Sharpening knives of a sheep clipper: rules and do-it-yourself machine assembly

Regardless of the quality of the metal and the frequency of the procedure over time, it is necessary to sharpen knives for all machines used for shearing sheep. In some cases, the solution to the problem will be the replacement of the canvas. But it is cheaper to sharpen the knives of a sheep clipper yourself. Moreover, the procedure does not require special preparation.

Signs to sharpen blades

Specialized sheep clippers are complemented by steel knives, which are often coated with a layer of diamond or titanium coating. However, despite the fact that such material is characterized by increased strength, the blades require periodic sharpening.This procedure must be carried out if:

• the blade does not capture the entire treated area, but only a part;
• after a haircut, signs of irritation or cuts appear on the body of the animal;
• After a haircut, patches of hair remain.

Shearing with unsharpened knives causes irritation in animals. The sheep at this point become restless, which complicates the whole process.

The need for timely sharpening is also due to the fact that pathogenic microorganisms easily penetrate through wounds on the body. That is, dull blades can cause an epidemic in the herd.

How to sharpen sheep shearing knives

Specialized sharpening equipment will be required if the machine is used to shear a large flock of sheep. If the tool is used at home, then the procedure can be carried out using improvised devices.

Professional Sharpening Kit

Pro kit contains:

• magnet;
• aluminum disc;
• machine;
• laser pointer.

Also, this kit usually contains a blade cleaner. The sharpening procedure using these tools is as follows:

1. Use a screwdriver to remove the blades from the machine.
2. The aluminum rim from the kit is treated with a dry cloth (thus removing dust), and then with special oil and abrasive powder.
3. The blade and laser pointer are fixed with a magnet.
4. Adequate disk rotation speed is set and the device starts up.
5. The blade is pressed against the rotating disc. At this point, the knife should be moved smoothly, moving from the center to the edge.
6. Sharpening takes, on average, up to two minutes. At the end of the procedure, both the knives and the disc are wiped.

When sharpening, the blade must be moved in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the disc. It is recommended to carry out this procedure slowly. Any mistakes can cause permanent damage to the knives.

On the grinder

To sharpen knives on a grinder, you need to follow the same steps as described above. That is, this will require:

1. Start the grinder disc.
2. Press the blade.
3. Move the knives from the center to the edge of the disc, thereby removing the top layer of metal.

At the end of the procedure, it is also recommended to clean the work area and blades. Some specialists do not use this method, since with such sharpening the likelihood of damage to the knives increases.

On a lathe

The lathe makes it much easier to sharpen blades. But to work with this tool will require certain skills. For sharpening you need:

1. Fix the blade to the work surface with magnets.
2. Treat the aluminum rim with a special paste and abrasive powder.
3. Start the machine and sharpen the knives according to the algorithm given earlier.
4. Open the machine and wipe the blades with a clean cloth.

Before sharpening the blades, it is recommended to wear protective gloves and goggles. It is also necessary to check the correct position of the knives on the work surface.

On the emery machine

The principle of sharpening on an emery machine is the same as on a lathe. The only difference is that in this case, the blades will have to be held in your hands.Therefore, when sharpening, you must be careful not to run the disc at maximum speed. In addition, when performing these manipulations, it is recommended to carefully bring the knives. The emery machine is able to quickly grind off the top layer of the cutting tool.

Using a block and sandpaper

This option is suitable for farmers who rarely use a sheep clipper. This method is considered the safest in comparison with those described earlier. The main task is that during sharpening it is necessary to maintain the angle of the cutting edge that was set by the manufacturer of the clipper.

To do this, you need to set it accordingly and firmly press the blade to the bar. Next, you need to move the canvas along the surface until the desired result is achieved.

If sandpaper is used instead of a bar, then the latter must be changed from coarse to fine-grained during the sharpening process.It is also necessary to pre-fix the material on a suitable surface. The device is sharpened with sandpaper in the same way as with a bar.

How to make a homemade machine / sharpening machine with your own hands

Despite the fact that experts do not recommend making such devices yourself, these devices can still be made. It should be borne in mind that the tool by which the blades will be sharpened must have a fine abrasive.

Simplest

To make a simple tool, you will need 2 corners of wood 20-30 centimeters in size, a whetstone and 6-8 screws with nuts. You also need to take a protractor. The corners overlap each other so that the bar fits.Then 4 holes are drilled in the wood for the screws. After that, the bar is pulled together with fasteners, observing the desired angle of inclination.

Next you need to take 2 10mm metal tubes. The first will act as a guide to which a previously manufactured structure with a whetstone is attached. The second tube must be installed on a stand (a small chipboard will do). Both guides must be connected to each other so that the specified angle of inclination of the whetstone is maintained.

Advanced

To make a more convenient tool, you need to cut a piece of laminate measuring 10x4 centimeters. Next, the long side is ground at an angle so that this part ensures the free movement of the bar. Then a piece of plywood 30x10 centimeters in size is cut out, which will serve as the basis for the future tool.

After that, the prepared laminate is fixed to this part with an indent from the edge of 2 centimeters.

The next step is to make a stand to which the grinding tool is attached. For this you will need:

1. Attach a 70 cm rail vertically to the base.
2. Clamp part of the attached rail. This must be done in such a way that, by attaching the bar to the holder and the vertical stand, you get an angle of 20-30 degrees.
3. Fix a similar rail on the other side.
4. Between the slats, a bar is fastened with glue at the specified angle so that a U-shaped structure is obtained.

At the end, you need to make a whetstone. To do this, take a rail of length equal to the distance between the holder and the U-shaped structure. Fine sandpaper is attached to the end of this part.

Tool tips

You can increase the life of the sheep clipper by following these recommendations:

• do not use tool except for cutting;
• avoid mechanical impact on the blades;
• regularly oil mechanical components;
• after sharpening and shearing, clean knives and all tools.

In addition, it is recommended to avoid contact with water, and when sharpening, use a high-quality abrasive.

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