Andrew

[Andrew]

Find which rod attachment is providing the right angle (matches the detent position on the base rod.

Now go to the attachment with the wrong angle. If you have the Pro-Pack II, you should be able to adjust the position of the rod-end coupling – the ball of the ball-joint coupling. Loosen the set-screw on the front of the slide-bar attachment and then adjust the in/out position of the screw that goes thru the attachment as you watch your angle-cube reading. When the angle matches that taken on the good side, tighten the set screw. As an old friend liked to say, “Viola.”

That’s a nice way to compensate while keeping the markings useful.

However, I’m still at a loss to explain why, when the AC read 16^o, I got noticeably different bevels on each side. I wasn’t actually paying attention to the position markings at that time. I didn’t think it should matter as long as the AC was reporting the same angle on both sides.

[Andrew]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry it took me so long to get back to this.

I’d really be surprised to see an angle cube that far out of whack. A very simple check is to set the cube on a flat surface and press the “zero” button. Then lay the cube on its side and you should read very close to 90.0 degrees plus or minus whatever the manufacturer says the accuracy should be. Flip it to its opposite side and it should read -90.0 degrees.

It seems to be passing this test OK.

Next, I’d switch rod-end attachments, left to right, and then recheck the angles. If the angle readings have flipped, there’s something wrong with one of the attachments.

Good suggestion, and when I tried it, sure enough, the numbers flipped.

I thought I would just trust the angle cube, and sharpened a couple of inexpensive knives to see what happened. It seemed to be OK, so I went on to my new Izula. Unfortunately, I suppose because I dropped the angle down to 16 deg, the mismatched bevels became alarmingly apparent. I’m kicking myself now for not having resolved it before going on to a knife I care about. 😳

It was definitely set to 16 as per the cube on both sides, and I double checked periodically. I’m fairly sure the blade was vertical. I put a few layers of latex between the knife and the vice.

Re-examining the cheaper knives, I think they are mismatched as well, but it is not as visible at the higher angle. I’m really confused as to what’s causing it. Every measurement I take, albeit with just a ruler, looks alright, but as you suggest (tcmeyer), there might be something wrong with the attachments. Any suggestions on how to proceed?

[Author]

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