AMK 75 1x30” belt knife sharpener, ~Bradford Guardian 5.5 3V

[@WeberSharpening]

I really like your technique. The way you actually go backwards on the guide as the tip approaches the belt. Keeps the tip bevel from getting too big. Thank you!

[@UABFWSS]

Yeah, not sure if that was how it’s done or not, but works on some knives well, it does keep the bevel as minimal as possible and all the tips of various knives I’ve ran look great so far. Depending on the belly of the blade, sometimes ya gotta do more lifting at the same time to finish the burr just right. Still getting used to it, but confident now, did most all of my knives with it.

[@WeberSharpening]

@@UABFWSS I’ve also started clamping parallel to a line drawn tip to heel. This also helps with finishing the tip when there is a big round belly.

[@UABFWSS]

@@WeberSharpening the edge uniformity achieved using this thing has been remarkable.

[@seansmart3440]

Really nice. I just got the AMK 76 and I’m still learning to use it. Your video helps a lot.

[@UABFWSS]

Good deal. This thing is still doing great for me here.

[@pigeonbloodruby5330]

I'm a huge fan of knife sharpening machines! The hardest location to achieve an even bevel is the tip. The AMK is doing an amazing job, quite possibly the best that I've seen, I'm very impressed. I've spent some time studying the knife sharpener designs. I've came up with my own designs, one a simple DIY design using 2020 aluminum extrusions and another design that is quite sophisticated. I was just thinking about it today. Lot's of R&D to get it to work simply. Some day I'll make them. For now I'm using the Work Sharp. I'm very passionate when it comes to tool and product design, it's my expertise. So If what follows is too much, just know it brings me great joy thinking about improving the process and equipment. :) What I noticed on the AMK is that the blade is bouncing. What is causing that? It needs to be investigated. Typically with belts, what causes the jumping is the seam that forms the belt. There is a gap of no grit. It also could be the idler pulley spring is not applying enough force and the belt is momentary loose, causing a slapping motion. This will also occur if too much downward pressure is placed onto the belt. The collar stop, a better design would be to use a very large sphere, 2 inches. They sell solid heavy plastic knobs that you could make work. Why the sphere, when you rotate against the stop/guide the sphere maintains a uniform path. I see you pulling the collar stop away from the guide bar when the flat face of the collar is rotated past the guide. With a sphere this could be reduced but not totally eliminated as you reach the tip. The metal bar that supports the belt: If you were to attach a piece of soft plastic or hard rubber that has a low coefficient of friction to the bar, it may allow you to grind a convex edge. The leading edge of the bar that the belt encounters first, I would add a generous radius. It may help eliminate small vibrations by allowing the belt to gradually come in contact with the bar and ride up on top of it. I would level the bar to the aluminum pulleys axis, then make height adjustments. You can also use the level to adjust the height of the bar relative to the pulleys using thickness gauges. Nice machine!

[@UABFWSS]

Yeah, I’m a sharp edge fanatic. Got to the point with worksharp where my edges were what i’d call amazing, but i still wanted more. The jumping is belt seams, some belts worse than others. Doesn’t seem to affect it much, but wish it was smoother. For the most part, the AMK goes next level with keeping the bevel precise and edge perfectly linear. The downside to that, is if the knife isn’t perfectly ground, it’s somewhat difficult to compensate, because the sharpener is so perfect (just have to take off more material). It makes it harder to “ruin” a tip, but ya still have to get the feel for when to lift up or whatever you want to do to get edge “right” at the tips. Sharpness level easily surpasses the best edge a worksharp can make. Yes, could affix a pad of leather under the belt to give cushion and allow a slight convexness. After using these perfect V’s though, I re-did every knife/axe/hawk I have to a V edge. Had to do lot’s of testing to re-learn edge angles for V rather than convex though. I was hoping to make some side money with this, but I think ya literally gotta force feed people the service at like flea-markets or events, cuz they can just buy a new knife on amazon for $15 and don’t really care much about sharpness. Even tried some fb advertising, no luck. Oh, I still use the worksharp for really small blades. The AMK isn’t ideal for like paring knives or very small/thin pocket knives at lower desirable edge angles (like @20, or lower), cuz the jig lips get ground, ask me how I know, lol, oh well.

[@pigeonbloodruby5330]

@@UABFWSS OK the belt seam is the culprit for the bouncing. It would be a more enjoyable experience if that could be eliminated. There is a KZbinr metal detectorist who also sharpens knifes for restaurants. From his videos I see he has quite the workload. Yes you have some serious skills to hand finish/forming the tip. I'm not at your level with the sharpener that I have. Interesting, your fan of the straight bevel edge. I guess stone sharpening is typically a straight bevel edge and has been used for millennia. You're not alone!

[@UABFWSS]

@@pigeonbloodruby5330 yeah, Max in Va, he does well with knife customers. I thought about askin him how he rustles up the work, but i know he has the nice van setup and goes to the farmer’s markets etc. Some of the belts have zero bounce. I minimized the grit steps, from what i used in the video, that was like when i first got it. Some more edge pics on the fb page i made, RC Sharpening.

[@pigeonbloodruby5330]

@@UABFWSS Let Max know that you live in another state and don't pose any competition. Then ask him how to negotiate with the restaurant chefs, cooks and managers. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I don't have a FB account. I was following a bunch of the knife unboxing KZbinrs. I was occasionally checking in on Knife Modders. As they are slowly building up their skills and equipment. But last I checked a month ago nothing posted. There is a new knife steel Magnacut. It's the first engineered steel for knife blades, ever. It's amazing! I want to buy a 0.09" x 1" x 18" piece to make a blade for my EDC folder. I didn't watch any of these videos, titles looked good. But I'm surprised how many more videos are out now. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHSYhpZpoZaBeZo kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zmq6fHSZbM6jr6M kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIqbenmfq8-WfaM

[@billmanning8806]

Your sharpened edge looks superb. Even in all ways, I bet it improves both sharpness and edge retention. Currently I sharpen using Work Sharp Blade Grinder and it works well. But I find myself mulling this AMK-75 for its angle guide precision.

[@UABFWSS]

Thanks. Yeah, used Worksharp KO for past couple years. Got really good with that, made some really nice edges. Never imagined it could get much better, but the results are undeniable and just beyond crazy sharp, crisp and just about perfect (ya find or see more flaws in the actual blade geometry etc versus when done “by hand” or with no jig). I’m thrilled with how it performs and loving how the edges perform too.

[@drakenkorin38]

What about the fact that the belt is pushing the knife steel on one side away from the spine and towards the spine when you sharpen the other side? Seems like that would mess things up. I always sharpen in the same direction.

[@UABFWSS]

It’s same direction each side, away from spine.

[@johndonovan1878]

Not sure I like that chatter as you move along the edge. Does that affect the blade at Al?

[@johndonovan1878]

Sorry… *at all*

[@UABFWSS]

It’s the tape joint on the belts. Some worse than others. It does look really bad on video. No ill effects on edges. I’m amazed at the absolutely perfect edges it makes each time I use it.

[@johndonovan1878]

@@UABFWSS ah ok thanks. Perhaps adding a think piece of felt would help cut that down a bit.

[@UABFWSS]

@@johndonovan1878 yes, or maybe even leather perhaps.

[@robertmunguia250]

Are those belts 2 inch by 30? Look pretty wide.

[@UABFWSS]

They are 1 inch x 30". They make a couple machines that use the 2 inch belts I believe.

[@charleswalter4907]

Where do I get it and how much?

[@UABFWSS]

amktactical.com/AMK-75-1x30-Knife-Sharpener

[@charleswalter4907]

@@UABFWSS thanks

[@robertmunguia250]

These still available? AMK 75?

[@UABFWSS]

amktactical.com/epages/3c926a50-9aba-43a5-9571-098ee03f1288.mobile/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/3c926a50-9aba-43a5-9571-098ee03f1288/Products/24&Locale=en_US

[@charleswalter4907]

(The grinder)

[@BCVS777]

What an annoying belt bump that thing has!

[@UABFWSS]

Some belts are worse that others. Some totally smooth. It doesn’t even phase me on the bad ones, but ideally they’d be perfectly smooth for sure.