Ionut's Small Knife Jig

[Herman Trivilino]

Thanks to Ionut for his advice on how to make a jig for sharpening small knives.

You can see his original here:

http://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=1191.msg3308#msg3308

With a photograph here:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=bc168f3568163031&id=BC168F3568163031%21299&Bsrc=EMSHOO&Bpub=SN.Notifications&sff=1

So yesterday I decided to make my own ...



I made my platform out of an old lawn edger blade, and since I don't have the tool rest I used the base of the scissors jig.

[Herman Trivilino]

After seeing this Ionut advised me to grind a taper on the end so I could get more of the knife on the platform and to flip the c-clamps over so they'd be out of my way.

I tried that this morning with great success but I was having trouble controlling the knife.  With the grindstone turning away from the knife edge it kept wanting to lift off the platform.

So I decided to grind towards the edge ...

[Herman Trivilino]

This worked great.  I had perfect control.

[Herman Trivilino]

I found an old steak knife with a serrated edge and decided it would be sacrificed for test purposes.  It has a length of about 13 cm and a width of about 2 cm.  First I ground away the serrations with the grindstone coarse, then finished it with the grindstone fine.

[Herman Trivilino]

I was able to get the platform so close to the grindstone that the gap was always filled with water.

[Herman Trivilino]

Now I just have to get up the nerve to try it out on one of my good pocket knives.

[Ken S]

Well done, Herman.  You get the Yankee Ingenuity award!

Ken

[Rob]

I particularly like the green improvised adjustment nut in the US. presumably that's the one you were posting about the other day

[Herman Trivilino]

I particularly like the green improvised adjustment nut in the US. presumably that's the one you were posting about the other day

Yes, and it works nicely with this jig.  I can set the angle with the platform resting on the grindstone, then turn the micro adjuster on the universal support to raise the platform just a fuzz above the grindstone.

[Herman Trivilino]

I sharpened one of my pocket knives using the new jig.  You can see that I still need some practice.  The bevel width varies.  But this has promise as it can sharpen the smallest of blades.

[Herman Trivilino]

Here's another photo of the pocket knife.

[Herman Trivilino]

I'm thinking of drilling and tapping two holes in the base of the scissor jig so that the platform can be attached with screws instead of c-clamps.  I'm finding that there's no need to adjust the platform position relative to the base of the scissor jig.  Adjusting the height of the universal support, and rotating the base of the scissor jig on the universal support, provide enough adjustment.

I can see how this jig may surpass the knife jig for sharpening all knives, not just small ones.  One advantage it has is that it keeps the bevel angle constant all the way to the knife tip.

[Rob]

Patent quick!

[Herman Trivilino]

Made some further modifications.  Drilled holes through the scissor jig base and tapped them.  Used two phillips head screws to attach platform.  I need to countersink those screw heads but I don't have a drill bit that'll do that to that tool steel.  Ideally this platform should be made of aluminum.

[Elden]

Looks very nice, Herman. Do a little hillbilly machining on the perimeter and it will be professional! The knob looks great as well.