A jig better than the "ruler trick"??

[Timberwolf]

How about an idea I just had that replaces the ruler with an adjustable jig...a jig that will allow the person sharpening to adjust the amount of bevel wanted on the tool...This may be something that Lee Valley would want to develop further...But it can be cobbled up by any competent woodworker in just a few minutes...The idea has a lot going for it in that it is adjustable, simple to make, can be made out of wood or metal, doesn't "move" in use, can be made to fit any hone, waterstone etc...

I just laid this out on my computer desk out of a small piece of angle aluminum, using a spacer to hold the diamond plate at the height desired that will produce the amount of bevel wanted...Check it out and see if you can see any potential....

Rob Lee...are you watching??????

[clovishound]

The only down side to this is that you must be careful to maintain the same distance from the edge of the tool to the jig. Not difficult, but something to be aware of.

[Handplanesandmore]

Are you talking about the ruler trick or a real back bevel?

If ruler trick, it doesn't need to be adjustable.

If the objective is to keep the ruler from moving, it's easy, and I have someone used a fabricated "ruler" that has three sides placed on the edge of his stone.

Simon

[Timberwolf]

Are you talking about the ruler trick or a real back bevel?

If ruler trick, it doesn't need to be adjustable.

If the objective is to keep the ruler from moving, it's easy, and I have someone used a fabricated "ruler" that has three sides placed on the edge of his stone.

Simon

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It could apply not only to the ruler trick, but also to repeatable microbevels...It would be very easy to make one out of hard wood like ebony etc..

[Timberwolf]

The only down side to this is that you must be careful to maintain the same distance from the edge of the tool to the jig. Not difficult, but something to be aware of.

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True, but the same thing applies to the ruler trick, no ??

[Handplanesandmore]

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True, but the same thing applies to the ruler trick, no ??

The way D.C. does it doesn't require the edge of the tool to be kept at the same distance from anything, except that the angle is raised while the edge of the tool goes back and forth over the edge of the stone and from side to side. Are you using a variant way of doing his trick?

Simon

[Timberwolf]

The way D.C. does it doesn't require the edge of the tool to be kept at the same distance from anything, except that the angle is raised while the edge of the tool goes back and forth over the edge of the stone and from side to side. Are you using a variant way of doing his trick?

Simon

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Technically speaking, DC's method produces a slightly "rounded" edge, while Cosman's method does not..DC moves his blade fore and aft while Cosman moves his side to side, or parallel to the length of the stone..But I doubt it makes a nickel's worth of difference...Altho Karl Holtey sharpens his blades in a parallel motion, and he knows a thing or two about sharpening.

[Derek Cohen]

Jack, the issue is that, unlike a ruler on a stone, your method cannot maintain a uniform height above the stone’s surface. Your design is based on a diamond stone, which is flat and even in height, but what if you have a used waterstone, which is worn at an angle?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Timberwolf]

Jack, the issue is that, unlike a ruler on a stone, your method cannot maintain a uniform height above the stone’s surface. Your design is based on a diamond stone, which is flat and even in height, but what if you have a used waterstone, which is worn at an angle?

Regards from Perth

Derek

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That is true Derek...the abrasive surface must be correct for it to work,...the idea may work well on a oilstone, Arkansas or diamond plate....If the "fence" could be adjusted high enough, it could not only remove the burr on a low setting but may also work to put on a repeatable microbevel...It definitely needs more tweaking but I think it has potential.

[Greg Jones]

The ruler trick technique naturally maintains the same micro bevel, as long as the same width stone is used every time. For right-handed sharpeners the (thin) ruler is placed on the very right edge of the stone and the edge of the blade is placed on the very left edge of the stone. Charlesworth then takes very short perpendicular strokes while I prefer Cosman’s tweak where he takes parallel strokes right at the edge of the stone. I believe someone has measured the resulting bevel and it’s less than 1* for a 3” wide stone but naturally the angle will be more or less depending on stone width.

Since Lee Valley was mentioned, their Mk. II honing guide has the ability to set 10* or higher for back bevels, but that’s way too much bevel for the ruler trick.