
The videos below show the modified jig in use. The first video is using the TormekSG-250 wheel to sharpen the blade, and the second video is using the TormekSJ-250 wheel to hone it.
Dr. Vadim Kraichuk at KnifeGrinders has developed an application for Windows, Mac, and Android software to set grinding angles on TormekT-4, T-7, T-8 and SuperGrind 2000 standard position (grinding into the wheel), other similar brands (Scheppach, Jet, Record etc), using jigs.
Rick Krung and Dr. Vadim Kraichuk (at KnifeGrinders) devised this jig for use on diamond grindstones. It is a great tool for production sharpening shops.
Photos, detailed descriptions, and production drawings are on the KnifeGrinders web site.
USB Spacer for the DBS-22 Jig Flat Ground on USB Spacer
(click on images to see bigger versions)
Micha Schmid posted this on the Tormek forum in 2021. He noted how it makes it easer and faster to set the USB relative to the grindstone, and it also helps ensure the stone is consistently flat relative to the Universal Support Bar.
It is made from aluminium. The dimensional information are:
the width is greather than the grindstone:
the grindstone is 50mm wide on the T-8, and
the grindstone is 40mm wide on the T-4,
there is a 12mm bore thru the center, and
the walls are 14mm, meaning the total diameter is 40mm. This 14mm width is equal to the distance which would be set when using the Setting Template (as shown on pg. 6 in the instruction manual for the DBS-22 Drill Bit Sharpening Attachment).
Keld Petersen milled a flat surface on the USB spacer, making it easier to remove. If it is difficult to remove the spacer after the height of the USB is set, you can turn the grinding stone by hand and the spacer will loosen. The lower picture on the right shows the spacer with the milled flat.
Remember : The goal of sharpening is to produce sharp tools, and these tools can injure you if mishandled. Safety measures should be followed to protect yourself and those in your shop. Be sure to read and follow all instructions from the manufacturer, and and utilize proper safety equipment. Never consume alcohol or anything that could impair your judgement before sharpening tools, or using sharp tools.
Comments can be sent via eMail to me at SharpeningHandbook@Gmail.com.
