Jig To Get Perfect Use From SharpMaker

NRA

NRA

Joined
Feb 15, 2014
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286
Some of you may have noticed me pimping or hacking a couple different sharpeners. Today, I focused my attention on the SharpMaker

Notice the coverage on the rods. Right down the middle. The whole rod was not used, because the blade is slightly curved, but it does show how well I was able to stay on target. I set the angle to 20 degrees each side.

Anyone guess how I was able to keep my attack so accurate? I profiled the edge to 20 degrees (was at 25 degrees?) with the diamond rod (not shown) , then I used the coarse, fine and extra fine rods.

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I cant wait to see what you have come up with. I like how you are always thinking outside the box.
 
The SharpMaker sharpening media is outstanding. Add Diamond rods, and extra fine ceramic rods, and what is not covered? That sets the stage for a ultimate edge.

O, wait, IF (big IF) you cannot work like a robotic arm in an assembly plant, your edge will suffer every miss stroke. You might get a 20 degree per side edge to be a matrix of 18 to 24, or 16 to 28. Nobody can hold a moving object in a repetitive pattern in a perfectly plumb motion. Some people are pretty good, and anyone can learn to get a sharp edge, but not a museum quality edge, freehand.

Realizing the SharpMaker 7" rods were a perfect sharpening medium, I put my brain to work on how to make their simple jig, work perfectly, every time.

What did I come up with? The answer, for limited funds, which we all suffer from, it cannot. As it is sold, is as good as it gets.

This being the case, I had to toss aside their simple and effective (at sharpening) jig, and build a new one.

After working on that project, I realized the answer I needed, was right in front of me.

With no modifications, the SharpMaker rods fit nicely in the Edge Pro (clone) guide rod. Just remove the spacer from between the back holding block, and ball. Fits nice and snug.

SharpMaker rods, in an Edge Pro, is as good as you can get, on limited funds, that I have come up with so far.

You can purchase great stones for an Edge Pro, but can you get every stone you need for $100? No. And, they are only 6" stones. A 7" stone, that is slightly narrower, really serves most any blade design. Especially when you realize, you can use the edge of the stone, to sharpen real wild blades like kris Stiletto's.

Will post a photo later
 
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I like any knife that holds an edge, and looks sweet. This one works.

Here you see blended three knife sharpening systems.

KME, Edge Pro (clone) and SharpMaker. Taking the best of these three offerings, and making one unit, does have advantages.

Over the next few weeks, I will work at tweaking the fixtures that bond these sharpeners together, into something that looks like it did not come from the movie Deliverance.
 
NRA said:
O, wait, IF (big IF) you cannot work like a robotic arm in an assembly plant, your edge will suffer every miss stroke. You might get a 20 degree per side edge to be a matrix of 18 to 24, or 16 to 28. Nobody can hold a moving object in a repetitive pattern in a perfectly plumb motion. Some people are pretty good, and anyone can learn to get a sharp edge, but not a museum quality edge, freehand.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to pick on you, but I do the majority of my edges freehand. All of my edges - with the exception of a few fixed blades - are in the range of 14 - 30 degrees inclusive and most are around 18 - 25 inclusive (9 - 12.5 per side). Here are a few that I've done, and I don't even consider myself much above the 75th percentile in skill:







Here's one that I beveled using an Edge Pro, but finished free hand:

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Everyone has a different skill sets, different goals, and varying interests. I think what you have done, is quite admirable. However, measured with one of these (below), heal and tip, on both sides, what do you see? Do you have the exact same readings, all around your blade, measuring your cutting edge? That may not be your goal.

That is one goal I have for myself.

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While I don't have a digital scale (it's analog) the edge is actually quite uniform with the exception of around the tip. The width behind the edge does widen there--it's an area that I'm trying to get better at without rounding off the tip in the meantime.
 
Nice setup, NRA. i am really looking forward to seeing what you finally come up with. I have a SharpMaker and would like to put something together like you have. I think I could do that with the money I save from having other people sharpen my knives.
 
NRA said:
I like any knife that holds an edge, and looks sweet. This one works.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Went ahead and ordered one. :thumbup:

I like the idea of SM stones in the EP clone. I just got my clone (suction base) the other day. I agree with your statement in another thread that F&F seem very good on this new model. Please keep these mix-match-and-mod ideas coming. I really enjoy seeing them. :cool:
 
NRA said:
Everyone has a different skill sets, different goals, and varying interests. I think what you have done, is quite admirable. However, measured with one of these (below), heal and tip, on both sides, what do you see? Do you have the exact same readings, all around your blade, measuring your cutting edge? That may not be your goal.

That is one goal I have for myself.

9159665942466872849_1.jpg
Click to expand...

On the subject of the pursuit of edge perfection, I've find myself more and more irritated over time with factory grinds that aren't centered. While yes, it is true that the bevel and microbevel could de-center an edge, I've actually been more annoyed by a grind that favors one side over the other.

This would mean that even with theoretically perfect bevels they will appear "lopsided" since the plane at which they meet is shifted.

Furthermore, many of the "stones" (whether they are Spyderco ceramics or waterstones or diamond stones or etc.) aren't perfectly flat. This will increase local sharpening in areas of the "stone" where the abrasive is taller or less dished than in other areas. You can see this is the areas in which the swarf collects on your Spyderco rods.

Shapton makes a diamond lapping plate certified to optically flat (if I recall correctly) and DMT also makes a diamond lapping plate with impressive flatness. The cost would be prohibitive - and the market for them likely far too small to be economically viable - but I always thought that it would be interesting to have a full run of optically flat (or very close) diamond stones.
 
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In another thread Cynic challenged me to try this on a wider bevel.


I took your challenge, grabbed a new knife, and went to work. The angle was 25 on each side.

Profiled it to 13.25 each side with the Diamond SharpMaker rods. This is the max angle I can do with this set-up or it rubs my jaws on the KME.

This is the results, no stropping. Just SharpMaker ceramics.


Before

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During (notice how all the traffic on the rod is placed in the center? This is not possible to get this perfect angle of attack freehand) IMHO

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After

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Very creative and the results speak for themselves. Thanks for sharing the idea.
 
78LilRed said:
So do you not believe in free hand sharpening? You've made a neat system just curious.
Click to expand...

I am a math guy. I know what absolute level is, and I know what absolute plumb is.

I can walk towards a doorway, and not ram the door jams as I pass through. I can keep a car on the road. However, when dealing with sharpening, I am not satisfied with just keeping it on the road. I pursue perfect edges. When I am done, I rarely check with a paper test, or a shave test, or a three finger test, I can see it is sharp.

Have I ever done a perfect edge? No, but it is my goal. In that goal, I want as short a process from start to finish, as possible. I would like the room air to be clean, and the work space to not be covered in remnants or a watery mess.

I am trying to reinvent a better way to sharpen, and coming here to vent, along the way.

Would I like to try to learn how to properly freehand? In my mind, with my benchmarks, I do not believe free handing is an avenue that is viable or possible. Do I think I could learn how to sharpen freehand? That is a lower level question, and that would be yes.
 
Being a math guy you might want to tighten up the slop in your pivot arm. The shoulders are still a bit hazy and some deeper scratches are showing. MadRookie has a nice arm setup with a heim joint for his edge pro. Good luck and enjoy the chase for nice bevels its a fun road.
 
cell phone camera capturing reflection from AC vent 12 foot in the air.

I would think the distance this reflection was captured, means the bevel is rather flat. Also quite mirrored. In a microscope, it shows some scratches, that should have been worked out with the medium grit. Note to self, check progress with microscope at each step.


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