| If, like me, you use traditional hand tools | | | | never used one, but imagine that getting the |
| you know how important it is to sharpen them. | | | | cutting angle right was a bit of a problem, |
| The more work you do using your own motive | | | | especially when smoking a pipe with a silver |
| force and wits the more you become aware of | | | | cap on it and trying to look cool for a sepia |
| the value of a sharp chisel or saw. | | | | print. |
| | | | |
| A conventional grinder, seen in engineering | | | | The Tormek is set up with a jig for helping |
| workshops, is not ideal for sharpening | | | | you to get the appropriate cutting angle for |
| woodworking tools. The razor-edge that you | | | | the blade. The stone gets worn but can be |
| are trying to create quickly overheats, goes | | | | levelled and brought back to pristine |
| blue and the steel loses its temper. It's too | | | | condition with a diamond truing tool, one of |
| late to dip it in water, the damage is done. | | | | the attachments. |
| The water was there to prevent this from | | | | |
| happening not for remedying the damage. The | | | | Probably the best feature of the Tormek is |
| temper (hardness) of the edge is lost and can | | | | the range of jigs that can be used with it; |
| only be replaced by careful heating to the | | | | axe heads, scissors, and planer blades are |
| correct temperature. | | | | amongst the items that make life easy. The |
| | | | one I wouldn't be without on a desert island |
| The Tormek is a slow running water-cooled | | | | with a live three-pin socket is for gouges |
| machine that comes in two sizes and is far | | | | and turning cutters. Once you've remembered |
| better for this job. When you come to think | | | | which way up it goes, it effortlessly gives |
| of it, it is very similar to the ones the old | | | | you a perfect machined edge on a gouge. Try |
| joiners used; large sandstone wheel, | | | | doing that on an old, hand operated stone, |
| sometimes turned by hand, sometimes treadle | | | | while smoking a pipe and saying "cheese". |
| operated, often running in a water bath. I've | | | | |