Knife filing/sharpening device.

B

B Finnigan

Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Messages
1,246
I have used the Lansky sharpening system for over twenty years and recently I got the Edge Pro system. Each time I use them I am reminded how sloppy they both are. I also wonder why no one (that I know of) has used the same concept for actually filing knives. Over the last couple weeks I have been kicking around a few designs and concepts to make a combo filing sharpening device.

The final motivation was a knife project from a piece of steel that had very sentimental value. I had only one shot to turn it into a blade. Any mistakes and it would be ruined or much smaller then I wanted. My grinding skills are slowly (very slowly!) improving but I still screw up as many blades as I finnish. Filing was the only safe option for now. As I was filing I decided that I could build a fixture to allow very clean even blades on the first try. After completing it I asked my neighbor to test it. He has never made a knife before and would make a good "lab rat". After a couple minutes of instruction I gave him a knife pre-form and told him to have at it.

The system is completely idiot proof and my neighbor proved that you can make a good knife on the first try.

Photos and narative of the system:
http://groups.msn.com/Brentscustomknives/filingsharpeningstation.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=134
 
Damn... bit crude, in terms of appearance, but it looks like it'd do the job perfectly! If you ever commercialize it, can I get a discount for having first comment? :D
 
That is a really nice setup!:)
Thanks for sharing the pics. If you have time in the future could you provide some dimensional specifications?
 
Impressive work! Makes my feeble attempts at making fixtures ... well ... feeble.
 
Hey really nice job Mr. Finnegan.I don't use "Lansky" or "Edge Pro" ( is EP same principle as lansky ? ) but have to agree with you on how "sloppy" or flimsy the unit is. I know one thing , you haven't been working in physical thereapy all your life . You were a Die Maker or Machinist before that or in a past life :) The fixture you built tells me that ,again nice job !
 
That's a pretty smooth setup Mr.finnigan.I too am sick of the lansky setup i just dont have the gumption or the impressive machine skills that you do :)
the thing i hate the most about the lansky is the stones are so small my hand cramps up after a while. you're right about the flimsy part too. :thumbdn: It's a good concept,cheaply/poorly made
 
Thanks guys! I have no intention for this to replace learning good grinding technique. In the last few months I have doubled my grinding skills but I still hit a brick wall some weeks and this will reduce the frustration factor a little. I have read alot of post's from very accomplished bladesmiths that find themselves in a funk with grinders block. If that is your income or you are in some way reliant on the money from knife sales it would be good to have a "plan B".

I have been wanting to make a dagger for some time now but I know better then to attempt it on the 2x72. It would look more like a tent stake and alot less like a blade. With this filing fixture I should be able to pull it off and quite possibly on the first try.

Since the photo's were taken I have allready made a few modifications. One of them is to increase the length of the guide rods. I also made a sleeve to hold 1/8" files in the file holder so I can get a nice radius at the plunge edge instead of a 90 deg drop off. The 1/8" file holder will also let me do some vines and arrow heads on the spine with some degree of accuracy.
 
I am sure glad I am approaching the end of my 40 year knife making career. If my neighbor kids saw this they would be putting me out of business. Just kidding of course.

Great innovation BF.
 
Great looking outfit. Jensky over on Knife forum has made a simuler unit, using a 1/4" rod going thru swivel eye ball end with file riding under rod. same principal. I'm making a very crude setup to try for my first knife. He recommends
grinding edge fo file so as to not make sharp edge where file starts blade. I agree with others super work and I would buy a unit like that if I was a knife maker.
Richard TX
 
I like most of the Edge Pro set up with all of the stones and abrasive tape available but the frame/base is flimsey and unstable. The suction cups do not work either. I will be using my Arkansas stone set up most of the time and the Lansky on real small blades. If you want something done right you have do it yourself as dad says.

I am sure you guys can come up with at least 100 different mods or improvements on the set up if you set out to make one. Bladesmiths are the most resourceful and creative group of people I know. I am allready comming up with a few tweaks on it now that I have cranked out two more blades with it.
 
It has a built in protractor with a 0-40 degree range in divisions of 5 degrees. The protractor can also be marked with a pencil for the exact angle if it falls in between the 5 degree marks.

For sharpening an allready cut edge I shade the edge with a sharpie and start a little higher. I make a few passes and make minor adjustments until the ink is gone. That way I know I have matched the angle dead on.

I just used the file station to cut a false edge on a bowie, it worked perfect on the first try. In doing so I found I can mount the handles in other configurations then just straight in.

Photos:
http://groups.msn.com/Brentscustomknives/filingsharpeningstation.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=164
 
My grinding skills need more practice and your fixture would help while the skills improve...great Plan B
 
Nice job, a lot of work and thought went into this unit. It is very tempting to try to duplicate this. Very nice.
 
Thanks, don't duplicate it, improve it! That is why I post my projects because I can only squeeze my brain so hard. There is always someone who can kick it up a notch. There is too much time and work involved to ever be able to sell it. For every sale there would be 50 people copying it.
 
Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead, but I've been looking around for a jig like this to make. The link to the original page is broken though so I can't see what it looks like!

Any other pictures?

S.
 
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