The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I would definitely want a new MAL pointer if and when.

I'd love one of these too, so if you do decide to make them please put me down for a few.

But my thinking is why would you set up workshop to reproduce these when it would be a lot "easier" to come up with a new design that could easily be made with readily available materials and eventually produce a superior sharpener.

Either way it's a labour of love and I'm in for a new sharpener, especially if it's made by Graham.

Keep those needles sharpened!

My advice to anyone contemplating reproducing the MAL sharpener, or anything like it is this.
Instead of the usual little holder where the needle is inserted to hold it whilst sharpening, make that part as a chuck arrangement. That means the needle is held exactly in the middle. In the MAL sharpener the set screw that holds the needle in place will push thin thorns to one side, and when they are sharpened the needle will be of-set, and will not, as I have found, give a perfect point. That is my only criticism of the super Mal sharpener, which I have owned for years. I think mine was the tenth that Miles had made.
Alastair.

Interesting! I heartily respect everyone's views, and of course it's true, the thumbscrew on the MAL (just like a soundbox needle screw) means that the needle point can be slightly off-centre, especially with fine diameter thorns. But I have never found this to be a problem, nor of any detriment to sound, and I very much prefer the thumbscrew arrangement for ease of use. I find chucks on other sharpeners fiddly by comparison, making them less convenient and less satisfying. Personally I would definitely stick with the thumbscrew.

Or perhaps it would be relatively easy to produce them both ways! Small chucks can be sourced for next to nothing from the far East...

I know that Miles Mallinson made them with different diameter needle sockets, presumably according to preference.

You want to see a thorn sharpener? A SERIOUS sharpener? take a look at this video: [YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMy6qoAKNUc&t=49s[/YouTube]

CarlosV wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:43 pm You want to see a thorn sharpener? A SERIOUS sharpener? take a look at this video: [YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMy6qoAKNUc&t=49s[/YouTube]

Oh wow, that's gorgeous! It looks quite cumbersome to use though.

It's a tricky balance between ease of use and doing the job well I think, and this one seems focused on the latter rather than the former.... That said, I WANT!