Grind Line on latest knife

opaul

opaul

Well-Known Member
This is the latest knife build. Lines are getting better to control with each knife. This is the first time I've used 3/16 thick steel and I like it. I also purchased a metal band saw which I used to cut the steel to shape. Wish I would have picked one up months ago; it sure beats using that 4" grinder.


 
Thanks Smallshop!
I'm actually building this for someone. He requested the Wenge scales after seeing the last knife.
I appreciate your compliment! I know perfection is a looooong way off, but I learn something with every knife.

For instance - after heat treat today I skated the edge of the file longitudinally along the belly of the knife......well it skated but it also left a scratch that I had to sand out. Not to smart since I had the finish down to 220 prior to the heat treat quench.
 
opaul said:
This is the latest knife build. Lines are getting better to control with each knife. This is the first time I've used 3/16 thick steel and I like it. I also purchased a metal band saw which I used to cut the steel to shape. Wish I would have picked one up months ago; it sure beats using that 4" grinder.


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Looking good!!
 
opaul said:
For instance - after heat treat today I skated the edge of the file longitudinally along the belly of the knife......well it skated but it also left a scratch that I had to sand out. Not to smart since I had the finish down to 220 prior to the heat treat quench.
Click to expand...

That's a good reason to grind them hard. I'm sure other more seasoned makers can chime in to correct me if I'm wrong, but just about any steel under 1/4" thickness should harden all the way through. Then you don't have to worry about buggering up your bevels. Profile the blanks, harden, temper, then start grinding the bevels. If you are forging, then of course what I'm saying goes out the window. But for stock removal, why grind twice?
 
Hey John thanks for the tip but let me make sure I understand.
I've been taking my bevels up to about where I want them pre-heat treat, and then grind the scale off left on after heat treating.
After tempering I take the grind line up a hair or two to finish it up.

I haven't thought of doing it that way but it should be the same. Since I'm new to the knife making hobby I've been doing most of my 'learning' from watching videos. I haven't seen that method used but it certainly makes perfect sense.

Actually the more I think about it, the more I want to try it. Double grinding lends itself to more room for error, like screwing up the bevels. I like it! Thanks for the tip.
 
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You have it right. There are tradeoffs either way, but grinding them after heat treat makes more sense to me.

Grinding hard: The benefit of this is you don't do all that bevel grinding twice and you cut down on opportunities to screw up the blade. Honestly, I find it easier to grind them hard because a little slip won't eat half the blade. Also, if the blade warps a tiny bit during heat treat you can grind it flat because you still have all that meat. The centerline is wherever you say it is. Mark a straight line and grind to it. The cons are that you need a good grinder and belts that will grind hardened steel (ceramic through 120 grit).
 
John Wilson said:
That's a good reason to grind them hard. I'm sure other more seasoned makers can chime in to correct me if I'm wrong, but just about any steel under 1/4" thickness should harden all the way through. Then you don't have to worry about buggering up your bevels. Profile the blanks, harden, temper, then start grinding the bevels. If you are forging, then of course what I'm saying goes out the window. But for stock removal, why grind twice?
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John I have never tried to grind a blank post heat treat. But after heat treat I can go from a 80 grit trizac to 400 grit cork in about 15 minutes. I thought about trying to grind post heat treat but was always worried about over heating the blades. Pre heat takes about the same amount of time. I use mainly 3/16 stock.
I may have to try some test blades to see if it saves time. What grit do you start with?
 
Hey Ty,
Thanks for your response. I like the trizac belts.
Also glad to hear that you use mainly 3/16. You wouldn't think 1/16 of an inch would make such a visual difference but when working mainly with 1/8 it seemed much thicker, visually. But I'm liking working with the thicker material.
 
It depends on the thickness of the blade or how much stock I have to remove. I start with either a 36 or 60 grit, then 120. At 120 the blade is basically done with a zero grind. Then 220 trizact to remove scratches, and maybe 400 trizact. A small neck knife or hunter takes me about 20 minutes to grind through 120. I can spend forever trying to make it pretty, but at some point it's just quicker to start hand sanding.

A big chef knife takes me almost an hour, but a lot of that time is grinding distal taper and blending bevels because there is a whole lot going on. I don't like plunge lines on my culinary knives, so I do a lot of work to blend all those compound angles into what looks like a flat bevel.
 
Never thought about grinding hardened profiles? Guess it kinda makes sense. The finish sand after harden and temper always looks better than pre-hardened at same grit level.
 
Gliden07 get yourself a 400 cork belt if don't have one already. I rally like the finish they leave.
 
opaul said:
Hey Ty,
Thanks for your response. I like the trizac belts.
Also glad to hear that you use mainly 3/16. You wouldn't think 1/16 of an inch would make such a visual difference but when working mainly with 1/8 it seemed much thicker, visually. But I'm liking working with the thicker material.
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That 1/16" makes big difference. I bought some 3/16" 1084 when I first started because that's all USA Knifemaker had. Now I can't get away from it. It's weird but it has been a huge selling point for my knives. People pick them up and say "now that fells like knife". It makes me laugh but if they want it I'm happy to make what they want.

I don't remember what grinder you have but you might look into cork belts. The more I use one the more I like it. The grind is smooth and even. And I am starting to wonder if it will ever wear out.
 
Ty.......
Looks like I will be using 1084, 3/16" for quite a while. I purchased 16ft of it. I probably over purchased but I had read somewhere it was getting harder to find as other closer steels were taking its place.
 
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