rick_english
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2014
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[video=youtube;k3SbEWFSA8s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3SbEWFSA8s[/video]
[video=youtube;k3SbEWFSA8s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3SbEWFSA8s[/video]
I've listened to contradicting theories on freehand vs assisted sharpening. The argument is that assisted lasts longer because there are fewer inconsistencies on the cutting edge, and you can see that under a microscope, but freehand argument is that those same inconsistences is what makes the cutting edge last longer due to the fact that those inconsistencies gives the edge a toothiness which can still cut once the blade gets dull, however, as for an assisted sharpened blade, once it's dull it's dull pretty consistently lol.
There's more to it than that. Gizmos don't compensate for the sweep in the belly on a knife. While freehand you simply raise the handle up a bit while sharpening this area, a gizmo can not do this. This creates an uneven bevel towards the tip. The bevel gets wider and the edge gets thinner making it fragile.
Also gizmos are based on the idea that you want edge consistency or angle repeatability. You do not want this. It will make your knives become wedges over time. You want to sharpen behind the edge of your last bevel from the shoulder down to the edge. This way you thin the knife as you go retaining it's geometry.
In addition you have to consider blade asymmetry. What you do on one side, you do not want to repeat on the other. A simple click up on the wrist while sharpening the backside of a double bevel knife is impossible on a gizmo. You would have to adjust the angle every time you flip the knife. That would be a big hassle.
Finally, single bevel knives. Simply impossible on a gizmo. You just can't do it. There's no way around it.
One COULD probably build that kind of gadget using angle and position sensors, strong servos and state tracking.... but that would be one step away from teaching a robot to free hand sharpen
I like a wet rock and towel...
The user sharpchef is testing it at the moment and he says that its on the contrary and you can control pressure extremely precisely and that you can get incredible results.
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