First off, credit where credit is due, there was a chap on this forum who built a really well done home made fixed angle sharpener using mostly flat pieces of bar stock, can't for the life of me find the original post but that is what go me thinking, could I do it? If anyone knows the thread I am talking about, feel free to post below. The big breakthrough reading his post was learning where to buy ball joint linkages (see below) which was the one part of the wicked edge I couldn't build myself. Then I was like, yeah, I could do this.
At one time in the past I owned the Wicked Edge, had the Pro-Pack 1 but I decided there were better things I could do with $500 and ended up selling it. But after a lot of experimenting with free hand sharpening, Spyderco sharpmaker, etc, I just couldn't get knives THAT sharp. So I decided, what the heck, lets see what I can come up with.
First, I wanted it to be inexpensive and I had to be able to build it with basic tools (I have a miter saw, a cheep drill press, and hand power tools, that's it). Second, I needed to figure out a way to include a good clamp for the knife blades and most of the manufacturers (Wicked Edge, KME, DMT, WorkSharp, etc.) don't sell their CLAMPS individually. So that was a big barrier. But I think I found a good solution, see below.
Tools you would need to reproduce this:
1. Drill press (doesn't have to be fancy)
2. Chop saw (or a hand saw with guide)
3. Power Drill
4. Couple 24" clamps
Parts List:
1. Square hardwood dowels, 1x1x36", x2, $9, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Waddell-36-in-x-1-in-Hardwood-Square-Dowel-8316U/100572443
2. Aluminum round, 1/4x36", x1, $5, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...ERCH=REC-_-searchViewed-_-NA-_-204273994-_-N&
3. Nylon spacers, 1/2" long, 1/2" OD x 1/4" ID, x12 (4 for the base, 4 for each set of sharpening blocks), $7, https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-...ter-Diameter-Spacers-2-Piece-815008/204276571
4. Threaded ball joint linkages, McMaster-Carr part #60645K421, x2, $19, https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/1387
5. 18" Threaded connector rods, McMaster-Carr part #6516K15, x2, $40, https://www.mcmaster.com/6516K15
6. Edge Pro 1/2" UNMOUNTED stones, I used all 4 grits x2 (for two sharpening blocks) so 8 stones total, $64, https://www.edgeproinc.com/sharpeni...-stones/220-grit-un-mounted-sharpening-stone/
7. Leather strop (will be cut into pieces), Amazon, $8, https://www.amazon.com/Angerstone-P...&qid=1649013729&sprefix=strop,aps,314&sr=8-19
8. Table Vise, Harbor Freight, $22, https://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-inch-table-swivel-vise-97160.html
9. Threading Tap (for the Ball joint linkage hole), 1/4x28, Amazon, $9, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007BSHCC8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
10. Couple small set screws from Home Depot (I think mine were ~1/8" diameter and 1/4" long), $2
11. Gorilla Epoxy, $7, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-0-85-fl-oz-Epoxy-42001/100670610
12. Weldwood Contact Cement, $8, https://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-Weldwood-3-fl-oz-Original-Contact-Cement-00107/100195615
So the total budget comes to about ~$200. Haha, so yeah, maybe I didn't save tremendous amount. But I had a ton of fun. That counts for something.
Ok, blueprints/dimensions and lots of pics.
Hope you can read my handwriting. Should be able to see all the dimensions on here and figure out most everything if you puzzle through it.
The base. You don't need the middle cross piece. I was trying to design a clamp to hold the blade "Wicked-Edge" style but then came up with a better idea, see below.
Base with the vise for holding the knife. This was a total epiphany. I struggled for so long trying to design my own blade clamp because none of the major fixed-angle sharpener manufacturers allow you to buy the clamp alone (or it's total garbage like the DMT and Lansky clamps) OR if you can buy the clamp, there's no way to attach it conveniently. Then one day, boom, lightning struck, clamp the handle idiot. Works like a charm. Very tight secure grip, no issue with full flat grinds sliding or wobbling, allows ANY sharpening angle without the clamp obstructing the stones, no problem with .25" thick blades. $22 well spent.
Pretty quickly you'll realized that with different handle thicknesses, you'll be slightly off center if you keep the vise always in the same place (I have the profile of the vice sharpie-marked on to the wooden base) but if you use an angle calculator each time you put a knife in (I use the "AngleMeter" app on my Android phone and it works fine) you can just move the slider blocks until each side is 15 degrees or whatever and it works fine. See some pics below for different knives clamped in.
Nylon spacers inside the slider block to make it slide smoothly. Drill the hole for the set screw after the nylon spacers are in, just go right through until you clear the nylon, then put the set screw in. This holds the slider blocks on the rails when you have your angle at the desired spot.
You'll need to tap the center hole where the pivot goes, I used a 1/4x28 threaded pivot and bought the respective tap. Just drill the hole with a #3 or 7/32 bit, then put the tap on your power drill and feed it in gently, it will pull itself in, just keep going till it stalls and then back it out. Works perfectly.
I used EdgePro because #1, they're good people and make their stuff in the USA, #2, they sell their stones unmounted, #3, they have a narrow profile stone (1/2" instead of 1") which is nice when you want to keep contact with a recurve, and #4 they're cheap and WORK WELL. Nuff said. Tried super glue to mount the stones on at first but it didn't hold up when I would scrub them under water so I switched to the contact cement which works great (and is what EdgePro suggests anyway, DOH). Dab that stuff on both stone and block LIBERALLY, let sit 10 minutes, stick the cement surfaces together, works perfect.
End of the sharpening block which points down has the nylon spacer flush.
End of the sharpening block that faces up has the nylon spacer inset so it doesn't hit the threads of the connector rod or slip off on your quick upstroke (this actually turned out to be a moot point because the connector rods are longer then they need to be, you could make both ends flush).
Another point about this, I was worried that my cheap drill press wouldn't drill a hole dead center for 6" so I did 3" from each end. Then I was worried that the holes wouldn't meet perfectly (which they didn't) but this turns out to be a moot point if you're drilling a 1/2" center hole and using a 1/4" connector rod because the rod still clears in the middle even if your hole is off kilter. See below. It has worked perfectly for me and I guarantee my holes aren't straight.
Contact cement works great on the leather strops too. I cut my 3x8" piece into 8 pieces that are 3/4x4" then glued them all on.
So there it is. For all you blokes who read to the end and waded through my extensive blather, congratulations, your perseverance is exemplary. Hope it was enjoyable and maybe gave you some ideas. I had fun. My wife got sick of me bringing this up in the evenings.
Lets see if I can get some vids to upload too. Credit goes to William my bodacious son who was the camera man.
Aw yeah, a beautiful sound. Thanks all, stay sharp out there.
JSchlung
"By Endurance we conquer." - Shackleton family motto
At one time in the past I owned the Wicked Edge, had the Pro-Pack 1 but I decided there were better things I could do with $500 and ended up selling it. But after a lot of experimenting with free hand sharpening, Spyderco sharpmaker, etc, I just couldn't get knives THAT sharp. So I decided, what the heck, lets see what I can come up with.
First, I wanted it to be inexpensive and I had to be able to build it with basic tools (I have a miter saw, a cheep drill press, and hand power tools, that's it). Second, I needed to figure out a way to include a good clamp for the knife blades and most of the manufacturers (Wicked Edge, KME, DMT, WorkSharp, etc.) don't sell their CLAMPS individually. So that was a big barrier. But I think I found a good solution, see below.
Tools you would need to reproduce this:
1. Drill press (doesn't have to be fancy)
2. Chop saw (or a hand saw with guide)
3. Power Drill
4. Couple 24" clamps
Parts List:
1. Square hardwood dowels, 1x1x36", x2, $9, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Waddell-36-in-x-1-in-Hardwood-Square-Dowel-8316U/100572443
2. Aluminum round, 1/4x36", x1, $5, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...ERCH=REC-_-searchViewed-_-NA-_-204273994-_-N&
3. Nylon spacers, 1/2" long, 1/2" OD x 1/4" ID, x12 (4 for the base, 4 for each set of sharpening blocks), $7, https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-...ter-Diameter-Spacers-2-Piece-815008/204276571
4. Threaded ball joint linkages, McMaster-Carr part #60645K421, x2, $19, https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/1387
5. 18" Threaded connector rods, McMaster-Carr part #6516K15, x2, $40, https://www.mcmaster.com/6516K15
6. Edge Pro 1/2" UNMOUNTED stones, I used all 4 grits x2 (for two sharpening blocks) so 8 stones total, $64, https://www.edgeproinc.com/sharpeni...-stones/220-grit-un-mounted-sharpening-stone/
7. Leather strop (will be cut into pieces), Amazon, $8, https://www.amazon.com/Angerstone-P...&qid=1649013729&sprefix=strop,aps,314&sr=8-19
8. Table Vise, Harbor Freight, $22, https://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-inch-table-swivel-vise-97160.html
9. Threading Tap (for the Ball joint linkage hole), 1/4x28, Amazon, $9, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007BSHCC8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
10. Couple small set screws from Home Depot (I think mine were ~1/8" diameter and 1/4" long), $2
11. Gorilla Epoxy, $7, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-0-85-fl-oz-Epoxy-42001/100670610
12. Weldwood Contact Cement, $8, https://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-Weldwood-3-fl-oz-Original-Contact-Cement-00107/100195615
So the total budget comes to about ~$200. Haha, so yeah, maybe I didn't save tremendous amount. But I had a ton of fun. That counts for something.
Ok, blueprints/dimensions and lots of pics.
Hope you can read my handwriting. Should be able to see all the dimensions on here and figure out most everything if you puzzle through it.
The base. You don't need the middle cross piece. I was trying to design a clamp to hold the blade "Wicked-Edge" style but then came up with a better idea, see below.
Base with the vise for holding the knife. This was a total epiphany. I struggled for so long trying to design my own blade clamp because none of the major fixed-angle sharpener manufacturers allow you to buy the clamp alone (or it's total garbage like the DMT and Lansky clamps) OR if you can buy the clamp, there's no way to attach it conveniently. Then one day, boom, lightning struck, clamp the handle idiot. Works like a charm. Very tight secure grip, no issue with full flat grinds sliding or wobbling, allows ANY sharpening angle without the clamp obstructing the stones, no problem with .25" thick blades. $22 well spent.
Pretty quickly you'll realized that with different handle thicknesses, you'll be slightly off center if you keep the vise always in the same place (I have the profile of the vice sharpie-marked on to the wooden base) but if you use an angle calculator each time you put a knife in (I use the "AngleMeter" app on my Android phone and it works fine) you can just move the slider blocks until each side is 15 degrees or whatever and it works fine. See some pics below for different knives clamped in.
Nylon spacers inside the slider block to make it slide smoothly. Drill the hole for the set screw after the nylon spacers are in, just go right through until you clear the nylon, then put the set screw in. This holds the slider blocks on the rails when you have your angle at the desired spot.
You'll need to tap the center hole where the pivot goes, I used a 1/4x28 threaded pivot and bought the respective tap. Just drill the hole with a #3 or 7/32 bit, then put the tap on your power drill and feed it in gently, it will pull itself in, just keep going till it stalls and then back it out. Works perfectly.
I used EdgePro because #1, they're good people and make their stuff in the USA, #2, they sell their stones unmounted, #3, they have a narrow profile stone (1/2" instead of 1") which is nice when you want to keep contact with a recurve, and #4 they're cheap and WORK WELL. Nuff said. Tried super glue to mount the stones on at first but it didn't hold up when I would scrub them under water so I switched to the contact cement which works great (and is what EdgePro suggests anyway, DOH). Dab that stuff on both stone and block LIBERALLY, let sit 10 minutes, stick the cement surfaces together, works perfect.
End of the sharpening block which points down has the nylon spacer flush.
End of the sharpening block that faces up has the nylon spacer inset so it doesn't hit the threads of the connector rod or slip off on your quick upstroke (this actually turned out to be a moot point because the connector rods are longer then they need to be, you could make both ends flush).
Another point about this, I was worried that my cheap drill press wouldn't drill a hole dead center for 6" so I did 3" from each end. Then I was worried that the holes wouldn't meet perfectly (which they didn't) but this turns out to be a moot point if you're drilling a 1/2" center hole and using a 1/4" connector rod because the rod still clears in the middle even if your hole is off kilter. See below. It has worked perfectly for me and I guarantee my holes aren't straight.
Contact cement works great on the leather strops too. I cut my 3x8" piece into 8 pieces that are 3/4x4" then glued them all on.
So there it is. For all you blokes who read to the end and waded through my extensive blather, congratulations, your perseverance is exemplary. Hope it was enjoyable and maybe gave you some ideas. I had fun. My wife got sick of me bringing this up in the evenings.
Lets see if I can get some vids to upload too. Credit goes to William my bodacious son who was the camera man.
Aw yeah, a beautiful sound. Thanks all, stay sharp out there.
JSchlung
"By Endurance we conquer." - Shackleton family motto