I have a Grinding question

A.W.Stovall

A.W.Stovall

Well-Known Member
Grinding blade bevels do you grind one side till finished the grind the other side, or alternate side to side until done?

Roll Tide Anthony
 
I flip back and forth frequently. I think this allows me to keep my grinds straight and even.

I tried doing one side completely and then switching to the other side, but I found I ground much deeper on the first side.

When I first started grinding I would crank on the grinder on a high speed and rip the material off as fast as possible. If I made a mistake it was very hard to fix.

Now I go relatively slow. It is worth it to be patient.
 
I will slow the grinder down I also find it odd that my grinds from left to right are better than right to left any ways other than reps to fix that?
 
Bama
I started grinding one side then the other. I too had the problem of the first side being too deep, so now I make a couple of passes from one side to the next.
As for grinds being better from one side to the next, it is because you are dominant in one hand or the other. (of course I say lefties do it better:)) I think youll find that with practice it will improve I also noticed that when I started alternating sides while grinding and slowing down the grinder it helped me even out my weak side.

Sean
 
I try to make the same number of passes on each side. At first I would get all the dings out on one side and then go to the other figuring that it would take as many passes on the second side as the first. However, it never seemed to work out that way.

Doug Lester
 
Bama,

What they said, LOL. Ive gound too much on one side plenty of times. Not too deep but removed enough steel and created enough heat to warp the blade while grinding.

I've been grinding full height flats by going around 1/3 height then flip and grind to 2/3 then back and run to aorund 95% of grind height flip and get to 95%. At this point I just kinda randomly flip back and forth working up to where I want to be.

Seems to be working good for me to stop warp while grinding. I also eyeball the spine for straightness throught the grinding process.

Any sign of warp and I'll take meat from the side of the blade to correct warp.

-Josh
 
My objective is to grind as evenly as possible on each side. Even though that the goal, its seldom possible, which is why I recommend folks normalize after rough grinding, and before heat treating. This will greatly reduce the chances of warpage when heat treating. (the other part of that formula is to ensure you leave the edge somewhat thick before heat treat)....I leave my edges 3/32-1/8" prior to heat treat, depending on the size of the blade.

Where I do a great deal of switching back and forth, is during finish grinding. My motto is "Look twice as much as you grind". Sight down the blade from all directions frequently as you finish grind. If you see something going off one direction, then you grind a little on the opposite side of that area until you bring it back to true.
Getting over zealous when finish grinding, and your almost sure to wind up with a blade that trails off one way or the other.
Most common is to see folks who are right handed, wind up with blades that trail off to the right, and just opposite for left handed people. (if your looking down the knife from the handle end)
Train yourself to look twice as much as you grind, and you will catch those "little things" before they get out of control.
 
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Great info Ed, Thank you for taking the time to share your methods. Think you just saved me a couple blades.:D My edges are around 1/16.....I will slap them up to the belt and thicken them edges before my first attempts at HT.

Big thanks to you Ed, good to see you back and posting like a champ.

Chris

EdCaffreyMS said:
My objective is to grind as evenly as possible on each side. Even though that the goal, its seldom possible, which is why I recommend folks normalize after rough grinding, and before heat treating. This will greatly reduce the chances of warpage when heat treating. (the other part of that formula is to ensure you leave the edge somewhat thick before heat treat)....I leave my edges 3/32-1/8" prior to heat treat, depending on the size of the blade.

Where I do a great deal of switching back and forth, is during finish grinding. My motto is "Look twice as much as you grind". Sight down the blade from all directions frequently as you finish grind. If you see something going off one direction, then you grind a little on the opposite side of that area until you bring it back to true.
Getting over zealous when finish grinding, and your almost sure to wind up with a blade that trails off one way or the other.
Most common is to see folks who are right handed, wind up with blades that trail off to the right, and just opposite for left handed people. (if your looking down the knife from the handle end)
Train yourself to look twice as much as you grind, and you will catch those "little things" before they get out of control.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks all you Guys , when you dont have the experience but have a good idea what your trying to do it is nice to have good pointers I try to visit the other local knifemakers in person as much as I can and man everybody does things different.
 
If you can visit an expirenced make it will help you a great deal. And of course the three P's, practice, practice, practice.
 
Bama said:
Thanks all you Guys , I try to visit the other local knifemakers in person as much as I can and man everybody does things different.
Click to expand...

Get 12 knifemakers in aroom and ask a question and get 14 different answers,they all work, just find what works for you:D
 
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