Sharpening a cutting edge of a tool using a reverse sharpening guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623533-B2
Application number	US-201414444652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Sep 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sharpening a tool. In accordance with some embodiments, a selected side surface of the tool is placed in contacting engagement against an upper reverse sharpening guide surface that faces an abrasive surface extending along a first plane. The upper reverse sharpening guide surface is aligned along a second plane that intersects the first plane at an acute angle. A tool cutting edge contactingly engages a non-abrasive support surface disposed between the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and the abrasive surface to establish a plunge depth of the tool prior to contact with the abrasive surface. The tool is thereafter moved away from the upper reverse sharpening guide in a lateral direction across the abrasive surface while nominally maintaining the tool at the acute angle to sharpen the cutting edge in a trailing cutting edge orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for sharpening a tool having a blade portion with opposing side surfaces and a cutting edge therebetween, the method comprising:
placing a selected side surface of the tool in contacting engagement against an upper reverse sharpening guide surface to orient the tool at an acute angle with respect to an abrasive surface, wherein the abrasive surface extends in a lateral direction from a first end to a second end along a first plane, the upper reverse sharpening guide surface located proximate the first end and aligned along a second plane that intersects the first plane at the acute angle, the cutting edge contactingly engaging a non-abrasive support surface disposed between the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and the first end of the abrasive surface to establish a plunge depth of the tool prior to contact with the abrasive surface, the non-abrasive support surface arranged so that a third plane orthogonal to the first plane intersects the first plane, the non-abrasive support surface and the guide surface; and
moving the tool away from the upper reverse sharpening guide in said lateral direction toward the second end while nominally maintaining the tool at the acute angle so that the cutting edge of the tool disengages the non-abrasive support surface and moves along the abrasive surface from the first end toward the second end for sharpening thereagainst in a trailing cutting edge orientation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface extends along a third plane nominally parallel to the first plane.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface extends along the first plane.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface is disposed below the first plane so that the first plane extends between the non-abrasive support surface and a top edge of the upper reverse sharpening guide surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface is disposed above the first plane so that the non-abrasive support surface extends between the first plane and a top edge of the upper reverse sharpening guide surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the abrasive surface is characterized as a locally deformable abrasive surface so that moving the tool away from the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and along the abrasive surface locally deforms the abrasive surface responsive to pressure applied by a user to the tool, wherein remaining portions of the abrasive surface remain aligned along the first plane.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the abrasive surface, the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and the non-abrasive support surface are each supported by a rigid body member.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a retention mechanism applies a retention force to retain the tool against the upper reverse sharpening guide surface.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the abrasive surface is characterized as a substantially rectangular surface with opposing first and second side surfaces respectively extending between the first and second ends, wherein the non-abrasive support surface extends along the first end from the first side surface to the second side surface.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool is characterized as a single-sided tool.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tool is characterized as a double-sided tool.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and the non-abrasive support surface are formed of plastic.

13. An apparatus comprising:
an abrasive member having an abrasive surface extending along a first plane from a first end to a second end;
an upper reverse sharpening guide having a guide surface adjacent the first end of the abrasive surface which extends in facing relation toward the abrasive surface along a second plane at an acute angle with respect to the first plane; and
a non-abrasive support surface disposed between the first end of the abrasive surface and the guide surface of the upper reverse sharpening guide so that a third plane orthogonal to the first plane intersects the first plane, the non-abrasive support surface and the guide surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the abrasive surface is substantially rectangular with opposing first and second side surfaces extending between the first and second ends thereof, the non-abrasive support surface extending parallel to the first end and between the first and second side surfaces.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the abrasive surface is characterized as a cylindrical surface of an abrasive rod.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the abrasive surface is characterized as an abrasive surface of a layer of flexible media, and wherein the layer of flexible media is supported on a compressible support block.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface is nominally parallel to the first plane to establish a plunge depth of a tool aligned against the guide surface prior to sliding contact of a cutting surface of the tool along the abrasive surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface is at an elevation lower than the abrasive surface with respect to the guide surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the non-abrasive support surface is at an elevation higher than the abrasive surface with respect to the guide surface.

20. A hand-held tool sharpener comprising:
an abrasive member having an outermost abrasive surface which extends along a first plane, the abrasive surface bounded by opposing first and second ends separated by an overall length and bounded by opposing first and second side surfaces separated by an overall width less than the overall length; and
a base member which supports the abrasive member, the base member comprising:
an upper reverse sharpening guide surface extending adjacent the first end of the abrasive surface in facing relation to the abrasive surface along a second plane that intersects the first plane at an acute angle; and
a non-abrasive support surface between the upper reverse sharpening guide surface and the first end of the abrasive surface to contactingly establish a plunge depth of a cutting edge of a tool prior to contact thereof with the abrasive surface, the non-abrasive support surface extending in a direction parallel to the first end of the abrasive surface.

Assignees

• Darex Llc

Inventors

• Dovel Daniel T

Classifications

• B24B3/54 Primary

  of hand or table knives · CPC title

• B24B3/36

  of cutting blades (B24B3/58 takes precedence) · CPC title