Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening cutting tools. In accordance with some embodiments, an abrasive medium is presented adjacent a guide housing. The guide housing includes a guide slot to facilitate presentation of a magnetically permeable tool against the abrasive medium. A magnet positioned adjacent the guide slot exerts a biasing force upon the tool that both draws the first tool against a guide surface of the guide slot and draws the tool into the guide slot along the guide surface to hold the tool at a neutral position at which a cutting edge of the first tool applies a contacting force against the abrasive medium.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated method for sharpening a cutting edge of a tool. In accordance with some embodiments, a side of the tool is placed in contacting engagement against a reverse sharpening guide surface to orient the tool at an acute angle with respect to an abrasive surface, with the abrasive surface extending in a lateral direction from a first end to a second end and the reverse sharpening guide surface located proximate the first end. The tool is moved away from the reverse sharpening guide surface and along the abrasive surface in the lateral direction toward the second end while nominally maintaining the tool at the acute angle so that a cutting edge of the tool is sharpened against the abrasive surface in a trailing cutting edge orientation with a top surface of the tool opposite the cutting edge maintained closer to the second end than the cutting edge.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sharpening a cutting tool. In some embodiments, an abrasive endless belt is rotated in tension along a neutral plane between spaced apart first and second rollers. A guide assembly has spaced apart first and second guide surfaces which collectively converge to an intervening base surface to form a guide channel. Upon insertion of a blade of a cutting tool into the guide channel, a selected side of the blade contactingly slides against at least a selected one of the first or second guide surfaces and a first portion of a cutting edge of the blade contactingly engages the base surface to serve as a plunge depth limit stop for the blade. The endless belt is contactingly deflected by a second portion of the cutting edge away from the neutral plane to sharpen the second portion while the first portion remains in contact with the base surface.

Abstract: Method (300) and apparatus (100) for sharpening a cutting tool (114, 132, 204, 210, 216). A flexible abrasive belt (116, 116A, 116B, 162, 172) with a selected linear stiffness and an abrasive surface (128A, 128B) of selected abrasiveness level is driven (304) in a selected direction along a selected plane between a first support (122) and a second support (118). In some embodiments, the cutting tool is presented (306, 308) in contacting engagement against the abrasive surface to induce torsion of the belt (140, 144, 148) out of the selected plane to conform to a cutting edge (138, 168, 178, 207, 208, 213, 214, 215) of the cutting tool. In further embodiments, presentation of the cutting tool against the abrasive surface of the belt (306, 308) induces bending of the belt out of said selected plane at a radius of curvature (169, 179) determined in relation to said linear stiffness to shape a side surface (164, 166, 174, 176) of the cutting tool with said radius of curvature.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening a cutting tool, such as but not limited to a kitchen knife. In accordance with some embodiments, a flexible abrasive disk is adapted for rotation about a central axis at a selected rotational velocity. Centripetal forces imparted to the disk during rotation urge the disk to a neutral position in which an outer peripheral portion of the disk is extended toward a selected plane. A housing adjacent the flexible disk has a guide slot with a guide surface at a selected bevel angle with respect to the selected plane. The guide surface is adapted to facilitate presentation of a cutting tool in contacting engagement against the disk. The cutting tool is presented at the selected bevel angle to induce curvilinear displacement of the flexible disk during sharpening of a cutting edge that extends along a side of the cutting tool.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharpening a tool, such as a chisel. A sharpening guide applies a clamping force to secure the tool and advances a beveled leading edge surface of the secured tool against an abrasive surface to sharpen a cutting edge while the guide is in an upright orientation. An alignment plate nestingly receives the guide in an inverted orientation to align the tool prior to sharpening. During alignment, a back surface of the tool slidingly contacts an upper plate surface and the cutting edge contactingly abuts an alignment feature which projects from the plate surface. In some embodiments, the alignment feature comprises a removable alignment pin selectively insertable into a plurality of spaced apart apertures, each providing a final bevel angle for the sharpened tool.

Abstract: Method (300) and apparatus (100) for sharpening a cutting tool (114, 132, 204, 210, 216). A flexible abrasive belt (116, 116A, 116B, 162, 172) with a selected linear stiffness and an abrasive surface (128A, 128B) of selected abrasiveness level is driven (304) in a selected direction along a selected plane between a first support (122) and a second support (118). In some embodiments, the cutting tool is presented (306, 308) in contacting engagement against the abrasive surface to induce torsion of the belt (140, 144, 148) out of the selected plane to conform to a cutting edge (138, 168,178,207, 208, 213, 214, 215) of the cutting tool. In further embodiments, presentation of the cutting tool against the abrasive surface of the belt (306, 308) induces bending of the belt out of said selected plane at a radius of curvature (169, 179) determined in relation to said linear stiffness to shape a side surface (164, 166, 174, 176) of the cutting tool with said radius of curvature.