An Adjustable Combined Sharpener for Knives, Scissors, and other Blades.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Adjustable Combined Sharpener for Knives, Scissors, and other
Blades.
I, JOHN HENRY BRAMWELL, of 342, Fulwood Road, City of Sheffield, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in sharpeners or steels and more particu-
larly to one which can be adjusted to sharpen the blades of knives, or of scissors,
and also to give either an obtuse or an acute angle to the edge, as may be desired.
There may be modifications in the details of construction, and in the con-
figuration of the article, but the annexed drawings will clearly indicate the
nature of the invention, and the form in which I prefer to construct it.
Fig. 1, gives two views of a double sharpener with the arms closed.
Fig. 2, the same sharpener with the arms open.
Fig. 3, a single sharpener with wood handle.
Fig. 4 a pocket sharpener, all steel.
The object of my invention is to supply a compact portable, and adjustable
sharpener, for sharpening the blades of knives of all kinds, and the blades of
other instruments, such as surgical instruments and the like, and also well
adapted for sharpening the blades of scissors, which operation has hitherto been
a difficult one to perform successfully except by skilled persons.
In carrying out my invention as shown in Figs. 1 & 2 of the drawings. I pro-
vide three pieces of steel, one which is the longest is to constitute what may
be termed the body of the instrument, marked B, and two shorter pieces A¹
and A2, which may be called the arms.
The three pieces are got up to a smooth surface, and the edges of all are
rounded, and I then produce a serrated surface upon these rounded edges, such
serrations running longitudinally.
These so called serrations or longitudinal ridges and grooves may be produced
by means of files made for the purpose, or by any other mechanical means, and
may vary in grade from coarse to an almost smooth surface, for the various
purposes for which they are required, some knives and scissors requiring a sharp
but coarse edge, so as to seize the material to be cut, and others require a very
smooth cutting edge.
The several parts are then hardened and secured together as shown, by rivets,
or by screws and nuts or equivalent means at P, upon which the arms can be
turned and fixed as shown in Fig. 2.
Indications may be marked upon the body, to point out the angle best suited
for producing the desired edge upon knives, scissors, &c., as shown in Fig. 2.
It will be seen that as the arms can be turned to either side of the body there
will be four sharpening positions, and all these may be of different gradations.
To sharpen a knife blade for example, one of the arms is opened to a suitable
angle such as A¹ in Fig. 2, and the cutting edge of the blade is drawn several
times between the body and the arm, while for scissors the arm is opened wider,
like A3, to correspond wth the cutting angle of scissor blades; the blade is

page_text: then placed between them with its inner face against the body and its bevelled
edge against the arm, and drawn across in the same way as a knife. Another
way is to open the blades of the scissor, grip the arm or body of the sharpener
with them at the same angle as the small bevel which forms the cutting edge
of the blade, and draw back the scissors with a cutting action for a few times.
I may arrange the arms A¹ and A2, on opposite sides of the body if desired,
or I may use only one arm as in Fig. 3, and fit the body into a handle H, or I
may construct the appliance so as to be suited for the pocket, as shown in Fig. 4,
and finish it in any desired manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1 An adjustable sharpener for knives, scissors and the like, constructed
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the annexed drawings.
2-A sharpener for knives, scissors and the like consisting of a body, such as
B, and one or more arms A, adjustably connected with the body, and having
serrated edges as herein before described and shown.
3A portable sharpener, having a body or shank B, provided with one or more
arms A, so fixed that they can be adjusted to the desired angle, and serrated
or otherwise prepared upon their edges to operate upon the blades of knives,
scissors and the like, as herein before described and set forth.
Dated the 16th day of January 1899.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant, Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield.