Delta Utility Sharpener/similar products?

T

Tommy_Atkins

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Jul 27, 2003
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I saw a Delta Utility Sharpener at Lowe's Hardware yesterday, and got to wondering whether it was worth the forty-five bucks. I don't have a bench grinder or belt sander, and don't really need 'em other than for use on knives. This thing seems easier, since it just sits on the bench, rather than requiring mounting. I don't have much room (military quarters in Hawaii are pretty small), so the fact that I can put it in a drawer when I'm done with it is appealing. Also I'd be really likely to overheat blades with a 1,000,000 RPM grinder or sander. If I want to look at pretty colors in my knives, I'll get out my Rainbow Leek.

Anyone used one of these, or some similar, purpose-built sharpener? Is it worth the money? Does it have any advantages over doing it all by hand? Will the Cubs win the '03 World Series?
 
I have one of these. With practice it works fairly well for certain jobs like reprofileing a edge . You do have to be carefull about removing to much metal.The other major problem with it is the fact that the stone is about 120 grit. Very rough finish.
 
Tommy:

You would probably be happier with a small belt grinder like the smaller one Sears sells. I took the round grinding disc attachment off (it comes right off) and the thing doesn't take up much bench space. Never have felt the need to bolt it down either. Once you have one it is surprising how many diverse reasons you will find to grind/polish,sharpen things.
 
Originally posted by cliff355
Tommy:

You would probably be happier with a small belt grinder like the smaller one Sears sells. I took the round grinding disc attachment off (it comes right off) and the thing doesn't take up much bench space. Never have felt the need to bolt it down either. Once you have one it is surprising how many diverse reasons you will find to grind/polish,sharpen things.
Click to expand...

These're the ones with the wider, horizontal belt and the vertical disc, yes?

I'd thought about those, too. Didn't realize that it didn't have to be mounted, though.

I have my table saw, scrollsaw and router table all permanently bolted to plywood platforms with a chunk of 2x4 attached to the bottom. When I need 'em, I just haul 'em out of the storage closet and clamp the 2x4 into my Workmate bench. I guess, push come to shove, I could do the same with a sander.

Posted by feth:
I have one of these. With practice it works fairly well for certain jobs like reprofileing a edge . You do have to be carefull about removing to much metal.The other major problem with it is the fact that the stone is about 120 grit. Very rough finish.
Click to expand...

Yeah...I haven't seen any indication of Delta selling other wheels for that thing. I pretty much just wanted it for speeding up "rough" work, anyway; I kinda enjoy doing the finishing stuff by hand (so far). Not much luck in finding a readily available, nearby source of finer grit sandpaper or polishing compound, though.

I have absolutely no experience with this sort of metal work. I appreciate y'all's advice!
 
A "Black" and "Blue" extra coarse and coarse DMY Duafold will work pretty quick and you dan't have to worry about any heat at all.
I have one as well as a "Blue" and "Red" one, coarse and fine and a "Red" and "Green" one that equals fine and extra fine grits.
And they will put a nice convex edge on any knife reasonably quick.
You don't have to do anything special, just sharpen the knife, the convex edge will appear naturally.:D
If you want to prove this simplu get a 1" X 4" any length and with a small knife put an edge on the board.
You really have to work at getting an accurate angle, but a convex edge will appear almost magically.:D :p
 
Tommy:

Well, if you have all that woodworking stuff, you will have plenty of use for a belt grinder. It is perfect for dealing with endgrain, beveling dowels, cleaning up miters, etc. etc. Mine gets used every week for something.

The one I'm referring to has a 42" vertical belt and a dinky little sanding wheel on the side. Mine will only take a 1" x 42" belt, but it is a discontinued model (about 10 years old). The new one is the same thing but has a slightly bigger motor and will accomodate either a 1" or 2" x 42" belt. I took off the sanding wheel to save space, and because it never did work very well.

Of course, I would much rather have a monster Grizzly grinder/buffer like Yvsa's, but my shop looks like something on a U-Boat - there just isn't room. However, I am lucky to have permission to occupy one stall in the garage and can't complain.
 
Originally posted by cliff355
Tommy:

Of course, I would much rather have a monster Grizzly grinder/buffer like Yvsa's, but my shop looks like something on a U-Boat - there just isn't room. However, I am lucky to have permission to occupy one stall in the garage and can't complain.
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I have a covered back patio (lana'i, here in hawaii) with some decrepit lawn furniture and a workbench. Whenever I want to do any woodwork or anything else, I have to set up my shop from scratch, like a Gypsy. Normally, I get everything all set and then it starts to rain. :rolleyes:

I'll check at the PX/BX/NEX and see what I can find/afford/have room for. Thanks for the tips!
 
Originally posted by cliff355
Of course, I would much rather have a monster Grizzly grinder/buffer like Yvsa's, but my shop looks like something on a U-Boat - there just isn't room. However, I am lucky to have permission to occupy one stall in the garage and can't complain.
Click to expand...

Cliff don't worry about the size of the Grizz. It really doesn't have That Big of a footprint!!!!
Mine's on a table about 15" X maybe 20" and I don't think it's even That big!!!!
I've had mine for quite awhile now and can't recall the table size, but I think you would really be surprised!!!!:D

Oh, And that's s'possed to be DMT Duofold, Not DMY!!!!:o :rolleyes:
But it's kinda dark in this corner where my s-i-law has her 'puter and kinda hard to see.;)

quote:
These are files? Stones?

'scuse my ignorance!

Tommy they're neither really. They are diamond hones with one grit on one side and another on the other side.
Check around for the best price as the prices can be widely varied.:)
Sarge also recommends these quite highly. They're pretty popular with the khuk crowd here. They fold up like a Butterfly knife so that makes them really easy to carry in the field.
 
Tommy,

While the belt grinder has a bigger footprint, it's not much bigger and it's worth the extra options you'll have - both wood and metal, as well as sharpening, buffing, polishing: at all different grits.

You can find less expensive versions too. Harbor Freight has a 1"x30" for around $40. Do a search for 1 x 42 and you'll find a handful that are all under $100 - and at places like Sears, Home Depot, Lowe's.

Discount Abrasives offers belts as low as $0.50 each (10 pack).

You can get felt belts for polishing, leather belts for sharpening, cork belts for fine sanding, as well as 4 different types of abrasive belts in grits from 24 grit to 800 grit.


...not that I'm trying to persuade you or anything...:eek:


;) :p



btw, my shop is not too unlike yours. It all fits on a patio space about 6' wide x 5' long. Here's a pic:

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The footprint on that Grizz isn't bad at all when you consider it includes a 14 amp 1hp buffer. Putting a separate buffer next to a belt grinder would really take up space. However, at the moment the 39" of overhead space is a little bit of a problem the way all my stuff is crammed in. Eventually it will occur to me how to fit a grizz in there but right now I am stumped.
 
Dang, Pen...your shop's more cramped than mine! I have enough room to move around, at least. :D

Thanks again for the advice, folks.
 
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