Author Topic: Sharpening Curved Blades  (Read 1458 times)

Offline smokeeter

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Sharpening Curved Blades
« on: Jan 30, 2020, 04:58 PM »
Well I finally needed to sharpen my nils blade. I really didn't want to ship it from here in Ontario, and I couldn't find anyone local to sharpen it.
I made a jig to keep the angle constant on the blade, and progressed from 400,600,800 grit silicone carbide paper on a rounded dowel to follow the curve of the blade. I maintained the original angle on the blade then put on a micro bevel to help with cutting the ice.

here's a pic of the jig.




Offline hardwater diehard

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #1 on: Jan 30, 2020, 05:40 PM »
First post and great share  :clap: :clap: :clap:
Give a man a fish he eats for a day .Teach a man to ice fish he has an obsession for a lifetime

Offline straightShot

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #2 on: Jan 30, 2020, 06:08 PM »
That makes sense.  Let us know how it cuts.

Offline Chuck Enwinde

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #3 on: Jan 31, 2020, 01:25 AM »
Where in Ontario?
How did it work?
Want to do a couple more?

Offline marknpanfish

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #4 on: Jan 31, 2020, 06:20 AM »
Good thinking, hope it works good.

Offline Gunflint

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #5 on: Jan 31, 2020, 06:29 AM »
GREAT conception and execution. I love how you were able to fine tune the angle with the bolt.

Very impressive. Like a "Nils" Lansky sharpener.

Let us know the results on the ice.

I LOVE this website and things like this created by people like you is one a the main reasons.
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Offline Luckydog

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #6 on: Jan 31, 2020, 09:49 AM »
Very impressive solution!

Offline shawno

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #7 on: Feb 01, 2020, 06:07 PM »
Did you get a chance to try out the blades yet?  Curious how they worked out.

Would be able to give us a dimension sheet on your setup? 

Thanks and welcome for the forum!

Offline Sharp Nils

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #8 on: Feb 02, 2020, 10:20 AM »
   Should work on mildly dulled blade.  One tip: It looks like the top of the dowel is touching inside curve and I can see steel removed from that edge.   While that isn't the main cutting edge, it removes what would be the center nipple. If that edge gets rounded over the nipple builds and stops the blade from cutting.  So use a smaller dowel or leave the top void of paper.  Or instead of the dowel use a 1" flat bar with a small radius shaped into it.   Whatever you do don't do a thing to the bottom of the blade.
Frank DeLuca

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Offline smokeeter

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #9 on: Feb 05, 2020, 02:23 PM »
Thanks for the insight. I did change up the sanding blocks, I made several out of  3/8X3/8" hardwood slats that I cut up , I also cut a dado 3/16" to accept the rod guide. I put some 2 sided tape on the slat to secure the silicone carbide paper. The smaller slat provides more clearance and the 3/8" width still follows the contour of the auger blade quite nicely.
I'd like to report that I took the auger out today and it cut flawlessly, maybe not as fast as a brand new head but with some more tinkering ie. honing I think it'll be fine.
Here's a few more pics of the jig , I used 1X1" aluminum square tubing for the fixture, I drilled and threaded the holes so the long screws could be adjusted to the desired height to maintain the angle.






Offline Gunflint

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #10 on: Feb 05, 2020, 02:46 PM »
Very impressive.

You could probably sell a few of those here.... ;D
Veritas Odium Parit

Online FreshwaterPhil

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #11 on: Feb 06, 2020, 01:16 PM »
You sir, are a genius  ;D

BTW, there is a guy who sharpens them in Winnipeg, goes by the name "Hand of Gord" sharpening service. Nowhere near as good as Frank (aka sharp nils). But infinitely better than I was able to do on my own.

That being said, the Nils gets way less use these, been sticking to my Fin bore. Blades are less sensitive to damage, way easier to sharpen or replace. Earlier this winter, I had one of the blades crack during an outing for the first time in nearly 10 years. Not having any spare on me, I was able to keep drilling and fishing with only 1 blade instead of both.

Compare that to the Nils head that can go from hero to zero with the slightest amount of debris in the ice.

Offline flagup!

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Re: Sharpening Curved Blades
« Reply #12 on: Feb 12, 2020, 09:03 AM »
Smokeeter………….
This looks like a pretty good system.  They make something like this for knives.... haven't used one.   My question is......Did it work?    Anything you would change?

Bueller?   …...........................….Bueller?      :whistle:
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