I like the idea of being able to accurately hone an edge to a desired angle, and accurate to the ° .

I own and use a Lansky, but after trying a couple of the wicked edge models, the Lansky doesn't do it for me any more.

The quality and ease-of-use of the Wicked Edge Pro has me wanting something similar.

My problem with the Wicked Edge is that the version I used and like, with the tool-less clamp, was a thousand bucks, and still yet only has range of of adjustment from about 14° up to around 25°. The stones are pretty $$$ as well.

I'm thinking about designing and building one with the features I like. I'd like a range of adjustment from about 8° up to 25°, a toolless clamp system, single lever/knob to adjust the angle, and it be able to repeat the same angle to accuracy of a fraction of a °. I'd like the more acute angles being available for the occasion I'd like to work on strait razors.

I know I could save myself some time and money by buying some stones and learning to sharpen by hand, but I also kinda wanna see what kinda test my metalworking and design skills with a cool project.

Thoughts?

Me too. After watching the Nick Shabazz review I'm considering the The KME Knife Sharpening System.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMGbj7dVV4g

Yes, that KME system looks like a big step up from the Lansky.

I'm going to go with a design thats vastly and rediculously overbuilt for the purpose. Something similar to the Wicked Edge Pro or Commercial series, perhaps permanently mounted on its own small drawer cabinet. I'm gonna start sketching something up.

It appears that I can buy the tool-less gen 3 clamp from wicked edge. I think I'll buy their clamp, and design / build my own mechanicals for the rest.


Edited to add:


I sketched up a few ideas. I think I'm going to go with something like this:


It uses a rotary sine-bar mechanism to convert the rotary motion from the lever into linear movement of the heim-joint mounting locations. I just need to work out the conversion relationship between the rotary/linear/angular positions so the index detent locations will be correct.

So, it took some interesting math to work out the sine-bar angular to linear conversions, but I got the detent positions all mapped.



And the sine bar mechanism:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ken226,

Getting a precise and repeatable angle seems to be a challenge with any commercially available system. You end up having to buy an angle gauge.

Hey- Your in Wa State. If you wanted to make 2 I'd be in for 1?

You could buy the rods \ stone holders and stones from a commercial source? One of the current sharpening systems already in production like Wicked Edge?

If you went that route I'd buy the commercial parts and you make the base etc?

Email's in my profile if you're interested.

I had a little time, so I went and converted the first couple parts from concept to reality:

http://youtu.be/thW4mNH1tMw

Suggest to look at the TS Prof K03 guided system. Great single stone system.

quote:

Originally posted by braillediver:
Getting a precise and repeatable angle seems to be a challenge with any commercially available system. You end up having to buy an angle gauge.

Hey- Your in Wa State. If you wanted to make 2 I'd be in for 1?

You could buy the rods \ stone holders and stones from a commercial source? One of the current sharpening systems already in production like Wicked Edge?

If you went that route I'd buy the commercial parts and you make the base etc?

Email's in my profile if you're interested.

The route I'm going with this is going to be way overkill in the amount of work for value. It's probably going to cost more, just in materials and tooling, than many of the lower prices Wicked Edge models. I'm already into it for 500$, including the WE gen3 clamp, heim joints, aluminum stock and shoulder screws. Just the 2"x4"x12", 1"x.75" and .5x6"x12" blocks of 6061T6 I picked up were 160$.

I'm just doing it for the challenge, it would almost certainly cost me less to just buy a wicked edge or similar.

Anyone know how to imbed youtube videos. I can't seem to figure it out?

Edited to add: I figured it out!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ken226,

I got 4 more parts drawn, toleranced and machined. It'll probably be next week before I get to work on it again.

The overly tall shoulder screws are temporary. I couldn't find the right length locally, so have to wait on UPS.

Boy what an interesting idea, I use a Wicked Edge System and it does sharpen quite well with pretty good repeatable results. I am certainly following this. We really have some talented members here!!

With your machining ability consider copying the TS Prof clamp bar to allow for a single or double clamp. Holding a long knife with a single clamp, not so good! Double clamp option is one of the reasons I bought a TS Prof over the WE. You can purchase the self-centering TS Prof clamps. The clamps won't meet your toolless requirement, believe a better design having the two clamp option. My WE owner buddies who have used my TS Prof also agree.

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
With your machining ability consider copying the TS Prof clamp bar to allow for a single or double clamp. Holding a long knife with a single clamp, not so good! Double clamp option is one of the reasons I bought a TS Prof over the WE. You can purchase the self-centering TS Prof clamps. The clamps won't meet your toolless requirement, believe a better design having the two clamp option. My WE owner buddies who have used my TS Prof also agree.

After I get the WE clamp and get a chance to try it out, I'll consider a dual clamp setup. I'm not sure which WE clamp version they compared the TS Prof clamps to, but the WE gen 3 clamp seems to be quite a bit different than the older gen WE clamps.

The Gen 3 jaws are flexible and have a vertical split to allow clamping of both flat ground and distally tapered blades.

Once it arrives, I'll play with it to determine if there are any issues that need solved.

The gen 3 jaws:

I got the WE clamp in the mail. It holds my knives plenty secure, shouldn't be any issues.

I got some time to work on the next part. The top plate.

Here's the 12x6x 1/2" plate set up for the various holes to be drilled.


Touching off to set the X,Y,Z origin.


All holes drilled, finished roughing the exterior contours, now cutting the finishing passes for the ext contour.


Set up for final facing, chamfer and engraving.


Here's the finished part:



Another:



Here's the parts finished up to this point, assembled.

Damn, dude! That looks awesome! Can't wait to see that when it's all finished.

Here's a few video shots of the work:

First contour roughing pass:



Finishing contour passes:



Chamfer pass:






Locating the Z origin for engraving:



Engraving:

Serious skills going on here, this is soo cool!!

quote:

Originally posted by sybo:
Serious skills going on here, this is soo cool!!

Thank you!

Finished the heim joint mounts/adjusters today. Turned from titanium bar stock.:






And the button that houses the ball/spring that acts as a detent for the angle settings:




There are only 2 parts remaining. A set of knurled locks that thread in behind the heim joint mounts to act as locknut's. I think I'll go with 316 stainless for those.

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Suggest to look at the TS Prof K03 guided system. Great single stone system.

This is the BEST advice for anyone who simple wants the BEST guided Knife sharpening system available and doesn't own a several $100,000's of dollars of machine tools and willing to spend $1000's of dollars of machine time on them to make a tool that's not as efficient as a $600 Tsprof 03. Buy the kit and a digital angle guide and you can be accurate to less than 1/2 deg. Read some of Offgrids posts on which stones to add. Your results will astound you.................

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Suggest to look at the TS Prof K03 guided system. Great single stone system.

several $100,000's of dollars of machine tools and willing to spend $1000's of dollars of machine time on them to make a tool that's not as efficient as a $600 Tsprof 03.

You made alot of assumptions. What if it's just an old guy with alot of time on his hands, using a couple thousand$ worth of machinery?

Like this sharpener, the machine that made it was a homebuild project. I built that CNC from a used Grizzly G0704 mill. I bought that mill for 800$ off Craigslist, and converted it to CNC for about another $800. In 10 years that machine has paid for itself many times over.

The fancy enclosure was from a later project, also a craigslist purchase. I bought the enclosure for a couple hundred dollars and spent 2 days routing and rewiring the machine to fit. I even put in some cool lighting from home depot. I'll admit, when you said 100,000$ in equipment, I was pretty flattered!

It's a hobby. I didn't make this knife sharpener because I need one. To quote my own post from a up above "Im doing this project for the challenge".

Like it says at the bottom of your own post, "this is supposed to be fun". Well, I had more fun building this sharpening system that I would've had ordering one on Amazon.

quote:

Originally posted by Ken226:

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Suggest to look at the TS Prof K03 guided system. Great single stone system.

several $100,000's of dollars of machine tools and willing to spend $1000's of dollars of machine time on them to make a tool that's not as efficient as a $600 Tsprof 03.

You made alot of assumptions. What if it's just an old guy with alot of time on his hands, using a couple thousand$ worth of machinery?

Like this sharpener, the machine that made it was a homebuild project. I built that CNC from a used Grizzly G0704 mill. I bought that mill for 800$ off Craigslist, and converted it to CNC for about another $800. In 10 years that machine has paid for itself many times over.

The fancy enclosure was from a later project, also a craigslist purchase. I bought the enclosure for a couple hundred dollars and spent 2 days routing and rewiring the machine to fit. I even put in some cool lighting from home depot. I'll admit, when you said 100,000$ in equipment, I was pretty flattered!

It's a hobby. I didn't make this knife sharpener because I need one. To quote my own post from a up above "Im doing this project for the challenge".

Like it says at the bottom of your own post, "this is supposed to be fun". Well, I had more fun building this sharpening system that I would've had ordering one on Amazon.

Ken226 that is a cool set-up you built there. My machining skills are nothing like yours but I appreciate what you have done. Awesome job, man.

quote:

Originally posted by hberttmank:

quote:

Originally posted by Ken226:

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Suggest to look at the TS Prof K03 guided system. Great single stone system.

several $100,000's of dollars of machine tools and willing to spend $1000's of dollars of machine time on them to make a tool that's not as efficient as a $600 Tsprof 03.

You made alot of assumptions. What if it's just an old guy with alot of time on his hands, using a couple thousand$ worth of machinery?

Like this sharpener, the machine that made it was a homebuild project. I built that CNC from a used Grizzly G0704 mill. I bought that mill for 800$ off Craigslist, and converted it to CNC for about another $800. In 10 years that machine has paid for itself many times over.

The fancy enclosure was from a later project, also a craigslist purchase. I bought the enclosure for a couple hundred dollars and spent 2 days routing and rewiring the machine to fit. I even put in some cool lighting from home depot. I'll admit, when you said 100,000$ in equipment, I was pretty flattered!

It's a hobby. I didn't make this knife sharpener because I need one. To quote my own post from a up above "Im doing this project for the challenge".

Like it says at the bottom of your own post, "this is supposed to be fun". Well, I had more fun building this sharpening system that I would've had ordering one on Amazon.

Ken226 that is a cool set-up you built there. My machining skills are nothing like yours but I appreciate what you have done. Awesome job, man.

Thank you for the kind words sir!