US 12,459,158 B2
Knife sharpening apparatus and method
Kenneth A. Wildman, Rochester, NY (US)
Filed by Kenneth A. Wildman, Rochester, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/492,878.
Application 17/492,878 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/937,785, filed on Jul. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,229,984.
Prior Publication US 2022/0088820 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. B27J 1/00 (2006.01); B24B 3/36 (2006.01); B24B 19/00 (2006.01); B24D 15/06 (2006.01); G10D 9/035 (2020.01)
CPC B27J 1/00 (2013.01) [B24B 3/36 (2013.01); B24B 19/001 (2013.01); B24D 15/06 (2013.01); G10D 9/035 (2020.02)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for holding a knife for sharpening, the knife having a blade with a first and second sides extending from a spine along a back surface of the blade and meeting at a linear cutting edge, the apparatus comprising:
a magnet assembly for securely holding the knife only by magnetic attachment to the blade of the knife, said magnetic attachment occurring only along the first side of the knife blade and adjacent spine thereof, without further means to hold the knife;
a carriage for reciprocal movement above a flat sharpening surface parallel to a longitudinal axis of the flat sharpening surface; and
an angle adjustment assembly, pivotally connecting the magnet assembly to the carriage, the angle adjustment assembly further establishing, at a pivot point, a first angular relationship between the magnet assembly and the carriage, and wherein the angle adjustment assembly further incudes a releasable lock at the pivot point to lock a sharpening angle after adjustment;
wherein the carriage includes:
two wheels;
one axle rotatably coupled to and separating the wheels, where each of the wheels is positioned to roll along opposite sides of the flat sharpening surface; and
a sliding bearing, located on the axle, permitting both rotation of the bearing about the axle, thereby establishing a second angular relationship, and linear translation of the bearing over at least a portion of the length of the axle, thereby enabling the knife blade to be translated between tip and heel as drawn along the flat sharpening surface while maintaining the sharpening angle,
where the adjustment of the sharpening angle between the second side of the knife blade and the flat sharpening surface is achieved as a combination of the first angular relationship and the second angular relationship, and thereby enables adjustment of the sharpening angle along the linear cutting edge to a minimum of at least 0 degrees.