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You bet, PJ. I shaped the bulk of the handle with a 36 blaze, profiling on the platen and then going to a slack belt to avoid heat build up. I followed that up with a 120 and 220 and 400. I then filled the voids and checks with superglue and let it set up. I took a few brief passes with the 400...

Jeff, it all depends on how you grind. Myself, and many other makers, grind edge up. So when I'm grinding edge up on the left hand side of the blade, that puts me with the handle on the right side of the belt and in open space. When I grind the right side of the blade, that puts me on the...

Like Stan, I start at either 220 or 320 after grinding to 600 grit. I use some cratex cones to help speed up the cleanup in the plunge, and I use a micarta backing block when I start. On almost every knife, I'll start the hand sanding, using a couple of small squares of my initial grit, then...

Erin, yes the hamon's a bit closer than I'd like, but there's plenty of hardened steel left for a servicable knife edge. I'd like to raise the hamon up maybe 1/4" or so. I am still in the learning curve with this steel. My first hamon turned out similarly, and this time I used thinner clay...

Yep, same stuff, PJ. I have a block of the stuff I need to get on a big fixed blade at some point. --nathan

Great! Congrats on the purchase! For your lower grit belts, I HIGHLY recommend the Blaze belts. They're more pricey, but the cut like nobody's business and last longer to boot. I have 'em in 36, 60, and 120 grit. --nathan

This is a little knife I delivered today. I forged it out of Don's W-2 and clay quenched the blade for a hamon. It has a full distal taper and a gently tapered tang and the balance is just right. The handle scales are made from some of Mark's (Burl Source) amazing redwood burl with red...

This is a little knife I delivered today. I forged it out of Don's W-2 and clay quenched the blade for a hamon. It has a full distal taper and a gently tapered tang and the balance is just right. The handle scales are made from some of Mark's (Burl Source) amazing redwood burl with red...

Hellgap, it tracks rock solid! I like a tight belt so I used two fairly strong springs. It doesn't wobble a bit. I've started using it as a small and big wheel grinder. I used it to finish the edges on a knife I just wrapped up and to edge a sheath tonight. I did put the platen on it when I...

You can pick them up from our very own Boss Dogg. Tracy sells them at www.usaknifemaker.com under the grinder parts section. Also, you can get them from Beaumont Metal Works (maker of the KMG). --nathan

Jeff, it was around $100 for the drive wheel and tracking wheel, $250 for the kit (laser cut 1/2" steel), another $20 or so for the hardware/bolts/etc, and I paid right at $200 for the motor. I already had the VFD and the attachments, so I spend about probably $570 total. More than I should...

Fletch, it went together very easily after I got the holes tapped. I don't like tapping much ;). As for how many you need...well, that's a great question :D. I haven't thought about it, but I'd say one for the flat platen, one for the small wheel, one for my 10" wheel, one for a slack belt...

I also use a vice with 1" aluminum plates, though I don't have a quick release setup. I just open the plates slightly, slip the packet in, and tighten down. I grind to all but finish before heat treating, and the only issue I've ever had with a warp was from overlapping the folded foil over...

Well, I finally got this one wrapped up. I have it running off a 2hp 1800 rpm motor switched to my TECO FM50 VFD (which also runs my disc and my KMG :D). I'll probably switch out to a 3600 rpm motor eventually, but as this is primarily for detail work, I'll leave it for now. It's fully...

Ok...that is just ridiculous! Now send it to me.... :D J/K. Don't send it to me as I can't afford it just now with the other tools I'm waiting to get...But BOY, I wish I had the change for that right now! :D --nathan

Acraglas was the exact epoxy I had in mind when I mentioned higher temperatures. The higher temperature tolerance (and super hold) is one of the reasons I use it for my handles. --nathan

True that. I ended up spending a good part of an hour chatting with David on the phone (all the while he was working and I was supppose to be working :D). It was good to get to talk voice-to-voice to another maker that I've known "digitally" for several years. He's a great guy and has been...

My suggesting is to pop it in the oven at around 220 for 10 minutes or so. That will break most 2-part epoxy bonds, though some have higher heat tolerance than others. Devcon 2-ton and the stuff Tracy sells respond well to that. Glove up, pull it out of the oven, and use a press (I've used my...

IG and Darren Ellis. -Nathan

Hey everyone. Thanks for the PM's and suggestions. I have this one covered! David Curtiss is going to help me out. --nathan