We like to joke that grinding knives is simple... all ya is do grab a bar of steel and knock away everything that's not a knife
There's really no "magic" to it all; but it's not as easy as it looks, either.
This post is just the beginning of a list of vids I'm slowly compiling, showing highly-respected makers that I've found
very helpful, showing their grinding techniques from the most basic hogging, to some pretty advanced tips and tricks. Watching and listening to these cats will save you a whole lot of wasted time and steel. The only quicker way to learn is to meet them at a show and pick their brains, or better yet, take a class from them - and if such an opportunity presents itself to you, I very strongly recommend that you avail yourself of it.
ABS Mastersmith Jerry Fisk is widely recognized as not only one of the finest bladesmiths alive today, but also one of the finest teachers in the industry. Here, he gives an outstanding overview of shop safety and basic blade-profiling techniques on the grinder. Pay special attention to what he has to say about body mechanics, working from your core and paying attention to balance... it will save you years of trial and error. If you only watch one video about grinding blades,
watch this one... and watch it six or seven times at least.
[video=youtube;EPYtMd7vKjY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPYtMd7vKjY[/video]
Jerry Fisk said:
One thing you wanna do, is keep these arms locked in {to your sides}... if you get your elbows way out here like this, you've lost your anchor point. That's where you get 2-inch-itis... All kinda ills are gonna be set upon you, if you get to waving them arms around like a goose.
Mike Williams is another Mastersmith with a whole lot of experience and info to share. Here he shows some very solid bevel grinding techniques, prior to HT... including safety, how to see if you're doing it right, and how to address/fix mistakes. Perhaps most important of all, he eloquently clarifies how to examine a complex blade that's nearly impossible to measure with a rule or micrometer...
[video=youtube;FS_BlTfyTkk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS_BlTfyTkk[/video]
Mike Williams said:
We have to learn to train our eye to see straight... you have to learn to trust your fingers that this is straight and smooth... your fingers won't lie to ya. Your fingers are sensitive enough that you can feel a human hair, so surely you can feel a dip in a blade that's 3 or 4 or 10 thousandths deep."
I also have nothing but the highest regard for MS Harvey Dean's
DVD about flat-grinding. Again, he covers all the bases from design to fixing foul-ups. Worth every penny, whether you want to become a professional knifemaker or you just enjoy learning about how the very best knives on the planet are made... or anything in between.
I hope you all enjoy these videos as much as I do.
