FortWorthKnife

Or, sell my VR rig and a bit of this and that and get that G1015.

So... 8" Thanks. Maybe I'll fall into cash and get that Grizzly.

And this is why I ask basic questions. And thank you for answering. What size for hollow grind then?

Ok, point made. I saw one for about 725 from Grizzly, maybe I'll grab it in a year or so. In this case, it is very much for fun... Question: My bucktools has a 4" aluminum wheel on the bottom. The way the guard is, even laid down you can't get on the lower side of that wheel. Can I use a solid wheel for grinding or does it need to have the rubber surface? And if I can, should I cut away part of the guard to allow me to get on the under side?

I've looked at those now, thanks! They seem a bit out of the price range tho but i can see the benefits. Is there one out there that is cheap and horrible in all other ways but does hollow grinds well? FYI: the one I got is a Bucktools 2x48 with a grind wheel or a brush wheel. Again good enough for everything but hollow grinds.

Hello! I currently have a 2x42 grinder link removed that is doing a pretty good job on my starting knives. However, it's difficult to do hollow grinds on this. Is there a better one out there for $400 or less? I've done plenty of searches and see a lot of options but I'm not confident of enough of what I need to pick correctly. Any advice appreciated!

Its a Tradesman 10" Compound Mitre Saw; I bought it without caring about a decade before. I do recall it was the cheapest the store carried that was that size and type. Only ever used, and infrequently, for 2x4s and 4x4s; I'll look into it but I'm pretty sure it wasn't designed with steel in mind. For that matter I still have the original blade on it.

I'm still trying to figure out all the tools I need; hardie is on the list. I'll probably rely upon a 4.5" grinder / cutter with a 27 wheel. I'm still drooling over a 72 inch grinder I can't afford. And my chop saw is a Home Depot cheapie I bought a decade ago; I'm glad I didn't think it would be a good idea without checking.

hey thanks Glenn, appreciate the input. Yeah I know loose and wobbly is not a good thing... it was never turned on with a cut off wheel and I have no intention of keeping it. I Bought it to sand/grind AND do cut off since i have just basic tools; it is on its way back to HD today and I will get another. Just in case anyone cares, its the Ryobi AG4031G... the drive nut CAN be flipped but the side touching the wheel will not let it sit firmly and the other nut won;t come down far enough. I know I could get a washer or come up with another fix but if they want to make a grinder that can't cut, I won't argue with them... I'll just buy someone else's. I've got two pins in my leg form an accident in 2001. I know full well recovery is rarely 100%; I haven't even taken off the safety features on my bench grinder to make belt changes quicker I have a 10" chop saw but I normally use it for wood and I'm not sure I if I shouldn't replace it before counting on it to saw to cut metal. Are there better manufacturers of cut off wheels and metal cutting saw blades? I have some diablo cutting wheels

Good to know Frazer. I knew about galvanized being a bad idea, wasn't aware that coil springs might have something bad also. What brand/model angle grinder do you use? I bought a new ryobi but it has verbiage in the manual about NOT using it for cutting and when I use a type 27 grinding wheel it fits fine. If I use a 27 cut off, its loose. Some you can turn the lower nut upside down and it will work with a cut-off wheel but on this model it is still loose and wobbly.

Appreciate the responses! I'm guessing I will have to watch some vids on working with small stock; I've mostly seen folks work from a lump (various sizes and shapes) to a billet to a blade. I've seen almost no work from what amounts to a blank. When working with springs do people usually cut those with an angle grinder or a chop saw?

Thanks for the response and I will certainly peruse the forums and try to avoid stupid questions. I have visegrips and a v-bit and flat tongs. I can see the limitations on those. Whats the narrowest/thinnest material you can forge? I was thinking the .126" stuff from AKS is too thin to really forge. Link removed I'm going to hit up a salvage yard for steel or should I go directly to auto shops? Is there a reason to go with one over the other or is it too situational a question?

So first of all, any assistance appreciated. Starting on forging knives. I took a couple of glasses with a bladesmith on a coal forge and am hooked. I have a single burner propane forge that works well, a decent anvil, some hammers and tongs and grinders (both bench and angle). Its the bare minimum but I think it will work. The first knife I made was a railroad spike knife. As will the next 10 be, since I bought 10 "HC" spikes. Yes, I know they are not the best steel but its what I know and I can play with to get a better idea of how to work steel. I'm sure I could find better 'free' steel and will later. A few questions: How thick of a piece of steel do you need to forge? I've got some .120 thick pieces from AKS but they look better suited for stock removal not forging. Am I correct or are these prime 'forge blanks'? I'm thinking they would also be easy to slice up for a Damascus build if I ever get there. If you are forging a blade, do you start with bar stock and forge from that? Are welders necessary? I know for Damascus you need to be able to hold it together but that is so far down the road it isn't funny. But using a welder to weld on a handle seems a great idea and you don't have to mess with tongs until you get it rough shaped. I've seen on Amazon some 'bladesmithing tongs' that seem to hold the blade securely but when I went to the local blacksmith/knife making shop, they had never seen them before. What tongs do you all recommend? lastly, anyone got anything against Ryobi angle grinders?