Advanced Search

Carrying my Gen 3 to Knife gig at Williams-Sonoma

Recent Forums Main Forum Sharpening as a Business Carrying my Gen 3 to Knife gig at Williams-Sonoma

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #36752
    tuffy braithwaite
    Participant
    • Topics: 184
    • Replies: 360

    have a every inshore setup once per month on certain sundays – the 22nd will be my second and i will try and use the WE for most knives.  we be carrying one of my belt sharpeners for chips and tips and really dull tickets.

    i do a lot of work for the store, so they decided to try it inhouse and the first set up in nov. was a bit slow, but these next 3 months have been advertised on their website locally.

    stand by for more results soon.

    3 users thanked author for this post.
    #36817
    tuffy braithwaite
    Participant
    • Topics: 184
    • Replies: 360

    29 blades in 3 hours today – i like it…….some WE – some on 1 x 42″ Viel…..no pic – all in vid.

    .

    3 users thanked author for this post.
    #36818
    BarmanBean
    Participant
    • Topics: 6
    • Replies: 19

    Hey, thanks for the video.  It’s funny, I watched one of your other videos not too long ago just searching through random stuff on youtube.  Saw a couple of your posts here on the forum and heard the voice on the video here and thought “damn, that sounds familiar”!

    Good stuff, looks like all your equipment gets a lot of use!

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    #36831
    Alan
    Participant
    • Topics: 15
    • Replies: 206

    Thanks for the video.  It really shows how well the WE Gen 3 performs.

    Currently, I have a WE Gen 3 Pro, and a Tormek T8.  I have found the T8 speeds things up, as I am getting more and more knives to sharpen as my business grows. My current method is to put knives on the T8 first, and get them pretty darned sharp, then I mount them on the WE to provide the final touch up for ultra sharpness.

    I’m thinking a sander like you have might help me to speed things up even more. Could I ask you what you use, and what you would recommend? Also, do you ever use different course belts on the sander?

    Alan

    #36833
    tuffy braithwaite
    Participant
    • Topics: 184
    • Replies: 360

    Thanks for the video. It really shows how well the WE Gen 3 performs. Currently, I have a WE Gen 3 Pro, and a Tormek T8. I have found the T8 speeds things up, as I am getting more and more knives to sharpen as my business grows. My current method is to put knives on the T8 first, and get them pretty darned sharp, then I mount them on the WE to provide the final touch up for ultra sharpness. I’m thinking a sander like you have might help me to speed things up even more. Could I ask you what you use, and what you would recommend? Also, do you ever use different course belts on the sander?

    .

    for me 90% of my business is kitchen knives……….at farmers markets and alike locations……….at the gun shows it is 90% pocket knives farmers markets here are generally 3 to 4 hours each…….gun shows 7 to 8 hrs for sat and sun…….time on belt sanders is about 5 mins or less per blade…….thru 2 or 3 belts……120…….3m scotchbrite fine………600…..leather….done……..for kitchen knives……most jap kitchens i go 1 belt higher at 1200 then leather…………..serrated i stop at 600 then the leather……..the 3m belt is really the key……..it is by far one of the best belts i have ever used………..med in purple or brownish color………fine in blue and ultra fine in gray………..WE CALL THEM BLENDING BELTS……….they remove all the scratches from the 120 or 220 belts and 80 grit / 36grit for axes/hatches and alike……they do remove a tiny bit of metal , but not much. depending on table size and number of tables we use kinda determines how many belt sanders we bring……….i have 4…….120 on 1….3m…….600……leather……so i just move down the line……done. i have 3 kalamzoos and 1 viel……viel & 1 kally have penn state variable speed motors on them. belts…………everyone has their opinions on them………..36/80/120…….from anyone…….after that i use 3m trizacts 220 up to 4,000, but like i said…..220—-600—–1200 is the norm…………trizact belts are just what i like……..most like nortons….stiffer back. my buddy rupert uses 3 T7’s………..

    many also use LINEN belts after the initial edge…….linen belts have kens MAGIC diamonds applied to them at different micro ratings………just an option……some use felt belts for polish and not leather……some use green and some use white compounds on leather and felt…….opinions vary.

    2 users thanked author for this post.
    #36835
    dulledge
    Participant
    • Topics: 12
    • Replies: 183

    for me 90% of my business is kitchen knives

    Thank you for posting your experience. It is a great read! At which angle do you sharpen kitchen knives on the belts? Do you vary angle by brand, steel? Do you add microbevel?

    #36846
    tuffy braithwaite
    Participant
    • Topics: 184
    • Replies: 360

    for me 90% of my business is kitchen knives

    Thank you for posting your experience. It is a great read! At which angle do you sharpen kitchen knives on the belts? Do you vary angle by brand, steel? Do you add microbevel?

    .

    .

    most try and match the same ……….but with kitchen knives most are really dull and many need thinning and profiling.

    so lets say from 19* to 22*………….on the average.

    at the gun shows we see many many pocket knives and there we match again what is present if they just need resharpening.

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    #37071
    NotVerySharp
    Participant
    • Topics: 33
    • Replies: 56

    Excuse my ignorance, but How long have you been sharpening knives?    CAn I ask why you don’t use a tormak 8.             I’m a very analytical type, seems you have a lot of talent / artistry to you.    Those belt sanders you have, are they just for the knife industry?

    #37074
    tuffy braithwaite
    Participant
    • Topics: 184
    • Replies: 360

    Excuse my ignorance, but How long have you been sharpening knives? CAn I ask why you don’t use a tormak 8. I’m a very analytical type, seems you have a lot of talent / artistry to you. Those belt sanders you have, are they just for the knife industry?

    .

    speed:   is why i do not use T8 and $$$…….i can buy 4 kalamzoos for what 1 T8 cost

    how long:  hard to say…..started years ago using water stones for friends and fishermen….to make money with:  since 2012 ——-started with edge pro at local farmers market………moved next to WE……..then to Harbor Freight 1 x 30 & WE……………business improved….too many knives to keep up with…………but in july of 2014 at farmers markets……gun shows etc i use kalamzoos and 1 Viel belt sander.

    belt sanders:  mostly used in wood and metal working shops………sharpening blades that just evolved.

    …….below is almost all u will need …………to fulfill :….analytical type

    http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/776367/

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    #37173
    NotVerySharp
    Participant
    • Topics: 33
    • Replies: 56

    Tuffy… I noticed in one of your other video’s, you had protection gloves on, are they real stiff like the ones wicked edge sells, is that just the nature of the beast?  Is there anything that offers some protection that is more comfortable?

    #37174
    MarcH
    Moderator
    • Topics: 74
    • Replies: 2733
    #37177
    tuffy braithwaite
    Participant
    • Topics: 184
    • Replies: 360

    like MarcH said, but i have found after use, they get little softer…….most do……i have one pair that has never softened up for some reason.

    some type of kevlar …….sort of cut proof from side cuts, but no protection from punctures.

    .

     

    Attachments:
    #37180
    tcmeyer
    Participant
    • Topics: 38
    • Replies: 2095

    I have very large hands (XXL) with rather short, fat fingers, so the kevlar-type gloves aren’t usually a good fit (pun intended).  But I use a pair of rather heavy, but soft, deerskin gloves to work sharp knives at my buffing wheels.  I’ve never had a cut, but then I’m pretty careful.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.