Honing Sheath Device

Abstract

A honing sheath device for honing a blade using a rigidly supported soft and smooth surface includes a tool with a handle and a rigid member extending from the handle. A sheath constructed of a flexible material is deployable around the rigid member of the tool to produce a rigidly supported soft and smooth surface for honing blades.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A honing sheath device comprising:
 a tool, said tool having a handle and a rigid member extending from said handle; and   a sheath, said sheath being constructed of a flexible material, said flexible material being soft so as to be resiliently compressible, said flexible material being smooth, said sheath defining an opening and a hollow space, said sheath deploying to a use position by receiving said rigid member of said tool through said opening, said sheath conforming to a perimeter surface of said rigid member when receiving said rigid member through said opening, said sheath being configured for honing a blade when in the use position and a side of the blade adjacent to an edge of the blade frictionally engages and compresses an outer surface of said sheath and moves parallel to the perimeter surface of said rigid member such that the edge of the blade follows behind the side of the blade, said sheath being configured for honing the blade without abrading the blade.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said tool is a honing rod, said perimeter surface of said rigid member of the honing rod being cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said perimeter surface of said rigid member of said tool comprises a flat surface, said sheath being configured for honing the blade when in the use position and the side of the blade adjacent to the edge of the blade frictionally engages said outer surface of said sheath opposite the flat surface and moves parallel to the flat surface such that the edge of the blade follows behind the side of the blade. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sheath is constructed of leather. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sheath is constructed of a sheet of said flexible material, said sheet elongating from a first end of said sheet to a second end of said sheet along a central longitudinal axis, said sheet being symmetric about said central longitudinal axis, said sheet having a pair of lateral edges extending from said first end of said sheet to said second end of said sheet, said pair of lateral edges arcing inward at said second end of said sheet, said sheet having a pair of border portions, each border portion being adjacent to and extending along each said lateral edge, said sheet forming said sheath when said sheet bends around said central longitudinal axis, said pair of lateral edges align with each other, and said pair of border portions couple to each other, thereby defining said opening at said first end and said hollow space. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising a thread, wherein said sheet of said flexible material has a plurality of thread holes dispersed proximate to each said lateral edge of said sheet, each said thread hole being positioned coaxially with an associated thread hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath, said thread stitching together said pair of border portions of said sheet together to form said sheath. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a plurality of rivet holes, each rivet hole extending through an associated border portion of said pair of border portions of said sheet proximate an associated end of said associated border portion, each said rivet hole being positioned coaxially with an associated rivet hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath; and   a pair of rivets, each rivet extending through a pair of rivet holes of said plurality of rivet holes, said pair of rivets securing said ends of said pair of border portions to each other.   
     
     
         8 . A honing sheath device comprising:
 a tool, said tool having a handle and a rigid member extending from said handle, wherein said tool is a honing rod, said perimeter surface of said rigid member of the honing rod being cylindrical;   a sheath, said sheath being constructed of a flexible material, said flexible material being soft so as to be resiliently compressible, said flexible material being smooth, said sheath defining an opening and a hollow space, said sheath deploying to a use position by receiving said rigid member of said tool through said opening, said sheath conforming to a perimeter surface of said rigid member when receiving said rigid member through said opening, said sheath being configured for honing a blade when in the use position and a side of the blade adjacent to an edge of the blade frictionally engages and compresses an outer surface of said sheath and moves parallel to the perimeter surface of said rigid member such that the edge of the blade follows behind the side of the blade, said sheath being configured for honing the blade without abrading the blade,
 wherein said sheath is constructed of a sheet of said flexible material, said sheet elongating from a first end of said sheet to a second end of said sheet along a central longitudinal axis, said sheet being symmetric about said central longitudinal axis, said sheet having a pair of lateral edges extending from said first end of said sheet to said second end of said sheet, said pair of lateral edges arcing inward at said second end of said sheet, said sheet having a pair of border portions, each border portion being adjacent to and extending along each said lateral edge, said sheet forming said sheath when said sheet bends around said central longitudinal axis, said pair of lateral edges align with each other, and said pair of border portions couple to each other, thereby defining said opening at said first end and said hollow space, 
 wherein said sheet of said flexible material has a plurality of thread holes dispersed proximate to each said lateral edge of said sheet, each said thread hole being positioned coaxially with an associated thread hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath; 
   a thread, said thread stitching together said pair of border portions of said sheet together to form said sheath;   a plurality of rivet holes, each rivet hole extending through an associated border portion of said pair of border portions of said sheet proximate an associated end of said associated border portion, each said rivet hole being positioned coaxially with an associated rivet hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath; and   a pair of rivets, each rivet extending through a pair of rivet holes of said plurality of rivet holes, said pair of rivets securing said ends of said pair of border portions to each other.