Large Cleaver

[Mudbone]

I have a Supergrind 2000.  I am trying to sharpen a large meat cleaver, the type where the back of the blade is curved and has a hole.  I have no problem getting the jig, SVM-140, parallel to the cutting edge of the cleaver.  However, even with the Universal Support as high as possible and the SVM-140 as short as possible, the blade is too tall for the edge to contact the stone.  I am sharpening toward the edge.  Trying to freehand the cleaver on the Universal Support has proven to be impossible.  The blade is so long that it tends to slip as you move it across the stone.  I tried using the SVD-110 with the blade flat on the tool rest.  This worked partially.  I got a good uniform edge but I could not sharpen the inch or so of the blade closest to the handle.  As you move the cleaver across the rest, the handle stops against the edge of the tool rest which is wider than the stone.  I can correct the problem on one side by sliding the tool rest out on the universal support until the its edge is just past the inside edge of the stone.  However, I cannot correct it on the other side because the upright bar of the Universal Support stops the tool rest from sliding far enough over.  The only solution I can think of is buying another SVD-110 and cutting it down so that it is about 2 mm narrower on each side than the stone.  Any ideas?  TIA

[jeffs55]

I wonder what would happen if you relieved the SVD 110 to a point near the lock screw? In other words mill out in some way the hole that the tool rest passes through to a point near the set screw. Have about an inch or less material on either side of the set screw. The set screw is in the middle of the piece so maybe with a little "meat" left on either side it would still grip the tool rest sufficiently to hold. After all, that special wedge shape is supposed to hold up to 250% better. At least you would not lose any of the platform. The milled out area would have to be as wide as the tool rest pieces so that the SVD 110 would pass over the part that enters the mount on the body of the Tormek itself.

[Jeff Farris]

Mudbone,

Do you have the scissors jig?  The support plate for that is somewhat narrower than the SVD-110 and may give you the clearance you need. 

[Mudbone]

Jeffs55,
I had thought about something like that.  Cutting a slot in the tube of the 110 so that it would slide over the upright of the universal support toward the center of the machine.  However,  I would still have to slide the 110 back and forth to do both sides of the cleaver. No big deal, but just a pain.  More importantly, I have a band saw and could quickly trim both sides of the 110.  I don't have access to any milling equipment so cutting that slot would be more difficult. But I like the idea because, as you pointed out, it saves me from having to buy and modify a 110 for just one knife.

Jeff Farris,
Yes,  I do have the scissors jig.  I forgot to mention that I did try that support as well.  I actually started with it because I liked the fact that it has a slick surface.  Unfortunately, that support is too tall by about 5 mm.  If I place the cleaver so that the blade is flat on the support and the bottom of the handle rides along the top of the support, the edge of the cleaver doesn't extend past the bottom of the support.  It's maddening.  The cleaver blade is too tall for the knife jig and too short between the edge and bottom of the handle to use this support.  I also thought about trimming off the top of this support but it is already short as it is.

Thanks for the input.
Any other ideas before I start modifying jigs or resorting to hand sharpening.

[Jeff Farris]

... or resorting to hand sharpening.

This would be my choice, but then I have done it a lot.  Freehanding on the Tormek is pretty easy if you follow a couple rules.  Work with the wheel turning away from the edge.  Work with the stone polished to 1000 grit unless you have a good reason to be using a coarser cut. Get a feel for the correct angle by working and inspecting the cut frequently. Practice, practice, practice.

[Mudbone]

I have free handed a few things but this cleaver is very difficult.  It is large and unwieldy and the edge is a sweeping curve.  Keeping the angle uniform as I move the cleaver across the stone and sweep the blade has proven to be challenging.

BTW I understand that Tormek makes a sharpener specific for knives that is used by restaurants, butchers, slaughter houses, etc.  I assume it can handle cleavers or other large knives.  If so how does it work and does it use a jig that can be used on my 2000?

[Jeff Farris]

Same jigs and same Universal Support on the 4000.  It is an all stainless steel frame that is totally enclosed for power washing.  Mechanically it is much the same as a T-7.

[Mudbone]

Interesting,  I would have thought someone using the 4000 would have run into this before.

Anyway, I did manage to get it sharpened, and figured out a new trick for freehand grinding in the process.  As I mentioned, the edge of the cleaver blade is curved through out its entire length, not just at the tip as with most knives.  So you have to continuiously rotate the cleaver as you move it across the stone.  I did switch to the grinding away postion which gave me better control with keeping the blade on the universal support. But I still had issues with keeping the angle constant as I rotated the blade across the stone.  I realized that the key was keeping the part of the edge of the cleaver contacting the stone on the exact same "line" across the stone.  But this was hard to visualize while the blade is in motion and trying to rotate it. So using some clamps, I rigged up a straight edge across the stone a few mm off the surface.  This provided a point of reference for the edge of the cleaver.   I was able keep the cleaver edge lined up with the straight edge and could easily see if the blade was climbing up and down the stone.  I was able to produce a single grind facet on each side.  Previously I was getting multiple facets due to the blade climbing and slipping on the stone and not placing the blade in the exact position each time.

[Jeff Farris]

... Previously I was getting multiple facets due to the blade climbing and slipping on the stone and not placing the blade in the exact position each time.

This would suggest to me that you have not used the stone grader quite enough.  A "bobble" would have to last a long time to create another facet of any significant size if the stone is graded to a very smooth finish.

Also, try working without the Universal Support -- just your hands, the tool and the grindstone.