Shamus Blargostadt Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 man I feel like I have two left hands, both full of thumbs, trying to grind blades. I can't believe how much I suck at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakersteve Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Took me over 20 grinds to start to get comfortable - Used jig at first, but now freehand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus Blargostadt Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 yeah I think I might need to make a jig. My first attempt at a hollow grind looks like a funhouse mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 (edited) And the first time you picked up a hammer you could not hit the top of a 55 gallon drum. With practice now you can hit the top of a finishing nail.Practice, practice and then some more (you got it) practice. May want to practice on mild steel flat bar rather than a knife. Flat bar is cheap. Edited June 10, 2015 by Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus Blargostadt Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 I'm still chopping up this scrap truck leaf spring.. so practicing swinging the hammer and grinding I noticed there seem to be a lot of different jig designs out there. Can anyone recommend a tried and true one that isn't too hard to make that would work on my craftsman 2x42" belt grinder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdaleh Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I tell people that somewhere between 75 and 125blades you will figure out blade grinding. Had one tell me I lied to him it took him 160. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 grinding is tricky at least compared to forging , however some people do get it immediately and I think it has as much to do with being able to imagine your finished piece as the hand skills to obtain that. Observation as to whether you are doing it rite depends a lot upon having a firm idea about what you want. I have always ground freehand at least until this year, I have just finished construction of a variable angled jig, with a linear actuator to change the angle of the grind , works a drream. I still do the fine fettling freehand but hog in a jig..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffrat Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 man I feel like I have two left hands, both full of thumbs, trying to grind blades. I can't believe how much I suck at it. What grinder(s) are you using? Does it have a variable speed motor? What height is the work rest set at in reference to your body? What grits and stages are you grinding in? Are you using a push stick to hold the blade against the grinding medium, or are you trying to hold it with one of those thumbs until it gets too hot to touch? All of these aspects of grinding affect the finished outcome. Give us some idea of your process and we might be able to give you some pointers and lessen the learning curve a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I don't confess blade making as my main forte but have made a couple knives. I have to admit, I have not been able to get the hang of hand grinding, myself. I made a jig and found it to be some what useful, but I ended up finishing with files and hand and block sanding. That being said, one knife maker that I have the deepest respect for scoffed when I told him I was going to make a jig. He knew I wanted to learn to hand grind and said, if I made a jig that worked, I most likely would never learn to hand grind. You use what works. If you get good at hand grinding, you'll never need a jig. OTOH, if you get good using a jig, why learn to get good by hand. Looking back, I wished I would have followed his advice. I probably would have more knives made by now...Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 for me, it's a 6" wide belt. makes it easier to get a uniform line, and shape. after general shaping, etc. then on to narrower belts ( on diffrent grinders)and finally the elbow grease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus Blargostadt Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 What grinder(s) are you using? Does it have a variable speed motor? What height is the work rest set at in reference to your body? What grits and stages are you grinding in? Are you using a push stick to hold the blade against the grinding medium, or are you trying to hold it with one of those thumbs until it gets too hot to touch? All of these aspects of grinding affect the finished outcome. Give us some idea of your process and we might be able to give you some pointers and lessen the learning curve a bit.whew, tried to reply several times over the past couple weeks but kept getting "permission denied".I have a craftsman 2x42" belt grinder, single speed. It feels a little high, chest level. I've been holding the blade with leather work gloves while grinding (pain is an excellent instructor!) then cooling in a water quench bucket.I've been struggling with position on the belt.. not sure if I should use the small "slack" area or against the metal backing, or the arm flips down to allow grinding against the larger bottom wheel. My first attempts at hollow grinding against the wheel were awful.I'm able to muddle through producing a blade but I'm introducing a lot of flaws accidentally that seem to be near impossible to erase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 I use the slack area for almost all of my final grinding. I will sometimes use my contact wheel to hog off metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackthornForge Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Believe me, I know. I've been using a freakin' angle grinder with a flap disc because my 6X48 harbor freight belt sander is crapping out (surprise surprise)... I'm finally getting the hang of NOT completely boogering up a blade with an angle grinder but it's been a long, rough, and expensive road... If I can make half-decent blades with an angle grinder and a Nicholson file, you can definitely get it down with a 2X42. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Instead of a flat wheel use the rubber backing disk and sand paper disks. It will give you better control of the bevel shape and it's easy and fast to change grits. Best of all you can't put too much pressure on the blade without the rubber backer bending so you back off some.It's not a proper square wheel belt grinder but it sure beats a flap sander.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackthornForge Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 how does the sandpaper disc hold up compared to a flap wheel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I think you may have misunderstood Frosty. He was referring to a wheel that has 'slots' in it and it takes a round belt, not a rubber backing pad with a flat disk. As for how sand paper holds out is a science in itself. If an expert in abrasive technology were to give you a quick précis on the matter you would still be listening 2 days later. But for ease of understanding I'll simplify it to four items 1) material to be sanded 2) availability of abrasive 3) cost of abrasive 4) manner of use.I live half a world away and what I can get and how it's used may be way different from you, so my advice would be to find someone near you that is experienced and proficient and ask if they would let you come and watch? Then once you have a better 'understanding ' of how and what you want to do, start canvassing on where you can get what? To my mind you can get fantastic products from people like Pferd but its far from cheap. Makita make handheld belt sanders that are amazing but far from cheap(I've never even seen one used in the USA) European ,middle and far Eastern shops are awash with them and their deratives . Good luck on your 'adventure' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I've never compared sand paper disks to flap wheels at least not duration ways. The disk will give you much better control of the blade bevel profile. Flap wheels just don't have anything solid behind them, they're more for polishing without altering the surface.Ian, I am talking about disks on a rubber backing pad. I'm not picturing what you're talking about, can you post a link please? I'm always up for a new tool.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackthornForge Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I think you may have misunderstood Frosty. He was referring to a wheel that has 'slots' in it and it takes a round belt, not a rubber backing pad with a flat disk. As for how sand paper holds out is a science in itself. If an expert in abrasive technology were to give you a quick précis on the matter you would still be listening 2 days later. But for ease of understanding I'll simplify it to four items 1) material to be sanded 2) availability of abrasive 3) cost of abrasive 4) manner of use.I live half a world away and what I can get and how it's used may be way different from you, so my advice would be to find someone near you that is experienced and proficient and ask if they would let you come and watch? Then once you have a better 'understanding ' of how and what you want to do, start canvassing on where you can get what? To my mind you can get fantastic products from people like Pferd but its far from cheap. Makita make handheld belt sanders that are amazing but far from cheap(I've never even seen one used in the USA) European ,middle and far Eastern shops are awash with them and their deratives . Good luck on your 'adventure'My grandfather has a handheld Makita. He may have brought it back from overseas though. Great tool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackthornForge Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I've never compared sand paper disks to flap wheels at least not duration ways. The disk will give you much better control of the blade bevel profile. Flap wheels just don't have anything solid behind them, they're more for polishing without altering the surface.Ian, I am talking about disks on a rubber backing pad. I'm not picturing what you're talking about, can you post a link please? I'm always up for a new tool.Frosty The Lucky.Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Frosty, they are called expander wheels, don't know how to link, but you get different ones to fit numerous tools and with 'zirconium ' belt hulls ..... you just got to tryJust Google em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Got it Ian! It's a drum for a drum sander of a type I'm not familiar with. You can see how the direction of rotation expands the drum making it really tight. I'll bet reversing the drill and the sand paper just slips off. secure to work easy change out. Sweet. Thanks Ian.http://www.amazon.com/3M-Slotted-Expander-Expanding-Diameter/dp/B00EW7DY6YFrosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Jup, that's them, except I wonder if ? At that price, you get a complementary lady of the night thrown into the deal? They should be around a third of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Jup, that's them, except I wonder if ? At that price, you get a complementary lady of the night thrown into the deal? They should be around a third of that. Are ladies a bargain in SA?I only linked the 3M slotted wheels, they don't make the bargain models. And it's Amazon so . . . ?Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Just a thought but the Lapidary folks use a lot of expanding drum sanding to shape stones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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