ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 30 -- United States Patent no. 12,427,616, issued on Sept. 30, was assigned to Hantover Inc. (Overland Park, Kan.).
"Handheld blade steel" was invented by Ronald J. Curnett (Cross Timbers, Mo.) and Craig E. Feeler (Independence, Mo.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A tool for steeling a knife includes a frame and first and second steeling components. Each of the components is shiftably mounted relative to the frame for movement between a first position and a second position. The steeling components cooperatively define a knife interface configured to engage and thereby steel the knife. The steeling components are resiliently biased into the first position, with the knife ...