Abstract: A multi-stage sharpener includes at least one motor driven abrasive sharpening stage and one non-motor driven conditioning stage. The conditioning stage has a non-abrasive hardened surface and at least one precision knife guide which has a planar guide surface for creating a microscopic serration along the edge of a blade which had been sharpened in the first stage sharpening station. The sharpener may also include a third stage motor driven finishing stage. Alternatively, the conditioning stage can be incorporated as the knife edge modifying stage of a manual sharpener.

Abstract: A knife-edge conditioning apparatus comprises at least one precision angled knife guide with one face of the knife blade maintained in sustained sliding or rolling contact and which guides the elongated edge of the blade into sustained contact with the hardened surface of an object and positions the plane of the adjacent edge facet at a precise predetermined angle relative to the contact plane of the hardened surface made of a material of equal or greater hardness than the metal of the knife blade without any tendency to abrade as the blade face is moved along the guide with its elongated edge in sustained contact with the hardened surface.

Abstract: A grinding machine (10) for double-sided grinding of tooth flanks, in particular hard-metal tipped circular saw blades (14) is described. The grinding machine comprises two grinding units (16, 18) each with a grinding body, a first drive to move at least one of the two grinding units (16, 18) along a first axis (x1, x2) running perpendicular to a plane containing the saw blade (14) and also a second drive (36) to move at least one of the two grinding units (16, 18) along a second axis (z) running parallel to axes of rotation of the grinding bodies. Furthermore a third drive (38) is provided to move at least one of the two grinding units (16, 18) along a third axis (y) running parallel to the first (x1, x2) and the second (y) axis. A control method according to the invention for the grinding machine (10) provides that a tangential clearance angle of a tooth is varied along a tooth flank during the grinding of the tooth.

Abstract: A knife-edge conditioning apparatus comprises at least one precision angled knife guide with one face of the knife blade maintained in sustained sliding or rolling contact and which guides the elongated edge of the blade into sustained contact with the hardened surface of an object and positions the plane of the adjacent edge facet at a precise predetermined angle relative to the contact plane of the hardened surface made of a material of equal or greater hardness than the metal of the knife blade without any tendency to abrade as the blade face is moved along the guide with its elongated edge in sustained contact with the hardened surface.

Abstract: A sharpener assembly for a food slicer includes a rotatable frame with a sharpening member and a truing member operatively connected for rotation with the frame. The frame is mounted on a food slicer to place the sharpening member and truing member on opposed sides of a slicer knife. The frame is rotated to rotate the sharpening member and the truing member into contact with respective sides of the slicer kife.

Abstract: An implement working adapter has a casing within which is a pulley-drive system for transferring drive from a powered grinding tool, with which the adapter is engaged, in use, to a pair of first and second grinding wheels within the casing, drive being transmitted via a drive belt engaged, in use, by a take-off pulley of the tool drive. The adapter defines three implement working locations for sharpening scissor blades, knives and screwdriver blades respectively, each location providing one or more slots for blade insertion. An angularly movable scissor guide has a slot for an inserted scissor blade to engage the first grinding wheel, whilst the slots for reception of the knife blades allow engagement with either grinding wheel as selected. The screwdriver blade engages the second grinding wheel when being sharpened, in use.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a cutting edge on surgical needles having at least one abrading device and a needle holding mechanism. The abrading device includes an abrasive member such as a rotatable abrasive belt or grinding wheel. The needle holding mechanism is positionable for selectively engaging an end of at least one needle with the abrading device to provide a cutting edge on the needle.A grinding wheel may be provided for hollow grinding the surgical needles, the grinding wheel including a cylindrical member having a plurality of ridges. The cylindrical member preferably has a super-abrasive coating of diamond or boron nitride particles electroplated thereon.

Abstract: A dental instrument sharpening system includes an instrument arm for holding a chiral bladed dental instrument and for facilitating movement of at least one of the chiral blades of the dental instrument to a rotatable sharpening stone. A positioning mechanism, coupled to the instrument arm, positions at least one of the chiral blades of the dental instrument in a desired predetermined position. The positioning mechanism includes a clamping mechanism and indexed slotted member. The indexed slotted member has index protrusions, such as protruding nubs, that matingly engage with indentations in the handle of the dental instrument. The handle of the dental instrument includes at least one index indentation such as a conical indentation. The index indentation and the corresponding index protrusion mate to properly position the blade of the dental instrument in a predetermined longitudinal and axial position in the clamping mechanism.