-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
"Leading Edge" 3D printed knife guided sharpening system. Assembly/Build/Use
- Thread starter CelloDan
- Start date
cudgee
Gold Member
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- May 13, 2019
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777 Edge
Dealer / Materials Provider
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2019
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Ingenious name! Love it.I call my Leading Edge sharpener " The Red Scorpion "
Having fun putting together the new updated clamps
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
Today I played a little with the clamp set up to familiarize myself with it.
The clamp base can be set up in the front for smaller knives or further back for bigger ones.
Clamping knives does required careful attention to line up the knife with the clamps surface area and apply pressure by using the back screw in a cantilever action. Once set up the knife is held very firmly in place
( Note that is important to apply tape inside the clamps to aid in securing the knife )
Back position with 8mm clamp/ medium kitchen knife:
Front position with smaller clamp/knife:
Noticed the screw that is used to tighten up and secure the clamps in place
A long thumb screw would be ideal however they are hard to get in that length sometimes.
I made my own version by grinding the head of a screw to a smaller diameter so a wingnut can be brought right against it. I epoxy the wingnut in place and it works like a charm.
Only a little torque on the screw is required to secure the clamps solidly in the base (there is a slit in the base walls allowing them to bend slightly inwards)
I have not sharpened a knife with the clamps yet and look forward to trying them out.
There is bit of flex in the system upon initial observation if you apply pressure at either side of the blade, especially with bigger knives.
I would not go bigger than the medium knife you see pictured.
A bit of flex at either end of the blade will not necessarily mess up the edge as you would be sharpening at a slightly lower angle.
Proper sharpening technique requires very little pressure to be used so I am keen to try out the clamps in real life sharpening.
Having said that, I am a BIG fan of the magnet system which I have already used and LOVE
I am a total convert
as it is just rock solid even with big kitchen knives and incredibly easy to use, flip the knife, take it out to inspect it etc.
I am also very much looking forward to the release of the KakBritva clamps by Griptomatic.
See discussion thread about them in link below:
www.bladeforums.com
This is the bar that attaches to the clamp base to which aftermarket aluminum clamps can be secured to:
I am especially excited about the possibility of clamping very small blades ( ex: Victorinox pen blades) to a small aluminum clamp.
(The magnet system is perhaps not ideal for such small blades).
Image from the above mentioned thread by the designer
Cheers
The clamp base can be set up in the front for smaller knives or further back for bigger ones.
Clamping knives does required careful attention to line up the knife with the clamps surface area and apply pressure by using the back screw in a cantilever action. Once set up the knife is held very firmly in place
( Note that is important to apply tape inside the clamps to aid in securing the knife )Back position with 8mm clamp/ medium kitchen knife:
Front position with smaller clamp/knife:
Noticed the screw that is used to tighten up and secure the clamps in place
A long thumb screw would be ideal however they are hard to get in that length sometimes.
I made my own version by grinding the head of a screw to a smaller diameter so a wingnut can be brought right against it. I epoxy the wingnut in place and it works like a charm.
Only a little torque on the screw is required to secure the clamps solidly in the base (there is a slit in the base walls allowing them to bend slightly inwards)
I have not sharpened a knife with the clamps yet and look forward to trying them out.
There is bit of flex in the system upon initial observation if you apply pressure at either side of the blade, especially with bigger knives.
I would not go bigger than the medium knife you see pictured.
A bit of flex at either end of the blade will not necessarily mess up the edge as you would be sharpening at a slightly lower angle.
Proper sharpening technique requires very little pressure to be used so I am keen to try out the clamps in real life sharpening.
Having said that, I am a BIG fan of the magnet system which I have already used and LOVE
I am a total convert
as it is just rock solid even with big kitchen knives and incredibly easy to use, flip the knife, take it out to inspect it etc.I am also very much looking forward to the release of the KakBritva clamps by Griptomatic.
See discussion thread about them in link below:
First Look to TSProf Kadet
I too would like to know when my Kadet will arrive. I may have ordered late, but in a chat with TSProf they said my order was set to ship in the first shipment out. I have not seen it. Webpage still says ship in May. Has anyone received a new kit direct from TSProf yet? I actually got an...
www.bladeforums.com
This is the bar that attaches to the clamp base to which aftermarket aluminum clamps can be secured to:
I am especially excited about the possibility of clamping very small blades ( ex: Victorinox pen blades) to a small aluminum clamp.
(The magnet system is perhaps not ideal for such small blades).
Image from the above mentioned thread by the designer
Cheers
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
I thought a quick little video may help visualize how to go about installing the brass threaded inserts that we discussed in one of the first posts.
And these are all the parts that require inserts.
All pics are taken from the side where inserts are installed, not from the other sides.
Note that when you install brass inserts into the stone clamp, stopper, fine tuning adapter and pivot bearing unit to make sure the inserts don't go in too deep as you won't be able to slide it onto your rod.
Main base - all of the small holes.
Stone clamps with holes and stoppers get inserts.
Fine Tuning adapter gets 1.
Bearing unit gets 1.
Scissors clamp, only 1 hole (bottom hole, back flat side ).
Chisel clamp ( 2 )
Knife clamp: The side with 2 holes only, both get an insert (installed from the top) and the side with 3 holes only get 1 insert (installed from the inside / flat side
Clamp base gets one on the outside of the left side
And these are all the parts that require inserts.
All pics are taken from the side where inserts are installed, not from the other sides.
Note that when you install brass inserts into the stone clamp, stopper, fine tuning adapter and pivot bearing unit to make sure the inserts don't go in too deep as you won't be able to slide it onto your rod.
Main base - all of the small holes.
Stone clamps with holes and stoppers get inserts.
Fine Tuning adapter gets 1.
Bearing unit gets 1.
Scissors clamp, only 1 hole (bottom hole, back flat side ).
Chisel clamp ( 2 )
Knife clamp: The side with 2 holes only, both get an insert (installed from the top) and the side with 3 holes only get 1 insert (installed from the inside / flat side
Clamp base gets one on the outside of the left side
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
I like touching up my knives, especially traditionals ones like my GEC’s in carbon steel with my ceramic sharpmaker rods.
The sharpmaker system only has two options for either 15 or 20 degrees. If your factory bevel is not close enough to either angle then the rods are not very effective unless you reprofile your edge ( which is a big job for which I may not always have the time )
With the Leading Edge system I’ll be able to use the rods and match any angle that comes my way for a quick touch up
The sharpmaker system only has two options for either 15 or 20 degrees. If your factory bevel is not close enough to either angle then the rods are not very effective unless you reprofile your edge ( which is a big job for which I may not always have the time )
With the Leading Edge system I’ll be able to use the rods and match any angle that comes my way for a quick touch up
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
Hi, in the You Tube video description posted at the start of this thread I put some links for the hardware.
(got the inserts from Amazon but if you can wait you can get everything from Ali Express too)
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
I needed some strops for my Leading Edge system so in the spirit of the DIY vibes of this thread I decided to make my own
For sharpening stones I am using the "economical" diamond stones readily available on Ali Express.
They have sharpened and reprofiled a coupe of my knives with no issues ( provided they are lubricated with soapy water and are used with light pressure ).
The actual diamond stones inside the plastic casing are 3/4 inch wide so to keep the same dimensions for my strops I bought a couple pieces of 3/4 wide aluminum flat stock from my local home depot, cut it up, grinded the ends at an angle and glued strips of vegetable tanned leather on the pieces.
I am now waiting on the diamond paste from Gritomatic to try them out. ( ordered the sampler kit of 8 grits )
So while waiting for the diamond paste to arrive lol, I started reading up on the different methods of stropping that people prefer.
I was surprised to see how many here on BF like a firmer substrate than leather for the diamond paste and use balsa, basswood etc.
The leather I got is quite firm but i could have ordered and even firmer one perhaps. Mine is 2 mm thick and they ( Amazon ) also have 1 mm thick.
So I made myself some some "wood" strops from paint mixing sticks from home depot and glued them to the aluminum blanks.
I am eager to find out the differences between leather vs wood stropping with diamond pastes.
I also realized that I had a few sheets left of the 3M PSA abrasive films.
I have used them in the past with very good results. They come in 100, 30 ,9, 3, 1 and 0.3 micron.
So I decided to make lapping plates by gluing strips of glass to the aluminum blanks.
Ok so i think I have some options now
I just got my new Spyderco Para 3 lightweight
I could try the abrasive films on glass … or the diamond stones followed by leather strops with diamond paste …. or diamond stones and wood strops … hum
...
Well, there is one thing though.
This thing came VERY sharp out of the box !!! It will have to wait and put it to use for a while before thinking about sharpening a very sharp knife LOL
I was curious to find out the factory bevel angle so I colored the bevel with a sharpie and gave it a couple passes on my Spyderco ceramic rods.
The angle was somewhere between 15 and 20 degrees so since I was at it already I gave it a few more passes at 20 degrees on the brown and white rods.
This knife is screaming sharp now … wow … which is good however I still need more knives to take to my Leading Edge system.
I think I am going to have to head out to our kitchen to find them as those knives are guaranteed to be dull LOL
For sharpening stones I am using the "economical" diamond stones readily available on Ali Express.
They have sharpened and reprofiled a coupe of my knives with no issues ( provided they are lubricated with soapy water and are used with light pressure ).
The actual diamond stones inside the plastic casing are 3/4 inch wide so to keep the same dimensions for my strops I bought a couple pieces of 3/4 wide aluminum flat stock from my local home depot, cut it up, grinded the ends at an angle and glued strips of vegetable tanned leather on the pieces.
I am now waiting on the diamond paste from Gritomatic to try them out. ( ordered the sampler kit of 8 grits )
So while waiting for the diamond paste to arrive lol, I started reading up on the different methods of stropping that people prefer.
I was surprised to see how many here on BF like a firmer substrate than leather for the diamond paste and use balsa, basswood etc.
The leather I got is quite firm but i could have ordered and even firmer one perhaps. Mine is 2 mm thick and they ( Amazon ) also have 1 mm thick.
So I made myself some some "wood" strops from paint mixing sticks from home depot and glued them to the aluminum blanks.
I am eager to find out the differences between leather vs wood stropping with diamond pastes.
I also realized that I had a few sheets left of the 3M PSA abrasive films.
I have used them in the past with very good results. They come in 100, 30 ,9, 3, 1 and 0.3 micron.
So I decided to make lapping plates by gluing strips of glass to the aluminum blanks.
Ok so i think I have some options now
I just got my new Spyderco Para 3 lightweight
I could try the abrasive films on glass … or the diamond stones followed by leather strops with diamond paste …. or diamond stones and wood strops … hum
...
Well, there is one thing though.
This thing came VERY sharp out of the box !!! It will have to wait and put it to use for a while before thinking about sharpening a very sharp knife LOL
I was curious to find out the factory bevel angle so I colored the bevel with a sharpie and gave it a couple passes on my Spyderco ceramic rods.
The angle was somewhere between 15 and 20 degrees so since I was at it already I gave it a few more passes at 20 degrees on the brown and white rods.
This knife is screaming sharp now … wow … which is good
however I still need more knives to take to my Leading Edge system.I think I am going to have to head out to our kitchen to find them as those knives are guaranteed to be dull LOL
Last edited:
cudgee
Gold Member
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- May 13, 2019
- Messages
- 7,752
Get some 1mm thick - hard, and use it bare.
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
Hey everyone -CelloDan - will be looking to buy more knives
You've created a very cool set up Dan. I'm certain that you will have great fun and razor sharp success with your new tool and accessories. It looks great to! Nicely dine.
Thank you guys
CelloDan
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Messages
- 3,375
Today I sharpened and "reprofiled" a couple of chisels.
I am no carpenter by any means and these two chisels saw some significant abuse over the years on my part.
I usually use them to knock off some of the bark of live edge bowls before I mount them on the lathe.
I also used them to remove nails, as pry bars, to cut off half cured pieces of fiberglass and epoxy when I was building a boat
etc etc etc .
Mamma Mia !
btw, here are some of the bowls I recently turned
So as I mentioned these two were in rough shape.
I cleaned the rust with CLR and lapped the bottoms on a few strips of sandpaper I glued to a piece of melamine I had laying around.
Because of their desperate state I had to take them to my slow speed grinder to true the edge and grind the main bevel making sure I did not overheat the steel
At this point I was ready to take them to my Leading Edge system.
What makes sense to me at this point is to just do a secondary smaller bevel on the concave grind produced by the grinder.
I did this one one of them but on the bigger one I sharpened the whole bevel just to see how it would turn out.
Zeroed the angle on the chisel
Looks like the original angle is around 30 degrees. I used my homemade lapping plates ( glass glued onto aluminum strips ) with the 3M abrasive films. I find that a very small amount of mineral oil works well as a lubricant on these films
After the first grit of 100 microns
( also noticed how the plastic clamp flexes a little, it is important not to over tighten it and use tape inside the clamp to aid in securing the chisel )
After the 9 micron film.
Two sharp chisels.
(I realized after that the secondary bevel on the smaller one is a little too steep.)
For occasional touch ups on these chisels, the Leading Edge system is all I need as I can use the stones/film/ diamond paste strops etc that I already use for my knives.
SHARP
a couple of chisels.I am no carpenter by any means and these two chisels saw some significant abuse over the years on my part.
I usually use them to knock off some of the bark of live edge bowls before I mount them on the lathe.
I also used them to remove nails, as pry bars, to cut off half cured pieces of fiberglass and epoxy when I was building a boat
etc etc etc .Mamma Mia !
btw, here are some of the bowls I recently turned
So as I mentioned these two were in rough shape.
I cleaned the rust with CLR and lapped the bottoms on a few strips of sandpaper I glued to a piece of melamine I had laying around.
Because of their desperate state I had to take them to my slow speed grinder to true the edge and grind the main bevel making sure I did not overheat the steel
At this point I was ready to take them to my Leading Edge system.
What makes sense to me at this point is to just do a secondary smaller bevel on the concave grind produced by the grinder.
I did this one one of them but on the bigger one I sharpened the whole bevel just to see how it would turn out.
Zeroed the angle on the chisel
Looks like the original angle is around 30 degrees. I used my homemade lapping plates ( glass glued onto aluminum strips ) with the 3M abrasive films. I find that a very small amount of mineral oil works well as a lubricant on these films
After the first grit of 100 microns
( also noticed how the plastic clamp flexes a little, it is important not to over tighten it and use tape inside the clamp to aid in securing the chisel )
After the 9 micron film.
Two sharp chisels.
(I realized after that the secondary bevel on the smaller one is a little too steep.)
For occasional touch ups on these chisels, the Leading Edge system is all I need as I can use the stones/film/ diamond paste strops etc that I already use for my knives.
SHARP
Last edited:
cudgee
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2019
- Messages
- 7,752
You are expanding and improving your skills. Good to see.Today I sharpened and "reprofiled"
I am no carpenter by any means and these two chisels saw some significant abuse over the years on my part.
I usually use them to knock off some of the bark of live edge bowls before I mount them on the lathe.
I also used them to remove nails, as pry bars, to cut off half cured pieces of fiberglass and epoxy when I was building a boat
Mamma Mia !
btw, here are some of the bowls I recently turned
So as I mentioned these two were in rough shape.
I cleaned the rust with CLR and lapped the bottoms on a few strips of sandpaper I glued to a piece of melamine I had laying around.
Because of their desperate state I had to take them to my slow speed grinder to true the edge and grind the main bevel making sure I did not overheat the steel
At this point I was ready to take them to my Leading Edge system.
What makes sense to me at this point is to just do a secondary smaller bevel on the concave grind produced by the grinder.
I did this one one of them but on the bigger one I sharpened the whole bevel just to see how it would turn out.
Zeroed the angle on the chisel
Looks like the original angle is around 30 degrees. I used my homemade lapping plates ( glass glued onto aluminum strips ) with the 3M abrasive films. I find that a very small amount of mineral oil works well as a lubricant on these films
After the first grit of 100 microns
( also noticed how the plastic clamp flexes a little, it is important not to over tighten it and use tape inside the clamp to aid in securing the chisel )
After the 9 micron film.
Two sharp chisels.
(I realized after that the secondary bevel on the smaller one is a little too steep.)
For occasional touch ups on these chisels, the Leading Edge system is all I need as I can use the stones/film/ diamond paste strops etc that I already use for my knives.
SHARP