DIY: Repeatablity Tool

[Larry Mingus]

Hi guys, I have been experimenting with different ways to improve my repeatability and think I’ve come up with a pretty good solution. A little belt sander action on a triangle and you end up with a tool that can measure tip/heal height and check vertical alignment. Used along with the WE alignment tool you end up with rock solid settings for repeatability, especially for knives that don’t rest on both pins of the alignment tool. Which I seem to run into quite often.

The notch has to be large enough to clear the top of the WE base.

Example of measuring tip height and how the notch clears the base.

Example of measuring heal height and how the notch clears the base.

Closeup of tip measurement.

Check both sides of the blade to make sure blade is vertically square in the vise.

I recently installed the WE upgrade arms and needed a bigger triangle. I couldn’t find a triangle with rule markings locally, so I scanned and made a printout of a cutting rule. Cutout and taped the printout onto the triangle, problem solved.

Cheers!
-Larry

[Mark76]

Hi Larry,

Welcome!

Something has gone wrong with the pictures you tried to upload. [strike]I don’t know why, but it could be that their file size is too large.[/strike]

I do know why. We don’t have access to your dropbox account.

Pls try again. If it doesn’t work out, try Photobucket, that’s a fool-proof way of uploading pictures.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Larry Mingus]

Thanks Mark, I had all but given up. I had moved the files three times and after reading your post I gave it one more try. I moved them to the public folder it worked.

High-Five!

[cbwx34]

Welcome to the forum. Great first post! (Seen you lurking for a while…) 🙂

Just outta curiosity, was knife disassembly for sharpening, or some other reason?

Your tip looks like a good one! Thanks for sharing.

[Larry Mingus]

Thanks Curtis, I have a ton on my plate but I’m trying to get out more often. :cheer:

The blade is a Spyderco Chicago that I just finished with an acid etch and stonewash. It was in parts and I figured being the blade is only 2″ I would be wise to do it blade only. I’m not sure I could even get the tip right if it were assembled. I’ll have to pop it in the vise and look see.

[wickededge]

Great post Larry, really nice idea! Thanks for sharing it.

-Clay

[Robert Nash]

Hey Larry Welcome to the forum – great idea. I think I’ve got one of those triangles around here that has been gathering dust – now I have a use for it!!! :cheer:

Now just to find it, with the move to a new warehouse/office space I don’t know where a lot of things went…:blink:

[Phil Pasteur]

Great idea Larry…

I have been attempting to use the same method… with mixed success… because I did not cut the notch out.

Getting the Dremel out now…

Where did you find the scale for the larger triangle?

Welcome!

[Larry Mingus]

Great idea Larry…

Where did you find the scale for the larger triangle?

Welcome!

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. 🙂

Phil, I just scanned a cutting rule and taped it onto the triangle. I pulled the scan into PaintShop Pro to flip the image and rearrange the numbers so they would be in the proper orientation on the right side of the triangle.

[Phil Pasteur]

Hmmm.
Maybe I can talk you into sending me the file??
🙂

[Larry Mingus]

Hmmm.
Maybe I can talk you into sending me the file??
🙂

No Problemo, in fact while you were posting I was trying to figure out where I had put them.

It seems like there is a snag in how the forum software works with DropBox because I tried to click the above photos thinking they would take me to the DropBox originals but instead I get a white box. It appears the forum software is trying to use lightbox or something similar and it has a problem with Dropbox?

Anyway I’m going to try putting a direct link to the DropBox files and see how that works.

Ruler-1.png

Ruler-2.png

I may have to sign up with PhotoBucket after all, not too excited about that. 🙁 :woohoo:

[Phil Pasteur]

Larry,
Thanks. I got them downloaded.
Are they supposed to stop at 9 inches?

Getting a photobucket account is relatively painless..
🙂

[Larry Mingus]

Larry,
Thanks. I got them downloaded.
Are they supposed to stop at 9 inches?

I was working with am eight inch triangle, so I cropped them. Sorry, if you need bigger I could make a set of 10.5″.

I hear ya about Photobucket, it’s not like I have anything against them, it is me that is the problem. In my old age I forget where I put things and OCD… I like all my ducks in one basket. :silly:

[Phil Pasteur]

Boy do I understand that… I ended up just putting all of the stuff I have online in Photobucket. It is not that much anyway.

If you have the 10.5″ images that would be great. The triangle that I have it about 13″ on the long side 12″ on the vertical side.. I can always index the scale from a known point and go from there.

I am thinking that I might laminate it… for durability. What did you use to stick the scale on to the triangle?

[Mikedoh]

Clear contact paper is pretty good stuff.

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