3d Printed Leading Edge Guided Sharpener Compatible with Sharp-Maker Stones

[Paraguy]

Hello everyone! I thought Id show you my 3d printed sharpening system. Its basically an edge pro system but better! First of all an edge pro Apex 4 system costs 255 dollars and while this one, depending on what materials you use, can cost you under 50. Secondly it is very customizable; the designer is constantly adding more files and attachments. One of my favorites being an attachment for the Spyderco Sharp-Maker stones. There is also a scissor attachment, a convex edge attachment, a chisel attachment and much more. The design is very well thought out. It is also universally compatible. Meaning any name brand stones you buy should fit it. Honestly I think this is the best option if you don't feel like spending lots of money. It cost me around 70 bucks total for mine and I bought nice electroplated mono-crystalline diamond stones! You could even buy a 100 dollar set of edge pro stones and the price would still be at least 100 dollars shy of the price of an Apex 4! This is one of the many reasons why everyone needs a 3d printer! They save you so much money in the long run! I had a hard time finding hardware so I've listed where you can get them bellow. Although i found assembly to be very easy, I can help anyone you needs it.

Here are the files: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4135236
Consider giving the designer a tip if you can.

The materials you will need:

The M4 brass inserts: https://amzn.to/2TJoxzj[

The M4 x 12mm thumb screws: https://amzn.to/3AFvD8w

The 8mmx 400mm steel rods: https://amzn.to/3dT6MEm (Note: this is a set of 2. You may want to cut 180mm off of your vertical rod to use as a base, although you can print a base if you prefer.)

M4 20mm hex screws: https://amzn.to/3jUkElB

12 x 3mm magnets: https://amzn.to/3yMpJB1 (Note: you won't need these if you plan on using the clamp exclusively.)

You will also need a machine screw around 2 inches for the clamp holder and a wing nut that fits it.

Stones:

Highly recommended if you have the cash: https://amzn.to/3wmR2jx

Decent cheap stones: https://amzn.to/2VdAPAh (NOTE: These will last if you use soap and water.)

The stones I'm using:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JP ... UTF8&psc=1 (Currently Unavailable)

[Paraguy]

To in insert the brass inserts simply attach one to a screw, heat it up with a lighter for 20-30 seconds, and press it down into the hole with steady pressure while remaining perpendicular to the surface and in line with the hole.

[Sharp Guy]

It looks neat and I'm sure it works ok but I think I'll keep my Hapstone V7. The weight of the unit alone is a big advantage, among other things. I may consider making one just to see how it well it works and then maybe donate it to a friend

3D printing is a fabulous technology. I have a member of this forum to thank for introducing me to it. But I know from experience that it's not for everyone. It's not exactly plug and play like some might think. There's a pretty steep learning curve IMO. I know I struggled quite a lot early on. I have it all down pretty well now though. The technology is cool and all but it has it's limitations. It also doesn't really save you a much money. I've bought 4 machines and all kinds of accessories (ABL's, print surfaces, etc) not to mention a whole bunch of rolls of filament. What it has done for me (aside from making a bunch different things from Thingiverse) is made me a lot of $ selling some items I've designed for 22 target shooters. The machines have paid for themselves several times over. I have two machines running as I type this

[JRinFL]

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Nice post! Thanks for materials list and links as well.

[Sharp Guy]

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Nice post! Thanks for materials list and links as well.

JR what printer(s) are you using?

[Naperville]

You definitely don't need an Oracle to know that 3D printing is going to be huge in the future. NASA and the .Mil corporations are doing quite a bit with it already.

[Evil D]

I wanted to try this so I could use the corners on serrations but I realized it still won't work because of how the rod pivots from a fixed position, which would cause the Sharpmaker rods to be at an angle on either end of the blade and if wouldn't line up with the serrations anymore. On a Sharpmaker you're holding the blade at the same angle in relation to the rods as you make a pass. Serrations are ground straight up and down along the blade, so the idea of using a guided sharpener (other than a Sharpmaker) on them doesn't seem possible unless I'm missing something.

[JRinFL]

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Nice post! Thanks for materials list and links as well.

JR what printer(s) are you using?

Embarrassingly, I own two low end printers, but have not set them up yet. An Ender 3 and a cheap Monoprice.

[Paraguy]

I wanted to try this so I could use the corners on serrations but I realized it still won't work because of how the rod pivots from a fixed position, which would cause the Sharpmaker rods to be at an angle on either end of the blade and if wouldn't line up with the serrations anymore. On a Sharpmaker you're holding the blade at the same angle in relation to the rods as you make a pass. Serrations are ground straight up and down along the blade, so the idea of using a guided sharpener (other than a Sharpmaker) on them doesn't seem possible unless I'm missing something.

I think it depends on the width of the scallops and the edge geometry. I think it would work fine on a dragonfly.

Perhaps i could request a mod that would allow for larger serrated blades. It wouldn't be that hard if you made changes to the pivot.

Heres two ideas:

[Sharp Guy]

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Nice post! Thanks for materials list and links as well.

JR what printer(s) are you using?

Embarrassingly, I own two low end printers, but have not set them up yet. An Ender 3 and a cheap Monoprice.

No need for embarrassment. The first machine I bought was a Monoprice Mini Delta. It actually worked pretty good but a cheap delta is not a very good machine to learn on. I ended up buying a CR-10S Pro shortly after. So the Delta has been on a shelf for awhile. The machine I do all my smaller production items on (single shot magazine adapters for 22's) is a Ender-3 that I bought on a Amazon flash sale for $130. I added a TM3D EZABL and a Rasberry Pi to run Octoprint. That machine has made a lot of really nice looking parts. A guy on one of the Facebook groups offered up a lightly used CR-10S Pro with a BL Touch ABL and all kinds of print surfaces. Price was too good to pass up. So I have two of those now.

[JRinFL]

Nice post! Thanks for materials list and links as well.

JR what printer(s) are you using?

Embarrassingly, I own two low end printers, but have not set them up yet. An Ender 3 and a cheap Monoprice.

No need for embarrassment. ...

I'm mostly embarrassed by the fact that they have not been setup yet. I tend to "acquire, plan, implement" instead of the better "plan, acquire, implement" sequence. Its also hard for me to pass up a good deal. :o

[Paraguy]

You may also want a spring for your horizontal bar. The inner diameter must be at least 8mm or it will not fit. So if your wire is .8mm you'll need about a 10mm outer diameter to fit. It should also be a compression spring and not an extension spring.
https://amzn.to/3ANjw9u

[DansGearAddiction]

What a neat project! I've been eyeing a 3D printer for awhile now and I absolutely know what one of the first things that I'll be printing is!

[Paraguy]

I wanted to try this so I could use the corners on serrations but I realized it still won't work because of how the rod pivots from a fixed position, which would cause the Sharpmaker rods to be at an angle on either end of the blade and if wouldn't line up with the serrations anymore. On a Sharpmaker you're holding the blade at the same angle in relation to the rods as you make a pass. Serrations are ground straight up and down along the blade, so the idea of using a guided sharpener (other than a Sharpmaker) on them doesn't seem possible unless I'm missing something.

Heres what the designer had to say:
One of the posts (your post) mentions a serrated blade and a Spyderco triangle rod; if it's a long serrated blade then the best way is to use the magnets on my system (not a clamp), and move your knife every few serrations to stay centered and not round the sides of the serrations.

[Paraguy]

(Deleted)

[Sharp Guy]

What a neat project! I've been eyeing a 3D printer for awhile now and I absolutely know what one of the first things that I'll be printing is!

Maybe :)

^ I say that only because I'd highly recommend starting off with easy stuff. Do some calibration cubes (and actually dial in your X, Y, Z). Make some simple things from Thingiverse, etc. Work on your slicer profiles to see what your works best for you and your printer. And when you go looking for help in the Facebook groups and people start telling what to use please, by all means, keep in mind that what works for them may not work for you. I see a lot of people get frustrated because they can't get filament to stick (I've never used any type of adhesive, tape, etc) or they have a lot of stringing, etc. It takes some experimenting and playing around to see what works for your printer and the brand/color of filament you're working with

[Paraguy]

What a neat project! I've been eyeing a 3D printer for awhile now and I absolutely know what one of the first things that I'll be printing is!

Maybe :)

^ I say that only because I'd highly recommend starting off with easy stuff. Do some calibration cubes (and actually dial in your X, Y, Z). Make some simple things from Thingiverse, etc. Work on your slicer profiles to see what your works best for you and your printer. And when you go looking for help in the Facebook groups and people start telling what to use please, by all means, keep in mind that what works for them may not work for you. I see a lot of people get frustrated because they can't get filament to stick (I've never used any type of adhesive, tape, etc) or they have a lot of stringing, etc. It takes some experimenting and playing around to see what works for your printer and the brand/color of filament you're working with

This sharpener is easier to make than you might think. There are directions in the thingy verse file. I didnt have to reprint any parts.
I use a Anycubic Mega Zero 2.0 with a Creality glass plate. I use glue sticks for better adhesion and i use Cura slicing software.

[dj moonbat]

This is awesome, and I will definitely be making this. But I would echo the advice upthread, and say start with some really simple things.

[Sharp Guy]

What a neat project! I've been eyeing a 3D printer for awhile now and I absolutely know what one of the first things that I'll be printing is!

Maybe :)

^ I say that only because I'd highly recommend starting off with easy stuff. Do some calibration cubes (and actually dial in your X, Y, Z). Make some simple things from Thingiverse, etc. Work on your slicer profiles to see what your works best for you and your printer. And when you go looking for help in the Facebook groups and people start telling what to use please, by all means, keep in mind that what works for them may not work for you. I see a lot of people get frustrated because they can't get filament to stick (I've never used any type of adhesive, tape, etc) or they have a lot of stringing, etc. It takes some experimenting and playing around to see what works for your printer and the brand/color of filament you're working with

This sharpener is easier to make than you might think. There are directions in the thingy verse file. I didnt have to reprint any parts.
I use a Anycubic Mega Zero 2.0 with a Creality glass plate. I use glue sticks for better adhesion and i use Cura slicing software.

I briefly looked at the files with 3D Builder and it doesn't look like there's anything too difficult. Maybe a few pieces that could use support. I'll make one at some point just to do it. It looks like a fun project. As I've mentioned, I already have a good system but I'm sure I have a friend or two who might like one of these

I have two of the Creality glass plates. One was a freebie from Creality. The other came with the used machine I bought. I used one for awhile but went back to other surfaces. Have you tried just a mirror tile? I've had really good luck using that. No glue needed. Just the right Z offset and temps.

BTW, I've been meaning to mention. If this sharpener can take any stone (such as ones without the edge pro base) you might want to consider getting some of the Moldmaster SiC stones from Congress Tools. I have a full set of 1" wide and 1/2" wide and I use them often

https://www.congresstools.com/catalog/c ... ory/?id=27

[Paraguy]

What a neat project! I've been eyeing a 3D printer for awhile now and I absolutely know what one of the first things that I'll be printing is!

Maybe :)

^ I say that only because I'd highly recommend starting off with easy stuff. Do some calibration cubes (and actually dial in your X, Y, Z). Make some simple things from Thingiverse, etc. Work on your slicer profiles to see what your works best for you and your printer. And when you go looking for help in the Facebook groups and people start telling what to use please, by all means, keep in mind that what works for them may not work for you. I see a lot of people get frustrated because they can't get filament to stick (I've never used any type of adhesive, tape, etc) or they have a lot of stringing, etc. It takes some experimenting and playing around to see what works for your printer and the brand/color of filament you're working with

This sharpener is easier to make than you might think. There are directions in the thingy verse file. I didnt have to reprint any parts.
I use a Anycubic Mega Zero 2.0 with a Creality glass plate. I use glue sticks for better adhesion and i use Cura slicing software.

I briefly looked at the files with 3D Builder and it doesn't look like there's anything too difficult. Maybe a few pieces that could use support. I'll make one at some point just to do it. It looks like a fun project. As I've mentioned, I already have a good system but I'm sure I have a friend or two who might like one of these

I have two of the Creality glass plates. One was a freebie from Creality. The other came with the used machine I bought. I used one for awhile but went back to other surfaces. Have you tried just a mirror tile? I've had really good luck using that. No glue needed. Just the right Z offset and temps.

BTW, I've been meaning to mention. If this sharpener can take any stone (such as ones without the edge pro base) you might want to consider getting some of the Moldmaster SiC stones from Congress Tools. I have a full set of 1" wide and 1/2" wide and I use them often

https://www.congresstools.com/catalog/c ... ory/?id=27

If you do make one id recommend using the magnets and not the clap.