Homemade sharpening jig (Lego)

[Golabekrafts]

Just thought I’d share this, as I’m a beginner and it was the easiest/cheapest way for me to sharpen as a step up from completely hand sharpening.

I made a little jig out of Lego technic pieces for sharpening the gravers I made, it only holds the main angle depending on how far protruding the graver is, and if you switch sides you can use it at a really shallow angle as well. It can be rotated onto its side for sharpening square graver heels as well.

I’m just using it with the stones I have from knife making (my main activity is bladesmithing)

using 220, 600, 1200 DMT diamond plate
And king 4K, imanishi 8k for polishing

 

[Andrew Biggs]

who would have thought. A Lego sharpening fixture!
Fantastic.
If it works, then keep using it.

 

[monk]

the foto may be tricking my eye, but it looks to be a bit wobbly. it should repeat the chosen geometry each time. i've always been a fan of creating something from nothing. as andrew mwntioned, if it works, no reason to not use it.

 

[Golabekrafts]

It can “wobble” sideways, but that hasn’t been a problem for me as it’s pretty easy to register if it’s riding flat. Here’s my result on one of my gravers that I’ve made, I don’t know what the angles are, but probably somewhere around 40-50 degrees and 15-25 degrees for the heel on this approx 120 degree graver, it’s got a little bit of a micro bevel from polishing after I found my initial sharpening angle was a bit too shallow after some use.

 

[Golabekrafts]

All gravers I’ve made, either spring steel or O1

 

[monk]

there's a few that say homebrewed tools are a waste. a waste of time. i,m not one of them. you owe it to yerself to figger a way to attain a few of the basic geometries. once you can do that, that's what i call success without breaking the bank.

 

[Golabekrafts]

They’ve been working for me, and I think helping me understand exactly what makes a graver work well.
Also it may not be worth it depending on your prior experience with similar work (making your own gravers)

 

[monk]

They’ve been working for me, and I think helping me understand exactly what makes a graver work well.
Also it may not be worth it depending on your prior experience with similar work (making your own gravers)

i made my own in the very beginning. that was due to total ignorance of what was available at the time. today, there's no reason at all to make your own. used ones on the bay is a good start. brand new ones are made to xacting standards and are a bargain right off.

 

[Golabekrafts]

i made my own in the very beginning. that was due to total ignorance of what was available at the time. today, there's no reason at all to make your own. used ones on the bay is a good start. brand new ones are made to xacting standards and are a bargain right off.

For me it’s just been convenient, I’ve got lots of stock that’s the right size, and it doesn’t take long to grind (if done before heat treat), I’m definitely planning on buying some once I know which gravers I use the most for my work. I do have two grs glensteel gravers, but they aren’t ones designed for hammer work

 

[alfredo gm]

there's a few that say homebrewed tools are a waste. a waste of time. i,m not one of them. you owe it to yerself to figger a way to attain a few of the basic geometries. once you can do that, that's what i call success without breaking the bank

totally agree
I did this and it works very well it is fixed at 55 degrees

 

[monk]

totally agree
I did this and it works very well it is fixed at 55 degrees View attachment 48870

you would be better served if you could reduce that to about 45 degrees. 55 is ,more suitablle for much harder materials.

 

[alfredo gm]

you would be better served if you could reduce that to about 45 degrees. 55 is ,more suitablle for much harder materials.

you're right I'm going to set it to 45 degrees

 

[alfredo gm]

you would be better served if you could reduce that to about 45 degrees. 55 is ,more suitablle for much harder materials.

At first I had it at 45 degrees but the tip was constantly breaking and that's why I raised it to 55 degrees
anyway as I am a newbie in this any advice is of great help