SHARPENING JIG HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE ANGLE

Abstract

A sharpening jig, in particular for holding a cutting tool which is to be sharpened or polished and which includes a blade, and for positioning the blade at least at one positioning angle with respect to a sharpening and/or polishing tool, e.g. a rolling sharpener. In order to be able to position the blade at different positioning angles and thus allow the sharpening jig to be used with more versatility, the sharpening jig has at least two parts which are movable relative to each other to set different positioning angles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a U.S. National Phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2021/074716, filed Sep. 8, 2021, which claims priority to German Application No. 10 2020 123 503.8, filed Sep. 9, 2020.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a sharpening jig, in particular for holding a cutting tool to be sharpened or polished with a blade and for positioning the blade at least at one positioning angle relative to a sharpening and/or polishing tool such as a rolling sharpener/roll grinder.

A generic sharpening jig is known from DE 20 2020 001 180 U1. A rolling sharpener is known, for example, from EP 3 278 928 A.

Such a sharpening jig fixes the blade, which is generally made of metal and may therefore be magnetized, by means of magnetic force and is also referred to as a magnetic sharpening jig. The principle of embodiments discussed herein, however, is basically applicable to all types of sharpening jigs as long as the blade of the cutting tool to be sharpened or polished may be positioned at a predetermined positioning angle relative to the sharpening and/or polishing tool.

The sharpening jig known from DE 20 2020 001 180 U1 is adapted to specific blade dimensions and includes two contact sides. Blades with a greater blade height rest as intended on one contact side of the sharpening jig and are supported backwards on the flat base so that the blade, in particular the blade vane, is positioned at a positioning angle relative to the rolling sharpener and the cutting edge is accessible for machining. For blades with a lower blade height, a step is provided on the other contact side of the sharpening jig (FIGS. 10 and 11 of DE 20 2020 001 180 U1), on which the back of the blade may be placed so that the cutting edge protrudes over the top of the sharpening jig and is accessible for machining with the rolling sharpener.

The positioning angle here corresponds to the sharpening angle, and the sharpening angle determines the sharpness of the cutting edge to be sharpened. The smaller this angle is, the sharper the cutting edge gets. The susceptibility of the cutting edge to wear, however, generally increases with increasing sharpness. Another important factor for the service life or stability of the cutting edge is the steel structure of the blade. Thus, blades with a stronger or harder steel structure (usually with higher carbon content) may be sharpened with a lower sharpening angle without losing stability. This is more or less the advantage of high-grade or harder steels. Depending on the application of the cutting tool and the type of blade, different sharpening angles may be desirable.

SUMMARY

Embodiments discussed herein are based on the object of improving a generic sharpening jig in order to be able to position the blade at different positioning angles, thus enabling a more versatile use of the sharpening jig.

The sharpening jig discussed herein is used for holding a cutting tool having a blade to be sharpened or polished and for positioning the blade at least at one positioning angle relative to a sharpening and/or polishing tool such as a rolling sharpener. According to some embodiments, the sharpening jig has at least two parts that are adjustable relative to each other so as to set different positioning angles. By means of these parts, which are adjustable relative to each other, the configuration of the sharpening jig—and thus the positioning angle—may be varied. As a result, the sharpening jig may be used to set different angles according to individual requirements. For certain applications, for example fillet knives, very small or acute sharpening angles are suitable for sharpening the cutting edge very sharply. With small sharpening angles, the material of the blade is worn away over a large area on the flanks of the cutting edge, so that the cutting edge is weakened and is generally subject to greater wear. With flat or blunt sharpening angles, the cutting edge is less sharp, but the wear of the cutting edge is generally lower. Preferably, the positioning angle may be adjusted within a range of 10° to 20°.

It may be advantageous if the parts that are adjustable relative to each other may be adjusted continuously or stepwise between different positions, preferably in opposite directions. This increases the user-friendliness of the sharpening jig. Preferably, the positioning angle is adjustable in steps of 1°, 2° or 5°.

It may also be useful, however, if the parts that are adjustable relative to one another may be locked in different positions, preferably magnetically and/or non-positively and/or positively, preferably in a latching manner. In this way, it may be ensured that the set positioning angle is not changed even when high forces are applied to the sharpening jig, for example in the course of sharpening or polishing the blade.

It may prove useful if the sharpening jig has a guide for adjusting the parts that are adjustable relative to one another between different positions in a guided movement. This may further improve the user-friendliness of the sharpening jig. Incorrect operation of the sharpening jig is thereby made more difficult.

It may be convenient if the parts that are adjustable relative to one another are resiliently biased against one another, preferably into a locked state relative to one another, the locked state preferably being releasable while reducing or removing the resilient bias so that the parts are adjustable relative to one another. This reduces the risk of unintentionally adjusting the mutually adjustable parts and thereby changing the positioning angle.

It may be helpful if at least one of the parts that are adjustable relative to one another is formed as a body having at least one contact surface, on which the blade may be held in contact as intended. The body preferably has a certain mass to absorb a momentum by application of the blade of the cutting tool to be sharpened or polished. The body thus imparts high quality to the sharpening jig. The mass of the body also prevents the positioning angle from being inadvertently changed by the application of force to the blade, for example in the course of sharpening or polishing. The body is made of plastic and/or wood and/or metal, for example, and has an approximate cuboid shape.

It may be useful if the body has at least two contact surfaces that are preferably offset parallel to one another, wherein preferably a step is formed between the contact surfaces, which is suitable for supporting the rear of a blade held on one of the two contact surfaces. In this case, narrow blades with a small distance between the back of the blade and the cutting edge may be put on the back of the step in order to protrude over the top of the body for sharpening or polishing. Wider blades with a high distance between the back of the blade and the cutting edge may be brought into contact with the lower contact surface.

It may prove useful if the sharpening jig has at least one pedestal that defines a positioning plane for positioning the body on a preferably flat base, wherein preferably an angle between the positioning plane and the contact surface is adjustable to vary the positioning angle. The pedestal preferably has a non-slip platform in order to ensure a secure standing of the sharpening jig even when force is applied to the blade, for example in the course of sharpening or polishing. The pedestal concentrates the weight of the sharpening jig almost punctiformly on a small platform area. In conjunction with a non-slip material on the underside of the pedestal, a very large coefficient of static friction to the base, and thus a high degree of stability of the sharpening jig, may thus be achieved.

It may be useful if the pedestal is adjustable relative to the body, preferably the angle between the contact plane and the contact surface being adjustable by adjusting the pedestal relative to the body. Adjustability of the pedestal relative to the body is particularly well suited for changing the positioning angle. This is because the positioning angle is largely determined by the orientation of the contact surface relative to the base of the sharpening jig. This alignment is in turn significantly influenced by the positioning plane defined by the pedestal and the position of the body relative to this positioning plane.

It may be useful if the pedestal is removably arranged on the body. This allows a pedestal with different dimensions to be arranged on the body instead of the removed pedestal, through which a different positioning angle is set.

It may be advantageous if the pedestal extends along a longitudinal axis and is adjustable along its longitudinal axis relative to the body, preferably wherein the length of the pedestal may be varied and/or wherein the pedestal and the body may be locked in different positions relative to each other offset along the longitudinal axis of the pedestal. For example, the pedestal may be telescopically elongated or extended or may be configured as a length-adjustable set screw. Alternatively, the orientation of the body relative to the base may be varied by changing the engagement position between the pedestal and the body. Such pedestals, adjustable relative to the body, readily allow variation of the positioning angle.

It may be helpful if the sharpening jig has a plurality of pedestals, which together define the placement plane for placing the sharpening jig on the base, preferably with a subset of the pedestals being adjustable relative to the body and/or relative to another subset of the pedestals to change the positioning angle. Three pedestals are useful for statically determined support of the body of the sharpening jig on the base. In particular, in the case of an approximately cuboid body with a rectangular plan view, four pedestals are also possible, which are arranged, for example, in the corners of the rectangular plan view. In this case, it is sufficient to change the positioning angle, for example, if only one of the three pedestals is adjustable relative to the body, or if only two of the four pedestals is adjustable relative to the body. In principle, it is also possible, however, for all the feet to be adjustable relative to the body.

It may be useful to have at least two of the pedestals of different design, the differently designed pedestals preferably being interchangeable, preferably with each other, in order to vary the positioning angle. For example, a sharpening jig includes a body and four pedestals with which the body stands on the base. The front pedestals are longer than the rear pedestals. If the front and rear pedestals are exchanged, the position of the body relative to the base changes, and with it the positioning angle. The front of the body (or “front”) is usually the side, on which the contact surface is located.

It may be advantageous if the sharpening jig has a scale for reading the number of degrees of the set positioning angle. This readily allows a user to see, which positioning angle is currently set. Thus, the user-friendliness of the sharpening jig is improved.

It may also prove practical, however, if the sharpening jig has at least one adjusting element, which may be displaced relative to the body in order to change the positioning angle, the adjusting element preferably increasing the positioning angle by its displacement from an upper side to a lower side of the body and decreasing the positioning angle by displacement from the lower side to the upper side of the body, or vice versa. These actuators make it particularly easy to change the orientation of the body relative to the base—and thus the positioning angle.

Another aspect relates to a sharpening jig according to any of the preceding embodiments and to a sharpening and/or polishing tool such as a rolling sharpener, such as a rolling sharpener according to EP 3 278 928 A.

Terms and Definitions

A rolling sharpener is known, for example, from EP 3 278 928 A. Such a rolling sharpener includes two rollers with sharpening and polishing surfaces on the end faces and a handle body arranged between the rollers. In the intended use, the rolling sharpener is pulled or pushed by exerting force on the handle body over a preferably flat, preferably horizontal base, so that the sharpening and polishing surfaces on the end faces rotate in a plane aligned perpendicularly to the base of the rolling sharpener. This plane aligned perpendicularly to the base is referred to as the sharpening plane.

In particular, the sharpening angle corresponds to the orientation of the plane of the blade to be sharpened or polished with respect to the sharpening plane. If the blade is oriented in parallel to the sharpening plane, the sharpening angle is 0°. An ideal sharpening angle, for example for knife edges, is in the range of 10 to 20°.

The positioning angle designates the angle, at which the blade, in particular the blade vane, of the sharpening tool to be sharpened or polished is held relative to a plane aligned perpendicularly to the base, in particular the sharpening plane, when the sharpening jig is used as intended. In the intended use, the sharpening jig in the intended arrangement stands on a preferably flat, preferably horizontal base, particularly preferably on the same base, on which the rolling sharpener is moved. In addition, the (usually magnetic) blade is held (preferably magnetically) in contact with a contact surface of the sharpening jig so that the blade is aligned parallel to this contact surface. Thus, the positioning angle usually coincides with the sharpening angle.

A cutting tool generally includes a blade and a handle, on which the cutting tool is gripped as intended. The blade typically includes a blade vane connected to the handle and a cutting edge on at least one edge of the blade vane. The blade vane generally extends in a plane and has two parallel flanks. An exemplary cutting tool is a kitchen knife having a stainless steel blade, a straight back of the blade, and a convexly curved cutting edge on the edge of the blade facing away from the back of the blade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of a sharpening jig according to the first embodiment, which has a body with two contact surfaces offset in steps on one contact side for contacting a magnetically attracted blade, and two pedestals fixed to the body and two pedestals adjustably clampable to the body.

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the sharpening jig as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sharpening jig according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in use, wherein a magnetizable blade is magnetically held in contact at the lower contact surface and the blade is positioned at a positioning angle corresponding to the sharpening angle with respect to the sharpening or polishing surface of a rolling sharpener rolling on the base rotating in the sharpening plane, the hidden components being shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 4 is a perspective rear view of a sharpening jig according to the second embodiment, which has a body with two contact surfaces offset in steps on one contact side for contacting a magnetically attracted blade, and an adjusting body adjustable relative to the body, wherein the body may be fixed in various detent positions relative to the adjusting body in order to vary the positioning angle of the sharpening jig.

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view of the sharpening jig as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the sharpening jig according to FIGS. 4 and 5 when used, wherein a magnetizable blade is magnetically held in contact at the lower contact surface and the blade is positioned at a positioning angle corresponding to the sharpening angle with respect to the sharpening or polishing surface of a rolling sharpener rolling on the base rotating in the sharpening plane, the hidden components being shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 7 is a perspective rear view of a sharpening jig according to the third embodiment, which has a body with two contact surfaces offset in steps on one contact side for contacting a magnetically attracted blade, and three pedestals mounted on the body, the rear pedestal being adjustable in length to vary the positioning angle of the sharpening jig.

FIG. 8 is a perspective front view of the sharpening jig as shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the sharpening jig according to FIGS. 7 and 8 in use, wherein a magnetizable blade is magnetically held in contact at the lower contact surface and the blade is positioned at a positioning angle corresponding to the sharpening angle with respect to the sharpening or polishing surface of a rolling sharpener rolling on the base rotating in the sharpening plane, the hidden components being shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 10 is a perspective rear view of a sharpening jig according to the fourth embodiment, which has a body with two contact surfaces offset in steps on one contact side for contacting a magnetically attracted blade, and four pedestals that may be placed on a base, at least two of these pedestals being interchangeable to change the positioning angle of the sharpening jig.

FIG. 11 is a perspective front view of the sharpening jig as shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the sharpening jig according to FIGS. 10 and 11 in use, wherein a magnetizable blade is magnetically held in contact at the lower contact surface and the blade is positioned at a positioning angle corresponding to the sharpening angle with respect to the sharpening or polishing surface of a rolling sharpener rolling on the base rotating in the sharpening plane, the hidden components being shown in dashed lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.

First Embodiment Example (FIGS. 1 to 3)—“Step Clamp Jig”

In the first embodiment described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the sharpening jig 1 includes an approximately cuboidel or box-shaped body 5, on the front side of which are located two contact surfaces 5a, 5b offset parallel to each other. At each contact surface 5a, 5b, a magnetizable blade 2a of a cutting tool 2 may be held in contact as intended by means of magnetic force. A step 5c formed between the contact surfaces 5a, 5b serves to support the rear side of a blade 2a magnetically held in contact at the upper contact surface 5a. Cylindrical magnets 6 are inserted into corresponding receptacles of the body 5 at the respective contact surfaces 5a, 5b. The outwardly facing end faces of the magnets 6 close flush with the respective contact surface 5a, 5b. Optionally, the body 5 may have at least one elastic contact element (not shown), for example made of silicone or rubber, that covers the contact surface 5a, 5b and/or the magnets 6 in sections or completely in order to increase a static friction coefficient with respect to the magnetically held blade 2a.

A total of four pedestals 7a, 7b define a positioning plane E for supporting the sharpening jig 1 on a flat base U. The front pedestals 7a are configured as plastic plugs and are force-fitted into corresponding openings on the underside of the body 5. The rear pedestals 7b are formed as clamping screws with a plurality of adjusting washers 8 and extend along a longitudinal axis L in each case. The rear pedestals 7b are adjustable along their longitudinal axis L relative to the body 5 and may be locked in various positions. For this purpose, the rear pedestals 7b are held in a force-fitting and form-fitting manner in corresponding receptacles on the rear side 5d of the body 5, which faces away from the contact surfaces 5a, 5b. By adjusting the two pedestals 7b along the respective longitudinal axis L relative to the body 5, an angle (3 between the positioning plane E defined by the pedestals 7a, 7b and the contact surfaces 5a, 5b—and thus the positioning angle α (=90°−β) between the contact surfaces 5a, 5b and a sharpening plane S aligned perpendicularly to the base U—may be adjusted.

The basic idea in this sharpening jig 1 is that the adjusting washers 8 of the rear pedestals 7b may be displaced from the upper side to the lower side of the body 5—and vice versa. By shifting the adjusting washers 8 from the upper side to the lower side of the body 5—or vice versa—, the positioning angle α (=90°—β) may be changed. With each adjusting washer 8 that is shifted from the upper side to the lower side of the body 5, the positioning or sharpening angle α is varied by 1° in this embodiment.

The body 5 is configured to map a positioning or sharpening angle α of 10° in a horizontal position, in which the top and bottom of the body 5 are aligned in parallel to the base U. The body 5 is configured to map a positioning or sharpening angle α of 10°. The adjusting washers 8 are then all arranged above the body 5. With each adjusting washer 8 that is moved from the upper side to the lower side of the body 5, the positioning or sharpening angle α increases by 1°. Locating all adjusting washers 8 below the body 5 will result in a positioning or sharpening angle α of 20°. By means of a clamping nut, each of the rear pedestals 7b may be firmly locked to the body 5 in order to clamp the adjusting washers 8 against the upper side and the lower side of the body 5 and thus fix the positioning or sharpening angle α. Fixing magnets 5e hold the rear pedestals 7b in position even without screwing them tightly to the body 5.

The intended use of the sharpening jig 1 is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. Here, a blade 2a of a cutting tool 2 to be sharpened or polished, such as a kitchen knife, is held magnetically in contact with the lower contact surface 5b of the body 5. The blade of the blade 2a is thereby inclined—like the corresponding contact surface 5b of the body 5—at an angle β with respect to the base U and at a positioning or sharpening angle α with respect to a sharpening plane S oriented perpendicularly to the base U. A rolling sharpener, as known for example from EP 3 278 928 A, includes a base body arranged between two rollers and two end sharpening and polishing surfaces that rotate along the blade 2a in the sharpening plane S when the rolling sharpener is rolling on the base U.

Second Embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 6)—“Step-Lock Jig”

The second embodiment described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 is based substantially on the preceding embodiment and includes partially identical features, which are denoted with identical reference signs to avoid repetitive description. The differences from the preceding embodiment are explained below:

As in the first embodiment, a total of four pedestals 7a, 7b define a positioning plane E for supporting the sharpening jig 1 on a flat base U.

Deviating from the first embodiment, the two rear pedestals 7b are located on an adjusting body 4 that is adjustable relative to the body 5. This adjusting body 4 has a guide slot 4a extending in parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the pedestals 7b. In the guide slot 4a, a guide element 4b connected to the body 5 and lockable relative to the adjusting body 4 is adjustable in guided movement in two opposite directions R (indicated by arrow). The guide element 4b has approximately the shape of a knob and is resiliently biased in the direction of the adjusting body 4. On the side of the adjusting body 4 facing the body 5 there is a locking toothing 4c that engages with a corresponding locking toothing 5e on the rear side 5d of the body 5 facing away from the contact surface 5a, 5b.

The basic idea in this jig is that the body 5 is formed to map a positioning or sharpening angle α of 10° in a horizontal position. The lower edge of the adjusting body 4 is then equal to the lower edge of the body 5. The engaged locking toothings 4c, 5e are configured such that the jump from tooth to tooth results in a change in the positioning or sharpening angle α of 1°.

When the top edge of the adjusting body 4 is equal to the top edge of the body 5, the result is a sharpening angle of 20 degrees. Via the guide element 4b, which optionally has a clamping screw, the positioning or sharpening angle α may be firmly fixed by locking the two parts that may be adjusted relative to one another—in this case the adjusting body 4 provided with the rear adjustable pedestals 7b and the body 5 provided with the front adjustable pedestals 7a—in a desired position in a locking and form-fitting manner relative to one another. If the guide element 4b is actuated against the resilient bias—and the body 5 is released from the state locked to the adjusting body 4—the adjusting body 4 and the body 5 may be adjusted from degree to degree relative to each other along the guide slot 4a in the direction R and locked to each other in the desired position in a locking and form-fitting manner via the locking toothings 4c, 5e, which may be brought into engagement. A compression spring 4d between the body 5 and the adjusting body 4 provides a pleasant latching or locking action. A scale on the adjusting body 4 enables the set number of degrees of the positioning or sharpening angle α to be read.

Third Embodiment (FIGS. 7 to 9)—“Stepless Adjusting Jig”

The third embodiment described below with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 is also based substantially on the preceding embodiments and includes partly identical features, which are denoted by identical reference signs to avoid repetitive description. The differences from the preceding embodiments are explained below:

Deviating from the two preceding embodiments, a total of only three pedestals 7a, 7b define a positioning plane E for supporting the sharpening jig 1 on a flat base U, wherein the rear pedestal 7b is configured as an adjusting screw and a length of this pedestal 7b, which is configured as an adjusting screw and projects beyond the underside of the body 5, may be adjusted by actuating the actuating device 9 configured as an adjusting screw head. In order to increase the stability of the three-point support shown, the rear pedestal 7b may also be designed wider than shown, in particular wider than the front pedestals 7a, in order to provide a larger footprint.

The basic idea in this sharpening jig 1 is that the body 5 is designed to map a positioning or sharpening angle α of 10° in a horizontal position.

By screwing in and unscrewing the adjusting screw, which is configured as a rear pedestal 7b, any positioning or sharpening angle α between 10° and 20° is set.

The adjusting screw is preferably equipped with a self-locking thread so that it does not have to be fixed in the desired position.

A scale on the adjusting screw head forming the actuating device 9 enables the number of degrees of the set positioning or sharpening angle α to be read.

Fourth Embodiment (FIGS. 10 to 12)—“Exchangeable Pedestal Jig”

The fourth embodiment described below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12 is also based substantially on the preceding embodiments and includes partially identical features, which are denoted by identical reference signs to avoid repetitive description. The differences from the preceding embodiment examples are explained below:

As in the first and second embodiments, a total of four pedestals 7a, 7b define the positioning plane E for supporting the sharpening jig 1 on the base U. The front two pedestals 7a are fixed to the body 5 in a non-adjustable manner. The rear two pedestals 7b are each interchangeable in pairs with longer or shorter pedestals 7b to set different positioning or sharpening angles α.

The basic idea in this sharpening jig 1 is that the body 5 is configured to map a positioning or sharpening angle α of 15° when in a horizontal position.

The interchangeable pedestals may be exchanged and fixed very quickly via the holding magnet 10. There are 5 shorter (14°, 13°, 12°, 11° and 10°) and 5 longer (16°, 17°, 18°, 19° and 20°) interchangeable pedestals 7b, which are labeled with the corresponding degree numbers.

It goes without saying that the interchangeable pedestals may also be fixed to the body 5 of the sharpening jig 1 in other ways than via the holding magnets 10. A very simple possibility is to simply change the interchangeable pedestals without any further mechanism and to insert them as (male designed) plug-in pedestals into corresponding (female designed) receptacles in the body 5. Various interchangeable pedestals of different heights may be supplied.

The features of the preceding described embodiments may be combined with each other. Further embodiments are feasible within the scope of the teaching by means of corresponding combinations.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

• 1 sharpening jig
• 2 cutting tool (knife)
• 2a blade
• 2b cutting edge
• 3 rolling sharpener/roll grinder
• 4 adjusting body
• 4a guide slot
• 4b guide element
• 4c locking toothing
• 4d spring
• 5 body
• 5a contact surface (top)
• 5b contact surface (bottom)
• 5c step
• 5d back or back side
• 5e locking toothing
• 6 magnet
• 7a front pedestal
• 7b rear pedestal
• 8 adjusting washer or element
• 9 actuating device
• 10 holding magnet
• E positioning plane or platform
• L longitudinal axis
• R direction
• S sharpening plane
• U base

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A sharpening jig for holding a cutting tool to be sharpened or polished, the sharpening jig comprising:

at least two parts that are adjustable relative to each other to set different positioning angles,

wherein the sharpening jig is configured to hold a cutting tool and to position a blade of the cutting tool at the set positioning angle relative to a sharpening or polishing tool.

17. The sharpening jig according to claim 16, wherein the parts adjustable relative to each other are adjustable steplessly or stepwise between different positions.

18. The sharpening jig according to claim 16, wherein the parts adjustable relative to each other are lockable in different positions.

19. The sharpening jig according to claim 16, further comprising a guide for adjusting the parts in guided movement between different positions.

20. The sharpening jig according to claim 16, wherein the parts adjustable relative to each other are resiliently biased against each other into a mutually locked state, and wherein the locked state is releasable with reduction or removal of the resilient bias, so that the parts are adjustable relative to each other.

21. The sharpening jig according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the parts adjustable relative to one another is configured as a body having at least one contact surface configured to contact the blade, which enables the sharpening tool to hold the cutting tool.

22. The sharpening jig according to claim 21, wherein the body has at least two contact surfaces that are offset in parallel to one another and a step formed between the contact surfaces, wherein the blade is held in contact with one of the two contact surfaces, and wherein the step is configured to support a rear of the blade.

23. The sharpening jig according to claim 21, further comprising a pedestal defining a positioning plane for positioning the body on a flat base, wherein an angle between the positioning plane and the contact surface is adjustable in order to change the positioning angle.

24. The sharpening jig according to claim 23, wherein the pedestal is adjustable relative to the body, and the angle between the positioning plane and the contact surface is adjustable by adjusting the pedestal relative to the body.

25. The sharpening jig according to claim 24, wherein the pedestal extends along a longitudinal axis and is adjustable along the longitudinal axis relative to the body, wherein a length of the pedestal is variable, or wherein the pedestal and the body are lockable in different positions relative to each other offset along the longitudinal axis.

26. The sharpening jig according to claim 23, wherein the pedestal is arranged removably on the body.

27. The sharpening jig according to claim 23, further comprising a plurality of pedestals, which together define the positioning plane for positioning the sharpening jig on the base, wherein a subset of the pedestals are adjustable relative to the body or relative to another subset of the pedestals in order to change the positioning angle.

28. The sharpening jig according to claim 27, wherein at least two of the pedestals are of different configurations and are interchangeable with one another in order to change the positioning angle.

29. The sharpening jig according to claim 21, further comprising an adjusting element that is displaceable relative to the body in order to change the positioning angle, wherein the adjusting element increases the positioning angle by displacement from an upper side to a lower side of the body and decreases the positioning angle by displacement from the lower side to the upper side of the body, or vice versa.

30. The sharpening jig according to claim 16, further comprising a scale for reading the number of degrees of the set positioning angle.