Replies to This Discussion

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on March 17, 2017 at 1:17

I went back & took a more thorough look & found this .. it seems to address what I was whining about.

I still have some skepticism .. it's innate.

? Why 7 motors ?

Again, I spent 27 years designing antennas & the tooling to fabricate them.

Simplicity always proved the best approach.

The more complicated the design .. the more points of potential failure.

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Maybe it will be the proverbial "cat's meow".

I'd prefer to see a working prototype & view actual results.

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What is the purpose of the microscopic camera ? Is there a feed-back loop in the design where the image is used for computer analysis of .. a burr ..or.. something ..&.. the resultant data is then used to minimize the burr & then further sharpen. Frankly .. my finger does that.
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Quest: How much would it cost to outright purchase 2 ~ 3 units of the ubiquitous 1" X 30" belt sanders & equip ea one with a different grit belt. Then, generate a simple fixture that would maintain a given angle relative to the belt. Finally, add an inverter (12VDC to 120VAC) of sufficient capacity to power everything. Install it in the back of a van & you'd have a "mobile sharpening system".

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The sharpening process would be more labor intensive. However, I believe you could sharpen a knife in about 5 minutes.

Using a 1X30 belt sander & a worn belt .. I can sharpen my mini-machete yard implement in under a minute.

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I realize this is all coming off as overly critical .. but ................

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I'd wish to evaluate a working model & the results thereof before investing. I'd be VERY hesitant to purchase one of the first production run. Give them a chance to work out the bugs !!!

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Enjoy

D ale

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on March 17, 2017 at 5:13

As does Abby ..&.. I take it as a compliment.

Further, she now recognizes the difference between a sharp & dull cutting edge. And what she now considers dull .. many would still consider sharp. I love that girl .. Big Smile !!!

Jan Carter said:

... When I need a knife cleaned or sharpened I leave it in the shop ...

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on March 17, 2017 at 5:35

... and, Steve

... please do understand...

I'm not trying to "rain on your parade" here. 

Nor do I mean to come off as some old "know it all" engineer .. irrespective of how it likely appears.

I just wouldn't do that.

You've proven your strong support for a community I value.

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I am suggesting caution.

Your comment "... and do some research first." suggests you are going down that road already.

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Enjoy

D ale

2021 CalendarPermalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on March 17, 2017 at 9:23

I can certainly understand the commercial aspect here, but I'm just a poor old retiree that could never spend this much on a sharpening machine, for personal use.
I'm more of the type that is appreciative of the system that Dale keeps in a cigar box. I keep the bulk of my sharpening supplies in a small tool bag, with plenty of room left over.

My everpresent EzeLap is good for my blood pressure; either by the relaxation it provides or the blood I've shed...

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on March 18, 2017 at 4:12

I found this article which presents slightly more specific detail .. re: excerpt below.
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The Knife Robot has seven motors that sense the knife shape in 4 DoF (degrees of freedom forward, backward, side to side) and with its precision sander it detects the burrs, removing them based on custom input of angle, speed, and pressure. The portable version for home cooks and hobbyists allows you to choose the sander motor speed and the angle (10 to 45 degrees per side). You can also choose a different angle on each side and the amount of pressure (light, medium, hard belt pressure), and watch on the portable’s screen courtesy of a microscopic camera.

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Here is a link to the patent claims ..although.. it's pretty general. Also, I found best viewed in *.pdf format if you wish to see the included diagrams.

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I could not find a lot else except for sales hype ..likely.. because it's not in production yet.

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