Sharpmaker with ANY ANGLE

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olecram1987

Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
4
Hello Everyone,

It's my first time writing on this forum, but I am a long time "watcher".

I always loved Spyderco knifes and the Sharpmaker: great system, easy to use, small package. The only thing that bugs me about the SM is the only two options for sharpening angles. For most knives, I usually go with a 40 degrees microbevel and works nice, but sometimes, I feel like the steel can take an even sicker edge (like ZDP). I was wondering how to do this with SM and had an idea... It is very simple and if I could think about it, probably the guys at Spyderco did it many years ago, but I felt like I should post it here anyway.

So it consists of a simple small add-on to the existing sharpmaker: a small plastic piece, male in one end (goes into the sharpmaker) and female in the other end (to receive the stone) and, in between, a clicking wheel with 0.5 degrees marks that would allow rotation when the pivot is loose and lock in when it is tight.

What do you guys think?

SharpmakerAddon_zps092bb3c0.jpg
 
Interesting idea. I have a simpler workaround I use when I want to change the angle. I tape a pencil, marker or other round object to the bottom of the sharpmaker right in the middle. Then I just "see saw" the sharpmaker with each stroke. Works fine and you can get any angle u want depending on the size of the object you use. I like your idea as a more refined and permanent solution though!
 
Hi Olecram,

Welcome to our forum.

The question has been brought up several times with some, like yours, very innovative ideas. We'll see how the disucussion goes? The complexity / simplicity concept, the higher cost in tooling and building / sufficient sales to to justify investment, as well as other hurdles must be weighed.

sal
 
Hello Sal,

First of all: congratulations on being such a cool guy. Getting a reply from Mr. Glesser himself is awesome. Big fan of your work!

One thing that may be a "pro" on this possibility is that parts would be small and molded, while all the original Sharpmaker (still great) is kept unchanged. Maybe it could be an optional additional product, or included in the SM package. I pretty sure you guys know what's the best alternative!

Other thing that might be cool is that there would very little learning curve: user decides how many clicks (degrees or half degrees) per side they want to add/decrease on the 30 our 40 degrees original setup. Even assimetric sharpening would be very viable with this little piece (chisel grind for instance).

Think about it :)
 
I'd certainly consider an accessory like the prototype above...not until I buy some diamond rods for re-profiling, but I'd appreciate them that much more being able to more easily and more precisely set my edge angles. It would make a great accessory to an already extremely versatile sharpener (One my of my grandmothers is a seamstress and I sharpened 4 old pairs of her scissors with it today and she'd probably never have used them again if I hadn't...also did her favourite paring knife).
 
That would be cool to see an add on piece that could be purchased to make the sharpmaker more versatile, especially if it doesnt make us buy a whole new product to get it and can just be used on the current Sharpmaker. Then there wouldnt be a need to purchase other products to get the job done.

Some where I seen that someone had posted different ways to adjust the angle by putting coins or something under an end and figured out what the angles were bit not sure where I seen it at now. Wish I knew where I had seen it! :)
 
I really like the idea! :D

The reason why this interests me is if you own any Benchmades then you know their edge angles can be obscenely obtuse. When sharpening a Benchmade on my Sharpmaker I have to tilt the knife away from the stone or I just end up hitting the shoulders and not the edge. Tilting the knife outward works but makes it a little more tricky as you have to maintain this angle instead of just holding the knife perpendicular to the ground.

Edit: I know some would say just reprofile the knife but I don't know if I'd want to attempt this on the Sharpmaker. Maybe if I owned a guided system but I don't so I just live with the factory edge.
 
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I've brough up an adapter a few times, and would love to see one at 17.5 per side.

Spyderco could make a 17.5 adapter that snaps right into the current rod holes.
Or just make a fixed 17.5 Sharpmaker base that uses the same rods.
I would gladly buy either, and I think many would.

15 is a bit thinner than I like and 20 a bit thicker. In the middle would be just right (IMO anyway).
 
Excellent idea, and great drafting also! Different angles can be achieved by placing something under one end of the base plus using an angle cube, but I could see the risk, for lack of a better word, involved with producing an item like this.

I'd assume the Sharpmaker was designed for the average Joe who knows or really cares to know relatively little about sharpening; thus, the concept of the device being very simple. 20 dps is really good enough for anyone to get any knife sharper than they'll ever realistically need as long as the shoulders are 20 dps or less, and with some practice, hair whittling edges can be achieved...my first ever was with the Sharpmaker and ultra fine rods. I really like this idea, but I'd think it caters more toward the intermediate to advanced sharpener as far as selecting precise angles goes. Average Mom or Dad at home wanting to touch up the carving knife doesn't want to think about it, just set up the rods in the 40* slots like the manual says, and have at it. Those that have the back and feet to withstand using the SM as a reprofiling tool would probably like this idea very much. I love having choices, such as this, but I can understand the slight hesitance in producing it.
 
I have another idea. Make two fixed plastic inserts that that each change the angle by 2 degrees. So the 40 degree slots could be converted to 36 and the 30 degree slots to 26. But don't forget, they could be reversed to make the angles wider too. So you would now have 26, 30, 34 degree, and 36, 40 & 44 degree options. And....if the inserts are done like the current holes you could even twist the rods 1/6th turn and pretty much split the difference, so you could sharpen at most any angle between 26 and 44 at 2 degree increments.

Honestly, I am perfectly happy with just 30 and 40 degrees but these two simple inserts could probably be made for under a dollar a piece.
 
Someone needs to draw up a 3d model and prototype their idea through shapeways. I would certainly buy one to see how well they work
 
They could make a base that would accept dovetailed blocks with different angles on them. If you wanted to use different angles, just slide one block out, and slide another one in. Since all the pressure on a Sharpmaker is vertical, I don't think you would have to worry about the angle blocks sliding out on their own. It wouldn't be infinitely adjustable like the OP's idea, but it would still make the system more versatile than the current version, and it wouldn't be that much different from what we already have.
 
Someone should just 3D print this part and see how they sell on Ebay. Would that be violating some kind of patent? I have no idea.
 
I'd definately buy a variable angle sharpmaker!

I'd just give my current sharpmaker away to a friend:thumbup:
 
I own several Sharpmakers but built an adjustable model that holds bigger stones. I made the turnbuckles out of tie rod ends and the clevises out of split 1"X3" box channel. I can adjust the angle to 1/10 degree using an angle cube.View attachment 464861
 
The-Stig said:
Someone should just 3D print this part and see how they sell on Ebay. Would that be violating some kind of patent? I have no idea.
Click to expand...
I'm not a lawyer, but the way I see it, making and selling them would be no different than making and selling grips to fit a specific handgun. You would not be copying an existing Sharpmaker part so, unless someone had already patented that idea, anyone could make and sell it. However, it would have to be marketed as an accessory made by you to be used with the Spyderco Sharpmaker, rather than as a Spyderco branded item, to avoid trademark issues.

I'm less certain of how easy it would be to make something like that which would be adjustable but not slip/move/flex while you were sharpening. Think perhaps some variation on Surfingringo's idea of several sets of inserts might work better in practice.
 
Variable angles for the Sharpmaker is an interesting idea but I don't really think it would interest me enough. I enjoy sharpening my knives but I enjoy using my knives even more. I have the diamond rods and the ultra fine rods and, with a final stropping, this covers the ground as much as I care to get involved with. That's just me and I'm sure others have different needs and goals.

I've thought many times that I might buy one of the more involved and expensive variable angle sharpening systems but I just really love the simplicity and versatility of the 204 Sharpmaker. I think simplicity is the main attraction of the Sharpmaker and straying from that feature too far tarnish the attraction.
 
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