Sharpener with swing arm abrasive assembly

A sharpener for sharpening a cutting edge of a cutting tool, the sharpener comprising:

• a blade fixture configured to secure a blade of the cutting tool;
• a base assembly configured to position the blade fixture at an orientation to the base assembly;
• and
• an abrasive assembly comprising:
• a swing arm rod configured to be pivotally coupled to the base assembly;
• a frame mounted on the swing arm rod;
• an abrasive cartridge movably mounted on the swing arm rod and rotatably mounted to the frame, the abrasive cartridge comprising a plurality of abrasive members with associated abrasive surfaces, the abrasive cartridge being selectively rotatable about the swing arm rod and relative to the frame to orient a selected abrasive surface thereof towards the cutting tool;
• and
• a locking feature configured to selectively secure the abrasive cartridge with respect to the frame at a selected rotational orientation and prevent rotation of the abrasive cartridge relative to the frame, the locking feature comprising a protrusion associated with the frame and one or more recesses in the abrasive cartridge.

A method for sharpening a cutting edge of a cutting tool, the method comprising:

• securing a blade of the cutting tool in a blade fixture, the blade fixture being supported by a base assembly of a sharpener,
• selecting a first abrasive surface of an abrasive assembly, the abrasive assembly comprising a frame, an abrasive cartridge rotatably mounted to the frame, a swing arm rod configured to couple the frame to the base assembly at a selected sharpening angle, and a locking feature, the abrasive cartridge comprising a plurality of abrasive members with associated abrasive surfaces, the first abrasive surface being selected by rotating the abrasive cartridge with respect to the frame such that the first abrasive surface is brought into a facing engagement with a side of the blade at the selected sharpening angle and locking a rotational position of the abrasive cartridge relative to the frame with the locking feature to prevent rotation of the abrasive cartridge relative to the frame, the locking feature comprising a protrusion associated with the frame and one or more recesses in the abrasive cartridge;
• advancing the abrasive assembly along an arcuate path defined by the swing arm rod while engaging the side of the blade with the first abrasive surface to sharpen the side of the blade at the selected sharpening angle;
• selecting a second abrasive surface, different than the first abrasive surface, by moving the abrasive cartridge with respect to the frame such that the second abrasive surface is brought into a facing engagement with a side of the blade at the selected sharpening angle;
• and
• advancing the abrasive assembly along the arcuate path defined by the swing arm rod while engaging the side of the blade with the second abrasive surface to sharpen the side of the blade.