Sharpmaker Tip & Idea.

[Vincent]

I have a New Sharpmaker tip for you guys. While using my Sharp maker few days ago while re profiling one of my knives, I got kinda sick of having to go clean the rods. While re profiling I would have to go clean the rods every half an hour or so, so i could be more productive.

I use a lot of 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean electronics and alot of coffee filters or cotton balls. So I took the coffee filter and wet it with the isopropyl alcohol and then just scrubbed the sharp makers steel filled rod. To my surprise it really got almost all the steel off the rod, you could tell because the coffee filter turned black/grey and filled with steel.

So I do this when I dont want to go and properly clean the rods, Its faster and does a really good job. Oh yeah, I use coffee filters because they dont fall apart and leave material behind.







I also had a suggestion for Sal and Spyderco for a Possible addition to newer models of the Sharpmaker. While you use the Sharpmaker, you are supposed to keep the knife as straight as possible. If you go a few degrees over to the side on each side, then you will not have the best sharpen possible. What I came up with, was why not have a device that you secured with your thumb at the area below the jimping and above the pivot. The device would have the little green Level pieces in it. Ya know the ones from the Level tools. This way you know that the knife is as straight as possible and will only give the user a better end result.



It could look something like this, this is very rough and just an idea.

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/6841/backvs9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Blackhair]

I don't quite understand how your little device is supposed to work, but anything that gives sharper edges sounds good to me!

[Vincent]

ok, sorry I should have been clearer.

You have the device and you secure it to the knife with your thumb. You secure it with you thumb right above the pivot on the handle. It is my assumption that that part of the knife is flat and level, if not then thats ok as there are ways to work around the problem.

When you have the device secured to the top of the knife and are getting ready to sharpen, the Level Readers will give the use feedback, as to if the knife is level or not. If the user is keeping the knife level, there is much less of a chance for rolling a edge and things like that.


I have also thought of other ideas, other that look like the one at the bottom here.

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6613/back2dj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Left Hand Path]

Thanks for the tip on using coffee filters and isopropyl alcohol to quick-clean the sharpmaker rods. I have used a pencil eraser to do a quick cleaning job on the sharpmaker rods in the past, and it worked pretty well too.

[doubleclaw]

Good idea, the levelling device, but why not instead of requiring the user to hold it in place, try a very small magnet mounted inside a bracket? The bracket could straddle the very top of the blade, and the magnet would hold it in place. The level could be attached with adhesive to the top.

OR...

Maybe something like an "alligator" clip with the level mounted on top?