April 2016
ANGLE GUIDE BENEFITS Matching an angle to the bevel of a blade you are sharpening is the best way to start a sharpening project, unless your customer requests a different angle depending on how they use their tool. Eyeballing the angle is possible, but why not be more precise and efficient with an angle guide? One made by Surgi-Sharp has been around for more than a decade, and sales are starting to take off due to its popularity. Chad Hitsman, Sharpening Supervisor at Acme Tool in Iowa, sells them (Tel: 515 244-4189), as do a few other distributors in the US and Canada. The Sharpeners Report has a list of distributors if curious.
The guide is used vertically with two thumb screws attached to a belt sander. It slides on to the platen (the metal bar that is just behind the sanding belt). It is held in place by a very strong spring. The sanding belt operates between the base and the angle table. Chad modified his by notching out the crescent shape near the bottom screw, so it is not contained by the bottom pin. “Then I only use the top screw to adjust to a specific angle for what I am working on. “The Angle Guide is great to use for pocket knives, cutlery, household scissors, chisels, lathes and other hand tools,” he said. He also flattens the back side of the guide to remove any high spots. One can change the belt to a different abrasive and keep the angle guide attached to the rectangle base’s spring clip, allowing
an operator to complete the job on all finishing steps at the same consistent angle using the guide. It works with one inch belts, primarily, and is adjustable to 45 degrees. “There’s no need to change the guide clamp, and while there is no pointer indicator, you can get the job done matching the bevel by blacking out your bevel on the blade edge,” he said. “Another great way I use them is in my mobile set up for restaurants. I have two angle jigs. One set just under 20 degrees for course and the other just over 20 degrees for fine. I never move them so the bevels match perfect the next time I am back at the belt. This makes it a really fast process,” Chad said. As an aside, dealers of the angle guide also sell the Surgi-Sharp leather belts, custom cut to length. The owner of the company, Michael and Susanne, remind sharpeners that leather stretches. “We may cut the leather belt slightly shorter than the 30” or 42” or 72” lengths, because one has to allow for the stretch of that piece of leather. With raw materials such as this, keep in mind all cows are different!” If you cut it by the advertised length, when it stretches, it won’t perform well on the belt sander if it sags,” she said.
IN THIS ISSUE: General Business
■ Classified Ads .................... 12-13 ■ Industry Events .........................3 ■ Q&A Corner ..............................9 ■ Sharper Wit ............................15 ■ Angle Guide Benefits ................1 Clipper DEPT.
■ Blade Sharpening Like a Robot .. 6-7 ■ Stock Show in Texas ..................3 ■ Ceramic Cutters ......................14 Knife DEPT.
■ Chipper Knife Sharpening .......10 ■ Chipper Knife Price
Report Correction ..................11
Saw/Industrial DEPT.
■ Shop talk on Saw Sharpening ...8 ■ Fire Recovery at Carbide Shop..4 ■ Vollmer New Hires....................9 Scissor DEPT.
■ Ride Line Perfection –
Long Groomer Shears ...............5
■ Shears Direct Custom Label ....15 Here’s a great reference chart provided by Surgi-Sharp for the angle guide and various blade edges.
Source: http://www.surgisharp.com