Hock Marking Knives

[bmanning43]

Does anyone have a suggestion for sharpening a Hock Marking Knife on the Tormek (other than doing it freehand)?  This is a steel blade, flat on one side with a spear point. There are pictures on the website.
http://www.hocktools.com/Knives.htm
This spear point does not seem amenable to the existing jigs, or have I missed something?

[Herman Trivilino]

Tormek has the new SVM-00 which is just the ticket.  http://tormek.com/international/en/grinding-jigs/svm-00-small-knife-holder/

Or you could try the homemade knife jig.  http://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=1592.0

Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

[bmanning43]

Hi Herman - the marking knife I use is the one shown the third picture from the top of the link I put in the post.  I thought of the SVM-00 but it doesn't look to me like I could pivot the knife enough to line the bevels up properly.  I have had a miserable time trying to sharpen this thing and may have to go to another type of marking knife.  The homemade jig might work but I am not sure I have the time to build it for this one use. .Thanks for the reply. Love the Tormek for everything else but this damn knife

[grepper]

Could you use the scissors jig?  Probably not as they won't open wide enough.   I'd really like a BIG scissors jig!

Can you find a way to clamp onto the handle at all?  The cutting edge on that blade is only 3/4" so it seems that all you might need is a little assistance from the jig, and not total control over much distance.

Even wrapping something about the handle like a leather strap, or strip of metal, or maybe even a velcro strip and then clamp whatever you wrap around the handle into the jig?

You are only sharpening one side of the short blade, so if you could find almost anything to help you clamp it down enough to help maintain an angle it would be enough for you to get it nice and sharp.

What about just press the handle against the base of the scissors jig and eyeball straightness across the wheel? It sure seems that all you are looking for is to help maintain bevel angle.

I'm guessing that with some sort of a jig assisted, controlled freehand approach, you should be able to rig something up so that you could get it nice and sharp.

[Herman Trivilino]

You could drill out the rivets and remove the handle.  Then you'd have to figure out how to attach the handle, but since they sell the knives without the handles for those you wish to make their own, somebody must have it figured out.

[jeffs55]

Wow! They sure are proud of their knives at $30 each for that tiny piece of steel and a genuine wood handle. I don't know how expensive bubinga is but it must be some rare stuff.

[Rob]

In wood turning blank suppliers in England Bubinga is really expensive. Sure looks nice when turned

[Herman Trivilino]

You're paying a high price for quality materials and good service.  Not all steel is the same and a lot of research and development has to go into selecting the right steel for the job. 

[Mike Fairleigh]

As much as it may not be politically correct to say it, there are just some things that will be easier, faster, better, or all 3, by sharpening them by means other than a machine.  Not many, but a few.  A spear point marking knife would be one of them IMO.  Touch up the back and the bevels on a fine stone and move on with work.

[bmanning43]

The more I think about it, the more I think Mike is right...