Abstract:
Enclosed are embodiments for a device made of borosilicate glass that is textured using blasted abrasive grit media which allows a user to align, hone, sharpen, remove, scrape, file, adjust, fix, straighten, even up, abrade, chafe, chamfer, filet, or otherwise alter the shape or characteristics of a cutting edge. The method of manufacture is relatively easy, requires little equipment, and provides a wide range of texturing options for the sharpening or honing surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the provisional patent application No. 62/313,748 filed Mar. 27, 2016 by the present inventor. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable 
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
       [0003]    Not applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Field of Invention 
         [0005]    This material relates to sharpening and honing devices for cutting edges. 
         [0006]    Prior Art 
         [0007]    Cutting edge sharpeners and honing devices have been a subject of a wide variety of patents ranging back over 100 years from the present date. While many of these innovations have been unique, the methods and materials required to produce the sharpening and honing surfaces are often costly, involved, and out of reach for small manufacturers. While the processes used to manufacture sharpening and honing surfaces can make objects which are uniform in appearance and style, they often require substantial efforts to change the functional characteristics of the sharpening and honing edge surface and do not allow for artistic variation. 
         [0008]    Many common cutting edge sharpeners such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,749,442 (Pass, Mar. 4, 1930), U.S. Pat. No. 8,221,199 (Smith, 11/1/2007), and design patent 241,504 (Krusche, Sep. 21, 1976) have grooved slots containing two angled or curved protrusions from the lateral sides of a slot converging upon the center, allowing the user to swipe the cutting edge through in order to straighten and sharpen the blade. Although this structure is useful for some applications, it does not suit the needs of users who wish to run the cutting edge across a much larger surface and these devices do not necessarily reach the level of sharpness desired by many users. 
         [0009]    Natural stones are a very common sharpening utility. The porosity of the mineral structure requires the use of water, and sometimes oil, to prevent the accumulation of pieces of metal in the stone which causes clogging and a reduction in the sharpness of the cutting edge. 
         [0010]    Ceramics have also been used in cutting edge sharpening and honing devices. Celikkaya et al describes a variety of methods in patent application 2004/0148967A1 for manufacturing and shaping ceramics to be used in cutting edge sharpening and honing devices. These processes require very high temperatures, a variety of metal oxides, and require elaborate equipment both to manufacture and to test the quality of the manufactured product. This invention also requires molding in order to create a certain shape which limits the types of forms which may be created using the described process and materials. 
         [0011]    Glass-ceramics are also used in abrasive materials due to their hardness. Rosenflanz describes in U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,544 (Dec. 12, 2006) a variety of processes to create these materials. Again, these processes require very high temperatures, a variety of metal oxides, and require elaborate equipment both to manufacture and to test the quality of the manufactured product. 
         [0012]    Diamond has been used as a means of cutting edge sharpening and honing due to its hardness. Griffin and Hughes describe in U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,462 (May 13, 2003) a method of manufacture for high-density polycrystalline diamond working surfaces. Manufacturing this type of surface requires high-temperature, high-pressure environments, chemical catalysts, and diamond. Such a setup would require a large investment of capital. 
         [0013]    Park contemplates the usage of a smooth glass rod in U.S. Pat. No. 2,284,535 (May 26, 1942) which is not optimal for many applications in sharpening or abrading the cutting edge surface due to its lack of texturing. 
         [0014]    A glass honing rod formerly manufactured by HandAmerican (patent number unknown) was manufactured by using a diamond cutting apparatus to create a plurality of longitudinal grooves in the glass rod. The grooving method used on the HandAmerican honing rod does not allow for the creation of extremely fine and precise cutting edges, and both the cylindrical structure and manufacturing method limit the possibilities of artistic variation in the invention. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0015]    In accordance with one embodiment an edge sharpener and honing device comprises a flat pane of borosilicate glass with a texture imparted by blasting with abrasive media allowing a user to align, hone, sharpen, remove, scrape, file, adjust, fix, straighten, even up, abrade, chafe, chamfer, filet, or otherwise alter the shape or characteristics of a cutting edge. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a top view of a block of glass in accordance with one embodiment 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of a block of glass in accordance with one embodiment 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of a cylindrical glass rod in accordance with another embodiment 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a cylindrical glass tube in accordance with another embodiment 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0020]      20  Block of glass textured with abrasive blasting 
         [0021]      21  Cylindrical glass rod textured with abrasive blasting 
         [0022]      22  Cylindrical glass tube textured with abrasive blasting 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Applicable to all Embodiments 
       [0023]    All embodiments of the device are manufactured by blasting glass with abrasive media. The glass may be in any form, structure, or shape suitable to the cutting edge sharpening and honing task for the needs of any particular cutting edge type. The glass should be made of borosilicate because borosilicate has a high level of hardness necessary to sharpen and hone cutting edges which are very hard, for example, tools made from high carbon steel. I contemplate that the method of abrasive blasting is sandblasting, but other methods of abrasive blasting are also suitable. I contemplate that the range of grit sizes for abrasive blasting used to impart a texture suitable for cutting edge sharpening and honing ranges between 70 and 1200 grit, but other size ranges are also suitable. I contemplate that the grit media consist of aluminum oxide, but other media are also suitable. I contemplate that a pressure of at least 90 psi is used for the blasting media in question, but other pressures are also suitable. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0024]      FIG. 1  (top view) and  FIG. 2  (side view) illustrates one embodiment of the device in the form of a glass block  20 . I presently contemplate that the glass block is square in shape with dimension of 10 cm by 20 cm in surface area and 1 cm in thickness, but other sizes and shapes are suitable as well. I contemplate that a holder for this glass block (not pictured) would be helpful in stabilizing the block during usage, although a holder is not necessary. I contemplate that an extremely flat surface is suitable for many users that prefer to sharpen or hone on flat surfaces. One common trade name for this very flat manufactured borosilicate glass is Borofloat™ by Schott, although other flat glasses of other types, forms, and compositions are also suitable. 
       OPERATION 
     First Embodiment 
       [0025]    The manner of using the textured glass cutting edge sharpener and honing device to sharpen or hone a cutting edge is to move the angled portion of the cutting edge across the textured surface at the angle desired for the cutting edge as is customarily done with similar devices. Repeated motions of this type will lead to an appropriate angle and sharpness for the user&#39;s cutting edge. 
       Alternative Embodiment 
       [0026]      FIG. 3  (side view) illustrates another embodiment of the device in the form of a glass rod  21 . I presently contemplate that the glass rod is 2 cm in diameter and 45 cm in length, but other diameters and lengths are also suitable. I contemplate that a handle (not pictured) which would provide the user with a comfortable grip and which would also prevent the cutting edge being sharpened or honed from slipping and cutting the user is beneficial, but not necessary. I contemplate that this cylindrical rod form is suitable for many users that prefer to sharpen or hone using a cylindrical surface, though other shapes may also be suitable. 
       Alternative Embodiment 
       [0027]    Use in a similar manner to the first embodiment: The manner of using the textured glass cutting edge sharpener and honing device to sharpen or hone a cutting edge is to move the angled portion of the cutting edge across the textured surface at the angle desired for the cutting edge as is customarily done with similar devices. Repeated motions of this type will lead to an appropriate angle and sharpness for the user&#39;s cutting edge. 
       Alternative Embodiment 
       [0028]      FIG. 4  (side view) illustrates another embodiment of the device in the form of a glass tube  22 . I presently contemplate that the tube is 2 cm in diameter and 45 cm in length, but other diameters and lengths are also suitable. I contemplate that a handle (not pictured) which would provide the user with a comfortable grip and which would also prevent the cutting edge being sharpened or honed from slipping and cutting the user is beneficial, but not necessary. I contemplate that this cylindrical tube form is suitable for many users that prefer to sharpen or hone using a cylindrical surface, though other shapes may also be suitable. 
         [0029]    The embodiments of this device are not limited to the above listed forms shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . It is possible that an embodiment of this device may take any physical form that glass is capable of taking. 
       Alternative Embodiment 
       [0030]    Use in a similar manner to the first embodiment: The manner of using the textured glass cutting edge sharpener and honing device to sharpen or hone a cutting edge is to move the angled portion of the cutting edge across the textured surface at the angle desired for the cutting edge as is customarily done with similar devices. Repeated motions of this type will lead to an appropriate angle and sharpness for the user&#39;s cutting edge. 
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
       [0031]    Accordingly the reader will see that, according to one embodiment of the device, I have created embodiments for sharpening and honing a wide variety of cutting edges on a textured borosilicate glass surface, and I have provided a method for manufacturing glass cutting edge sharpeners and honing devices that is relatively easy, requires little equipment, can be manufactured for a relatively low cost, and provides a wide range of texturing options. At present I believe that the embodiment in the form of a glass block  20  operates most efficiently, but the other embodiments are also satisfactory. 
         [0032]    While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the various embodiments. For example, the glass block ( FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ), rod ( FIG. 3 ), or tube ( FIG. 4 ) could be curved, warped, or shaped in such a way to provide an optimal angle or size for a particular cutting edge; the glass may have decorative elements or unique color combinations; the glass may be molded or shaped in a decorative shape; words or other design elements may appear on or in the glass; different methods of holding, stabilizing, or securing the particular embodiment could be used; different grades of abrasive could be used on different parts of a particular embodiment; there could be areas on a particular embodiment that are free from texture; space inside the glass may be filled up with other objects, etc. 
         [0033]    Thus the scope of the patentable material should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.