Since we have been talking about sharpening.....PESCO Service Sharpener.

keykeeper · June 04, 2011, 07:08:10 PM

I picked this up some time ago, but haven't had time nor inclination to post it up until Wayne started talking about sharpening. It obviously needs a new cord, and a belt. Works by setting the angle of the belt by sliding the adjustment on the left side of the belt housing to the desired angle. The guides about the belt stay put, the belt itself adjusts to change the angle for sharpening of blades. I understand they still make these, except they are called Hookeye Electric Knife sharpeners now. See this link - http://www.procutlery.com/osc/index.php?cPath=35

Once I get a belt made for it, and the new cord wired up, I hope to put this in service cutting primary edges once I start making a few knives!!

lzenglish · June 04, 2011, 07:27:14 PM

Nice! How old is it? I have a meat saw from Pittsburgh-Erie, and can't find much info on the company.

Wayne

keykeeper · June 04, 2011, 07:35:10 PM

Looks like anything marked PESCO or Pittsburgh Erie predates the late 60's. Check out this page, the company is still in business under a new name http://www.kascosharptech.com/115/About-Us.htm

Looking at the cord, I easily believe what they say. Definitely of vintage electrical construction.

scottg · June 05, 2011, 11:37:19 AM

Ohhhh I love it!!
I can't pretend to know what they were thinking of, as far as its angle settings,
but a small belt grinder is joy and this one has BeeF !!
super score
I'd try to get this running for sure.
yours Scott

keykeeper · June 05, 2011, 02:28:56 PM

I have no instructions for it, but I have gleaned from my research of it that it takes a 1.5" x 25" belt. Luckily, I have a shop roll of 120 grit, 1.5" wide at my disposal. I have to figure out the best way to keep it together, but I'm leaning towards an angle of cut about 70 degrees or so, so the joined area doesn't have so much time over the rollers or platen. I'm gonna use heavy duty shipping tape and adhesive to join the two cut ends together. In combination, that should make a nice sturdy connection on the belts.

I'll keep the board posted as I get it all together.

scottg · June 05, 2011, 03:58:50 PM

Cool!
Give it a try and keep us posted please.
I have had trouble joining belts, and am anxious to hear of your experiments, whether success or failures, either one.

Carpenters wood glue and clamps until dry, is a no go forinstance. I've tried that. Lasted only a few seconds.
Couple kinds of rubber cement and contact cement failed too. But they weren't exactly new tubes/cans.

I was trying to reuse commercial tape that had pulled lose btw. So maybe the tape itself was too weak?
But I don't think so, the tape seemed fine.
yours Scott

64longstep/Brian · June 05, 2011, 07:40:30 PM

Aaron check this out...
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?14645-Make-a-sanding-belt

keykeeper · June 05, 2011, 10:14:06 PM

Thanks Brian for that tutorial link.

I changed out the cord tonight, and it runs like a sewing machine.

I also tried my hand at making a belt, but it is left to dry overnight. I will have to try the way shown in that link.

64longstep/Brian · June 05, 2011, 11:10:57 PM

No problem Sir...

Aunt Phil · June 06, 2011, 12:17:18 AM

Those were sold as part of every supermarket package in the 60s, suposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bacon for the butcher shop.

Seems like most of them wound up on top of a cooler waiting for the store to be auctioned off because they definitely ate a lot of knives up.

keykeeper · June 06, 2011, 10:10:22 AM

Quote from: Aunt Phil on June 06, 2011, 12:17:18 AM
Those were sold as part of every supermarket package in the 60s, suposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bacon for the butcher shop.

Seems like most of them wound up on top of a cooler waiting for the store to be auctioned off because they definitely ate a lot of knives up.

Well, to be honest, I was a little concerned about the belts available for this being quite an agressive grit size. Of course, I hadn't put the first thought into putting any blade worth anything on there to sharpen it. I was thinking more along the lines of cutting primary bevels on blades I would forge out myself, then finishing with other methods.

Of course, by its design, this may be suitable for other small sharpening tasks, given that it has a nice, strong platen to work on. Chisels could be repointed on it in no time flat.

Lewill2 · June 09, 2011, 11:35:07 AM

McMaster Carr has them in their catalog. They sell them width x length. Length is total length around the pulleys. They have various grits and they even have nylon mesh belts, I guess like Scotchbrite. If they have them I would think that MSC would also carry them.

keykeeper · June 10, 2011, 10:57:44 AM

I can't seem to find them on the McMaster-Carr site, only 1.5 x 24. I'll have to dig further.

News:

Since we have been talking about sharpening.....PESCO Service Sharpener.

lzenglish