Sharpening system for a cutting tool and related method of use

A sharpening system for a cutting tool having a blade, wherein the blade extends longitudinally along a generally linear path and having opposite longitudinally extending sides and a cutting edge portion along at least one of the sides, wherein the cutting edge portion has opposite planar faces oriented in converging fashion and meeting at a cutting edge of the cutting edge portion, wherein the blade has a body portion adjacent the cutting edge portion and having opposite planar faces oriented in substantially parallel condition to each other, wherein the opposite planar faces of the cutting edge portion respectively form a common acute angle with planes containing the adjacent planar faces of the body portion that defines half of a cutting angle of the blade, the sharpening system comprising:

• a support base for supporting the blade in inclined orientation relative to a support surface in which the cutting edge is above an opposite one of the sides of the blade, wherein the support base includes:
• an underside defining a plane arranged for resting on the support surface;
• a topside opposite to and above the underside;
• and
• a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly and outwardly from the underside towards the topside as to be arranged to be inclined relative to the support surface, wherein the sidewalls respectively form different acute angles relative to the plane of the underside;
• wherein the support base is configured to removably receive the blade in the inclined orientation at each of the sidewalls;
• a sharpener distinct from the support base and configured for movement on the support surface, wherein the sharpener comprises a planar grinding surface arranged to be oriented perpendicularly upright to the support surface, wherein the grinding surface is configured to grind the cutting edge portion of the blade when the sharpener is moved relative to the blade in a path following the cutting edge portion;
• and
• a tool for measuring the cutting angle of the blade, wherein the tool comprises:
• a body carrying a plurality of slots representative of different cutting angles;
• wherein the slots respectively extend from open ends at a periphery of the body to closed ends spaced inwardly therefrom;
• wherein each of the slots comprises an opposite pair of sidewalls spaced apart in a width direction of the slot and converging at the closed end;
• wherein each of the slots comprises a mouth portion of the sidewalls forming the open end and in which the sidewalls extend linearly inwardly from the periphery of the body in converging fashion, wherein an angle between the sidewalls is associated with a respective one of the different cutting angles represented by the slot;
• wherein each slot further comprises an intermediate portion of the sidewalls in which the sidewalls are linear and parallel to each other, wherein at the intermediate portion the sidewalls extend inwardly from the mouth portion by a prescribed depth corresponding to convergence of imaginary lines collinear with the mouth portion, wherein at the intermediate portion the sidewalls are spaced apart by a prescribed width arranged to receive an end portion of the cutting edge portion including and adjacent to the cutting edge;
• and
• wherein each slot further comprises an end portion enlarged in the width direction relative to the intermediate portion and forming the closed end.