Homemade Knife Rest (HK-50)

[Rob]

The angle would be too steep right?

[Herman Trivilino]

First off, good job.

Thanks Jeff, and everyone else, for the compliments.

Now, I see you are using the scissors jig with the tool bar in the vertical position. Is this because of an inability to get the proper angle in the horizontal plane?

With earlier prototypes I did experiment with the US in the horizontal position.  With the grindstone turning away from the grinding edge it kept lifting the knife blade off the platform.  It's much easier to control the operation with the US in the vertical position so that the grindstone turns toward the edge, pinning the knife blade to the platform.

It looks like you could just cut the jig in half across the plane of the jig to include the mounting hole of course and reduce its width to allow control on a small blade such as you picture.

The locking screw hits the US when you do that.

It looks like the tool rest SVD 110 would work and is cheaper than buying the scissors jig.

You can purchase the scissors jig base separately at a lower cost than the tool rest.  I'm not sure if the SVD-110 would work better, I don't own one.   

Also, as an aside; I see a possible use of the square edge jig with a piece of stiff metal mounted in it to replace the wooden guide you have made. Imagine a chisel or go and get one. Mount it in the square edge tool and see if you can place your pen knife in it in such a way to allow you to sharpen it. They don't lock on the tool rod but does it need to lock? 

Yes, it very much does need to lock, but you have a good idea.  I don't own the square edge jig.  I have its predecessor, the straight edge jig SVM-60, but I think it might work.  I mounted one up.  You could drill and tap a hole for a locking screw, but you'd lack the Torlock feature.  Plus, when sharpening knife tips with large curvatures the knife blade or handle might hit the jig, which might be a bother.

I think UKR is a better name or UKR-13. In my naming protocol the "13" is for the year 013 and UKR is for "universal knife rest" as you suggest it can be used on anything from pen knives to machetes. What does the "50" represent?

As Ken told me yesterday, the numbers are the jig width in millimeters.  I chose HK-50 to be consistent with the other jig names.  Also, if you look at the tool rest jig they gave it a model number of SVD-110, not TRJ-110.

Finally, your presentation is so well illustrated that even I could make one, good job!

Thanks. It was probably just as much work to document the process as it was to make the jig.  But it's a necessary part of the process as without meaningful communication we'd not make progress with improvements and modifications

[Herman Trivilino]

50 I think refers to 50mm wide ie 2inch ie just a hair wider than the grindstone.

The grindstone has a width of precisely 50 mm (1-31/32").  That's the jig width, just a fuzz under 2"  Well, for a first-fix carpenter that's a fuzz!   

Just thinking out loud though....the torlok rest can get right up close to the grindstone...why couldn't you just use that directly instead of any additional piece?

I don't have the Tool Rest (SVD-110) but I don't believe it gets close enough to the grindstone.  Ken S was working on this issue.

[Elden]

Very well done Herman! Interesting that your angle master will pivot that far. Mine stops at 16 degrees, it won't quite make it to 15 degrees.
My son was took some pictures yesterday and will be e-mailing them to me. So hopefully will get them posted soon.
Now off to try to dig out the pixel quality that was advised for posting pictures.

[Elden]

Off the top of my head ( ), it sounds like the square edge jig with a chisel in it, would work up to a point. It would restrict how far the handle could be swung towards the operator to get the tip sharpened. The top portion of the jig would be above the level of the chisel (effectively your table). This would come into play on larger knives (machetes) for sure.

[Herman Trivilino]

Very well done Herman! Interesting that your angle master will pivot that far. Mine stops at 16 degrees, it won't quite make it to 15 degrees.

Thanks, Elden.  My angle master is from 2002.  I wore the end that touches the grindstone to the point that it was no longer useful (most of this wear came during the first few weeks of use as I fumbled about).  So, a few weeks ago I ordered a replacement of just that part.  It has a different shape, and the curved groove extends further.  I suppose if I were to buy a new angle master I'd see more differences.  It's awesome that the Sharp Tools USA website shows an exploded view of every jig, so you can buy any little part you want.

My son was took some pictures yesterday and will be e-mailing them to me. So hopefully will get them posted soon.
Now off to try to dig out the pixel quality that was advised for posting pictures.

I open up the pictures I take with my cell phone into Microsoft Paint.  I then reduce them to 40% of their original size, save them, and then upload them to Photobucket.  They seem to be about the right size when I visit this site and look at them.  They are not so large that they extend past the edges my computer screen, and they are large enough to show the details.

[Herman Trivilino]

Off the top of my head ( ), it sounds like the square edge jig with a chisel in it, would work up to a point. It would restrict how far the handle could be swung towards the operator to get the tip sharpened. The top portion of the jig would be above the level of the chisel (effectively your table). This would come into play on larger knives (machetes) for sure.

Plus, you can't lock down the square edge jig so that it doesn't rotate about the US, can you?  That would be a deal-breaker.

[Elden]

True. I hadn't thought that far. Someway, I missed the 2nd page of posts before posting my comments. As you showed, that could be fixed. But to me, not having the swing space would nix it.

[Rob]

If you plan to upload pics to photobucket as the hosting site prior to linking them here, you may also find it useful to know that pb has an editor that allows the size reduction you might need

[Elden]

Thanks Rob. I found that out when looking back on your thread on picture posting. My problem has been getting the pictures on the computer due to the lack of proper software on the computer and the lack of hardware in the phone for transferring.

[Rob]

What pc is it? Ie which version of windows?

[Elden]

Mac. But they tell me I have to have a memory card for the phone to be able to transfer.

[Rob]

Right. I've never owned a mac so can't help there...sorry

[Herman Trivilino]

Here's a drawing of the latest prototype ...



Note: New version uploaded 7 Apr 2013.  The original contained an error.

[Ken S]

"Yes, it very much does need to lock, but you have a good idea.  I don't own the square edge jig.  I have its predecessor, the straight edge jig SVM-60, but I think it might work.  I mounted one up.  You could drill and tap a hole for a locking screw, but you'd lack the Torlock feature.  Plus, when sharpening knife tips with large curvatures the knife blade or handle might hit the jig, which might be a bother."

Herman, you are onto something.  For those of us who happen to have the older square edge jig, I think your latest idea is definitely the most direct way to go.

For those with the newer SE-76, it can be made to work, also.  The answer is not quite as simple and direct as the threaded hole for the bolt to keep the jig from rotating.  Two ways come to mind:

1) Use the micro adjust nut to hold up the SE-76.  This won't quite work alone, but a larger nut like Herman's home made device will hold the SE-76 from rotating into the wheel.  The same function could also be done with a short piece of plastic pipe inserted between the usb and the micro adjust nut.  The pipe might require some extra thickness to support th SE-76. A plastic pipe fitting or a larger diameter piece of pipe glued onto the original pipe.

2) the locking collar supplied with the SE-76 could be slipped on to the usb before the jig.  When locked in the proper spot, it would support the jig at the correct angle.

Neither of these methods would secure the jig as well as using the older jig. However, the only direction it could rotate would be away from the wheel, so no harm, no foul. neither of these ways would interfere with the normal function of the SE-76.

My compliments on a solid and simple solution, Herman.

Ken