[TamJeff]

What's that old welder's joke. "Couldn't you just buy that?"

Of course we could but if any of you are like me, you have bits and pieces of material that will not go away. This is something I have seen elsewhere before but the idea was a spontaneous one, based on that swivel pin that has been floating around in my tool box for I know 3 years. Watch, I will need it tomorrow as the answer to some fabrication prayer.

I have the axle welded, and then a piece of pipe shoved down on that for a wear surface instead of it spinning on the weld and different spacers for different degree angles. I will weld the thrust spacer in place once I am sure it's how I want it. Also, I am going to come up with a non skid support system so it stays put. Maybe 1" pipe nipples with rubber crutch feet on them. Typically, I just cobble things together as I go but I stopped myself this time. I have time to "think" about it. I am also going to make a little drawer that fits into the channel to store the different degree spacers, and some nylon friction washers perhaps and a bottle of oil. A clip system to attach different grits of wet/dry paper on the sliding T-bar.

Figure a stop for the blades as well but I am not decided on how exactly I want to approach that just yet. Something adjustable would be nice.

Any/all ideas welcome.



I even went as far as to chamfer the pipe ends and polished them on the rouge wheel. Some lemon pledge on the moving parts and she is slick as a whistle.



Just got the T-shirt from WT&T and this decal came with it. I didn't stick it but figured it might stand in for a photo op.

Here's the collection of parts. Minimal welding to save from distorting the larger tube that needs to slide freely without any gall spots and I really don't feel like polishing the inside.

[weldin mike 27]

Hey,

Due to the high iron content of most knives, you could use a magnet to hold the blade in place. You will see alot of magnetic knife holders in kitchens.

I like it, I have a draw full of dull knives.

Mick

[TamJeff]

I spent years perfecting the old fashioned way, but find I will not sit down and bother to sharpen knives much anymore. The newer cheaper stainless from across the pond eats stones and or clogs them up and some of these higher quality kitchen names are jus ta bit too proud of their product for something a machine makes thousands of/day. At any rate, if this works out, maybe I can manage the task a little better or at least have a sharp fish knife.

[delraydella]

That's really cool! Nice work!

[TamJeff]

That's really cool! Nice work!

Thank you. I was bored. That fitting has been floating in my tool box for years. It works like a charm. I went down to 1000 grit wet/dry 3m and I am now out of knives to sharpen and they are all like razors.

I did add a knife stop system that allows keeping the position consistent. Now I need to jack it up on the business end and put some rubbers under it.


A customer queried about buying it and my boss said not until he gets his knives done at least. lol

[Otto Nobedder]

I like that so much, I might steal the idea!

Considering what prices they get for true precision sharpeners, that's a "spare-time" bargain. I only have a few knives I care about enough to go to that level, but for those few, I would.

Steve S

[delraydella]

I'm thinking the same thing!

[Otto Nobedder]

Jeff, I see you've stacked angles for the sharpen...

What angles did you choose?

Steve S

[TamJeff]

Jeff, I see you've stacked angles for the sharpen...

What angles did you choose?

Steve S

The first sleeve on the bottom is just a thrust/friction sleeve to keep the turning bits out of the weld on the post. It will go anywhere from 15 (30 degrees included) degrees on up to about 37. This thing works like a champ. I had dabbled in the Scary Sharp system years ago with all my wood working tools. For those not familiar with Scary Sharp, it was a sharpening system that utilized wet/dry sandpaper on a piece of plate glass. This machine still uses the sandpaper from say 320 on up to 2500 grit. You can also buy diamond hones of various sizes/grits from an outfit named DMT, so I may make an adapter for those as well or even whetstones if you prefer.

In the near future, I plan on either purchasing some cutlery/tool steel and make some knives like I did in my youth or use some old files or leaf spring material I have laying around and I am thinking I can adapt this machine for mill files to make the variable bevels on the blades more accurately.

We're always cobbling stuff together here on WT&T and thought perhaps this may inspire some of the up'n comers to make something useful out of their scraps and such. I hope you guys do try your hand at this and we can get some backyard engineering ideas, or that left/right brain thing flowing here. Get a group of welders in on something at the shop and the ideas evolve rather interestingly. Especially with the collection of different schools of training we have here on any given day.

I am considering another design that uses two stones simultaneously. Look up Wickd Edge on u-tube. I think we can beat the pantalones off of the inherent Chinese 'quality' involved with those products at least.

[Otto Nobedder]

Though I never heard of "ScarySharp", I've used the plate-glass and wet-or-dry paper trick for years. I can shave with my skinning knife, or any wood chisel in my kit. And I have a leather strop, to clean that last bit...

I like the consistency of the jig you've built. To produce the same angle consistently for each grit IS the secret to a razor-sharp blade.

Steve S

[TamJeff]

I went to 2000 grit and then 2000 with oil. I could fix a piece of leather to this jig and I imagine it would make a mirror edge. It's close to that right now. I have been looking at the edges thru a jeweler's (40x) loupe and even with 2000 grit you can still see micro scratches all the way to the edge.

It is the cheap kitchen knives is why I made this thing. I hate sharpening cheap stainless. Wipe the edge on and wipe it back off, and repeat, until your stone is sufficiently hollowed out and clogged.

Just bought a Dexter-Russel fish cutters knife that is carbon steel and razor sharp and a Kershaw folder, both made in USA. No more imported disposable knives if I can help it. I had no idea that D-R was as reasonable priced as they are and with being domestic manufacturer and that they target the professional market. It's not cushy in a designer sense but it takes a good edge and has held it rather well.

I will likely keep them sharp with this machine around.

Delray has that awesome lathe. I bet he could make some state of the art linkages/hardware and such.

[TamJeff]

One thing leads to another, as they often do with surfing the internet, and this knife thing led me to "belt grinders." I could really use one of those in my work. All "welder capable" components and structural practices. If you ever get bored, look up 2" x 72" belt grinders on utube.

I think that would be a good build for a couple WT&T videos of the week.

[delraydella]

Delray has that awesome lathe. I bet he could make some state of the art linkages/hardware and such.


Let me know what you need!

I just bought an indexing head for the mill, too, so now I can make even more stuff!