Knife sharpener

1. A knife sharpener comprising a set of upwardly extending fingers resiliently flexible against the force of the knife between which a knife blade may be drawn for sharpening purposes, said set having a base on which said set is mounted with said fingers in essentially vertical position, first and second shields operatively connected to said base, said first shield having a vertical position substantially covering and extending up alongside one side of said vertical set of fingers, said second shield articulately mounted on said base to be moveable between a closed vertical position substantially covering and extending up alongside the other side of said set of fingers and an open position extending out to said one side of said set of fingers and there functioning as a hand-rest for said sharpener.

2. The knife sharpener of claim 1 , in which the shields are elongated sea-shell-simulating elements.

3. The knife sharpener of claim 1 , in which said first shield is articulately mounted on said base to be moveable between said vertical position substantially covering said one side of said set of fingers and an open position outwardly located from said vertical position.

4. In the knife sharpener of either of claims 1 or 3 , locking means operatively connected to said base and articulately mounted thereon to be moveable between a first position engaging said shields when said shields are in vertical position and retaining them in that position and a second position releasing said shields.

5. A knife sharpener comprising a device across which a knife may be drawn for sharpening purposes, said device comprising a base for supporting said device on a supporting surface, means extending from said base engageable by the hand of the user to hold said base on said supporting surface, first hand-protecting means operatively connected to and extending from said base in a given direction to be interposed between said device and said hand-engageable means, and a second hand-protecting means operatively connected to said base and extending out beyond said first hand-protecting means to a position higher than said hand-engageable means and extending in a direction essentially at right angles to said given direction.

6. The knife sharpener of claim 5 , in which said first hand-protecting means extends out from said base in one direction and said secondary hand-protecting means extends out from said base in a second and different direction.

7. The knife sharpener of claim 6 , in which said first and second directions are essentially at right angles to one another.

8. The knife sharpener of claim 6 , in which said device is such that a knife is drawn therethrough for sharpening purposes in a given direction, said first hand-protecting means extends from said base in a direction essentially at right angles to said given direction, and said second hand-protecting means extends from said base essentially in said given direction.

9. A knife sharpener comprising an upwardly extending device across which a knife may be drawn for sharpening purposes and including a base for supporting said device on a surface in an essentially vertical position in storage and use, first and second shields operatively connected to and extending normally upwardly from said base, said first shield being articulately mounted on said base to be moveable between a normal vertical closed position substantially covering one side of said device and an operative open position outwardly located from said one side, said second shield being articulately mounted on said base to be moveable between a normally vertical closed position essentially mating with said first shield and covering the other side of said device and an open position extending out from said base to said one side of said device and there functioning as a hand-rest for said device.

10. The knife sharpener of claim 9 , in which said shields are elongated sea-shell-simulating elements.

11. In the knife sharpener of claim 9 , locking means operatively connected to said base and articulately mounted thereon to be moveable between a first position engaging said shields when said shields are closed position and retaining them in that position and a second position releasing said shields.

12. The knife sharpener of claim 11 , in which said locking means comprises a mounting portion fixedly secured to said base and a wing articulately connected to said mounting portion so as to be moveable between said first and second positions.

13. The knife sharpener of claim 11 , in which there are a pair of said locking means, one at each edge of said device.

14. The knife sharpener of claim 13 , in which said base has sides at which said shields are located and edges at which said locking means are located, said locking means having a part mounting said locking means on said base, at least one of said shields being mounted on said part.

15. The knife sharpener of claim 13 , in which both of said shields are articulately mounted on said part.

16. The knife sharpener of claim 13 , in which said mounting portion is secured to said base by a part protruding from said mounting portion, at least one of said shields being mounted on said part.

17. The knife sharpener of claim 16 , in which both of said shields are mounted on said part.

18. A knife sharpener comprising a set of upwardly extending fingers between which a knife blade may be drawn for sharpening purposes, said set having a base on which said set is mounted, first and second shields operatively connected to said base, said first shield having a position substantially covering and extending up alongside one side of said set of fingers, said second shield articulately mounted on said base to be moveable between a closed position substantially covering and extending up alongside the other side of said set of fingers and an open position extending out to said one side of said set of fingers and there functioning as a hand-rest for said sharpener, locking means operatively connected to said base and articulately mounted thereon to be movable between a first position engaging said shields when said shields are in closed position and retaining them in that position and a second position releasing said shields, in which the locking means in its said second position extends out beyond the edge of said set of fingers, thereby to function as a protector for the user's hand on said hand-rest.

19. The knife sharpener of claim 18 , in which there are a pair of said locking means, one at each edge of said set of fingers.

20. The knife sharpener of claim 19 , in which said base has sides at which said shields are located and edges at which said locking means are located, said locking means having a part mounting said locking means on said base, at least one of said shields being mounted on said part.

21. The knife sharpener of claim 19 , in which said locking means comprises a mounting portion fixedly secured to said base and a wing articulately connected to said mounting portion so as to be moveable between its said first and second positions.

22. The knife sharpener of claim 21 , in which said mounting portion is secured to said base by a part protruding from said mounting portion, said shields being mounted on said part.

23. A knife sharpener comprising an upwardly extending device through which a knife may be drawn for sharpening purposes and including a base for supporting said device on a surface, first and second shields operatively connected to and extending upwardly from said base, said first shield being articulately mounted on said base to be movable between a closed position substantially covering one side of said device and an open position outwardly located from said one side, said second shield being articulately mounted on said base to be movable between a closed position essentially mating with said first shield and covering the other side of said device and an open position extending out from said base to said one side of said device and there functioning as a hand-rest for said device, locking means operatively connected said base and articulately mounted thereon to be movable between a first position engaging said shield when said shields are in closed position and mating them in that position and a second position releasing said shield, in which the locking means in its said second position extends out beyond the edge of said device, thereby to function as a protector for the user's hand when on said hand rest.