I'm an orthopaedic surgeon, and I have been toying with the idea of having a sharpening system that could be used in the operating room. Contrary to popular opinion, many surgical tools are not routinely maintained sharp -- including chisels, osteotomes, etc. These instruments are often used to not just cut bone, but to pound out cement, remove screws, etc. And being a woodworker who dabbles enough in handtools to be dangerous, dull instruments are a pet-peeve. Stones and the like are probably out, since they are porous, and likely to be a challenge to routinely sterilize. I was thinking about diamond plates, but I worry about the adhesives used. Typical sterilization calls for manual and automatic washing, then various cycles of steam treatment at 250-275°F, then a cool-down. Three times per week. It would have to be sterilized with the main instruments for logistical reasons, so gas sterilization procedures, like ethylene oxide are out.

What might work? It never fails to surprise me the collective expertise that posts here, so I figured someone might have an idea. Thanks