Frequently Asked Questions

For smaller knives you can choose what best suits you. (Bigger knives need more space and are sharpened towards the edge.)

With the rotation direction: Position the Universal Support horizontally. This is a safe and good way to start if you are new to sharpening.

Towards the rotation direction: Position the Universal Support vertically. When sharpening towards the edge you will get a faster steel removal, and a little less burr to hone away (it is also depending on the steel quality). Just pay attention not to lose the contact between the handle of the jig and the universal support, since the movement of the stone will push the knife towards you. You will soon develop this feeling.

Serrated knives differ a lot in shape. If you want to give it a go it is a free hand job and a bit tricky. You will need some training, so don't begin with the most expensive knives.

Firstly, use a marker on the serrated area, then lay the blade flat on the top of the stone and tilt the blade slightly over the edge of the stone. Then pull the knife back towards you about 15-20 mm until you find the right angle (when the marker is gone). Start to sharpen very carefully, using the edge of the stone. 

We suggest you start with the Knife Jig SVM-45, which handles knives down to 70 mm (2 3/4″). It can also sharpen longer knives if the handle is steady (so that the knife does not bend during sharpening). If you like you can complement with the Small Knife Holder SVM-00 if you need to sharpen smaller knives. 

For longer knives with a thinner blade, such as fillet knives, we recommend our wider jig SVM-140 that stabilizes the blade. 

The brittle composition of Ceramic knives makes them delicate to sharpen. Generally, we do not recommend sharpening on the Tormek since we have not been able to obtain the highest possible sharpness. However, if you have a ceramic knife that has been damaged or there has gone a splinter, you can repair the shape by sharpening it on your Tormek. For this we recommend that you use the Tormek Blackstone which grains are harder that the Tormek Original Grindstone. Sharpen carefully and pay attention so that you do not put too much pressure on to the knife blade.

With the Tormek T-4 you can sharpen almost every edge tool. The machine is part of our Water Cooled Sharpening System and compatible with all Tormek jigs and accessories. The Tormek T-2 is intended for knife sharpening for chefs and the professional kitchen.

Below you will find information about the biggest differences between the machines. You can also read more on the product pages of the Tormek T-4 and Tormek T-2 or see our comparison chart.

Different types of grinding wheels
The Tormek T-4 comes with our Original Grindstone, with 220 grit as standard. With the Stone Grader, you can change the grit size to 1000 grit to give a finer sharpening surface. As an option, our Japanese Waterstone with 4000 grit, is available.

The Tormek T-2 comes with a diamond wheel with 600 grit. As an option, we have a diamond wheel with 320 grit, for faster steel removal.

Honing on leather or composite wheel
The Tormek T-4 is equipped with a honing wheel in genuine Swedish leather. Apply the Honing Compound, which consists of a combination of micro abrasives and polishing components, before honing.

The Tormek T-2 has a specially developed composite wheel with integrated polish, which you use after sharpening to achieve a sharp edge.

A versatile or a specialized system?
As mentioned above, you can sharpen a variety of tools such as knives, scissors, woodworking tools, planer blades and drill bits with the Tormek T-4. The machine is versatile and part of the Tormek Water Cooled Sharpening System which means it is compatible with our full range of jigs and accessories.

The Tormek T-2 is designed, optimised and only intended for kitchen knives. You can sharpen knives which are 14-60 mm (9/16"-23/8") wide with a maximum thickness of 3,5 mm (1/8"). The Tormek T-2 Knife Sharpener is designed for the professional kitchen and is ideal when one or multiple chefs quickly need to sharpen knives to a top result. This machine is not compatible with Tormek jigs and accessories.

7 years warranty
The Tormek T-4 and T-2 both comes with 7 years warranty. When used for commercial, industrial or educational purpose the warranty is 2 years. The same applies if the machines are used for a professional sharpening service.

*A jig is a device in which you mount your edge tool to achieve a controlled sharpening. During sharpening, the jigs operate on the Universal Support, which enables to get a consistent sharpening angle towards the stone.

Read more:
• Tormek T-4
• Tormek T-2
• Machine comparison chart