Knife sharpening device

Abstract

A knife sharpener for the manual sharpening of knives that includes a knife clamp member having first and second clamping members, a guide member that defines upper and lower guide members, and a base member. Each upper and lower guide member includes a plurality of apertures sized and shaped for receiving a guide rod that includes a sharpening stone. The knife clamp member further includes embodiments assuring the knife blade is held securely and positioned between the first and second clamping members in the same position in which the knife blade was installed the last time it was sharpened.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A knife sharpening device comprising:
 a knife clamp,   a guide,   an upright support,   a base, and   a sleeve that defines a slit contoured for frictionally receiving a knife having a blade, said knife clamp being configured such that said sleeve is selectively received within the knife clamp to fixedly secure the knife blade therein when the knife clamp is closed.   
     
     
         2 . The knife sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve member defines first and second upper protrusions that are received in corresponding first and second apertures disposed on said distal end of said first clamping member, and a single protrusion downwardly projecting through a corresponding third aperture disposed on said distal end of said second clamping member. 
     
     
         3 . The knife sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member and is threadably received in a clamp bore disposed in said ledge. 
     
     
         4 . The knife sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said ledge and is threadably received in a bore disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member. 
     
     
         5 . The knife sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one tightening screws pass through an aperture in said first clamping member and are threadably received in a bore disposed in said second clamping member. 
     
     
         6 . The knife sharpener of  claim 5 , further defining a longitudinal axis, and wherein said at least one tightening screw is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The knife sharpener of  claim 6 , further including a thumb screw that vertically extends through a thumb screw aperture in said first clamping member and threadably received in a tapped bore of said second clamping member. 
     
     
         8 . The knife sharpener of  claim 7 , wherein each of said apertures in said at least two (2) columns of apertures have straight upper and lower sides and rounded ends. 
     
     
         9 . The knife sharpener of  claim 8 , wherein said guide member is seated on the upright support and joined with said base member using a base screw that is threadably received in a lower bore disposed at a lower most end of said lower guide member. 
     
     
         10 . The knife sharpener of  claim 8 , wherein said base member defines a notch sized and shaped for releasably receiving a defined end disposed at a lower most end of said lower guide member. 
     
     
         11 . The knife sharpener of  claim 10 , wherein said defined end of said lower guide member includes a catch that aligns with a defined lower portion of said notch. 
     
     
         12 . A knife sharpening device comprising:
 a knife clamp,   a guide,   an upright support,   a base, and   a sleeve that defines a slit contoured for frictionally receiving a knife having a blade,   said knife clamp being configured to clamp said sleeve member when the blade is fixedly secured therein, wherein said knife clamp defines a length that extends from a distal end of the knife clamp and extends such that an opposite end of said knife clamp abuts a frontal surface of the guide, and wherein said opposite end of said knife clamp is attached to said guide such that said knife clamp is fixed to said guide and to tighten to said second clamping member.   
     
     
         13 . The knife sharpener of  claim 12 , wherein said sleeve member defines first and second upper protrusions that are received in corresponding first and second apertures disposed on said distal end of said first clamping member, and a single protrusion downwardly projecting through a corresponding third aperture disposed on said distal end of said second clamping member. 
     
     
         14 . The knife sharpener of  claim 12 , wherein said guide member includes an upper guide member and a lower guide member, and wherein said upper guide member upwardly extends from said knife clamp member and said lower guide member downwardly extends from said knife clamp member. 
     
     
         15 . The knife sharpener of  claim 12 , wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member and is threadably received in a clamp bore disposed in said ledge. 
     
     
         16 . The knife sharpener of  claim 12 , wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said ledge and is threadably received in a bore disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member. 
     
     
         17 . The knife sharpener of  claim 12 , wherein each of said apertures in said at least two (2) columns of apertures have straight upper and lower sides and rounded ends. 
     
     
         18 . A sleeve comprising:
 a body configured to receive a blade of a knife, the body configured to include at least one of the group of depressions, extrusions, holes, or appendages which mates to the downward clamping jaw of a clamp,   wherein the body is designed to receive the blade using the at least one of the group in such a manner that when the blade is repeatedly reinserted the into the sleeve slit, the blade is positioned in the same location each instance.