Frequently Asked Questions

After you have finished sharpening, take it as a habit to lower the water trough. That will keep your stone nice and clean. If you leave it in the water for long you might get a rust line from the small steel particles left in the water, it will not affect the function of the grindstone but maybe not look so sharp.

The stone can be in water during the day though (assuming that the machine is stored in a warm place, if below zero degrees there is a risk that it cracks).

Yes, it does. Clean water will keep the stone fresh longer. Steel particles from the tools being sharpened along with worn stone particles can get into the stone surface affecting the abrasive capacity of the stone. It is easily freshened up again with the coarse side of the stone grader and clean water.

Make it a habit to clean the water trough after each sharpening session. Make sure to wait until all particles have fallen to the bottom, then pour out the water and clean out the rest with a scraper or a piece of paper.

Check that the bushings have grease on them. If the drive wheel (the rubber wheel) feels a bit dry it might be necessary to use some coarse sandpaper to get fresh rubber, so that it does not slip when pressure is applied. 

Tormek machines are pretty much maintenance-free, but there are a few things you can do.

• Check the main shaft yearly and make sure it has grease on it.
• Check the nylon bushings, they should have lubricant on them.
• Use white oil or light machine oil on the honing wheel to keep it soft and efficient.
• After each sharpening session, lower the water trough (or the small steel particles from sharpening might stain the grindstone).

Since the stone absorbs water there is a risk that the stone cracks if it is below 0 °C (32 °F), especially if it is left in the water bath. So, the best is to keep it in a somewhat heated area. Alternatively, remove the stone after sharpening and bring it inside to dry (on the later Tormek models removing the stone is easy with the EzyLock screw).